John Surman – Biography, Discography & Instruments

Biography

John Surman is a jazz musician who plays saxophone, clarinet, soprano saxophone and bass clarinet. John Surman was born on 30 August 1944 in Tavistock. The music is usually filed under jazz, swing and experimental rock. Record labels: ECM Records, Island Records, Dawn Records and Deram. The discography here lists 37 albums, from “John Surman” (1968) to “Flashpoints and Undercurrents” (2025). Honours include Spellemann Award for jazz record of the year (1999), Paul Acket Award and BBC Jazz Awards.

John Douglas Surman (born 30 August 1944) is an English jazz saxophone, clarinet, and synthesizer player, and composer of free jazz and modal jazz, often using themes from folk music. He has composed and performed music for dance performances and film soundtracks.

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Discography

Studio and live albums

John Surman 1968 · Deram How Many Clouds Can You See? 1970 · Deram Tales of the Algonquin 1971 · Deram Jazz in Britain ’68–’69 1972 · Decca Eclipse Westering Home 1972 · Island Morning Glory 1973 · Island Live at Moers Festival 1976 · Live · Ring Records Sonatinas 1978 Upon Reflection 1979 · ECM Records The Amazing Adventures of Simon Simon 1981 · ECM Records Such Winters of Memory 1983 · ECM Records Withholding Pattern 1985 · ECM Records Private City 1988 · ECM Records Road to Saint Ives 1990 · ECM Records Adventure Playground 1992 · ECM Records The Brass Project 1993 · ECM Records A Biography of the Rev. Absalom Dawe 1995 · ECM Records Nordic Quartet 1995 · ECM Records Proverbs And Songs 1997 · ECM Records

Coruscating 2000

Apartment #5C 2002 · MK2 Music

Invisible Nature 2002 · Live

Free and Equal 2003 · ECM Records Way Back When 2005 · Cuneiform Records The Spaces in Between 2007 · ECM Records Rain on the Window 2008 · ECM Records Brewster's Rooster 2009 · ECM Records Flashpoint: NDR Jazz Workshop - April '69 2011 · Cuneiform Records Saltash Bells 2012 · ECM Records Another Sky 2014 · Grappa Invisible Threads 2018 · ECM Records Oceanic Rifts 2020 · [no label] Words Unspoken 2024 · ECM Records

Diriaou 2025

Electric Element 2025 · Trunk Records Flashpoints and Undercurrents 2025 · Cuneiform Records

Surman, Bruce, Hiseman

Also plays on

Albums where John Surman is credited as a sideman

1969	Extrapolation — John McLaughlin	saxophone
1969	Open Space (The Down Beat Poll Winners in Europe) — Karin Krog, John Surman, Albert Mangelsdorff, Francy Boland, Niels‐Henning Ørsted Pedersen & Daniel Humair	saxophone
1969	Monday Morning — Rolf Kühn & Joachim Kühn	baritone saxophone
1970	Alors!!! — Michel Portal, John Surman, Barre Phillips, Stu Martin, Jean-Pierre Drouet	reeds
1971	Where Fortune Smiles — John McLaughlin, John Surman, Karl Berger, Stu Martin & Dave Holland	reeds
1971	Going to the Rainbow — Rolf Kühn, Chick Corea, Joachim Kühn	saxophone
1971	B & S — Slide Hampton & Václav Zahradník Big Band	soprano saxophone, baritone saxophone
1971	Pause, and Think Again — John Taylor	soprano saxophone, producer
1976	Mountainscapes — Barre Phillips	synthesizer, bass clarinet, soprano saxophone, baritone saxophone
1977	Nachricht vom Lande — Friedrich Gulda, Ursula Anders, Barre Phillips, John Surman, Cecil Taylor, Stu Martin, Albert Mangelsdorff	synthesizer, saxophone
1980	First Meeting — Miroslav Vitouš	bass clarinet, soprano saxophone
1980	Journal Violone II — Barre Phillips	synthesizer, bass clarinet, soprano saxophone, baritone saxophone
1981	Music by... — Barre Phillips	reeds
1982	Two of a Kind — Karin Krog	producer
1983	Journey's End — Miroslav Vitouš	saxophone
1986	Fragments — Paul Bley	baritone saxophone, bass clarinet, soprano saxophone, reeds
1993	In the Evenings Out There — Paul Bley / Gary Peacock / Tony Oxley / John Surman	reeds
1993	November — John Abercrombie, Marc Johnson, Peter Erskine W / John Surman	saxophone
1998	From the Green Hill — Tomasz Stańko	baritone saxophone, bass clarinet
2001	75th Birthday Concert Live at the Hammersmith Odeon, London 1987 — Gil Evans	bass clarinet, baritone saxophone
2002	Where Flamingos Fly — Karin Krog & Jacob Young	producer
2004	Cloud Line Blue — Karin Krog & John Surman	baritone saxophone, bass clarinet, guitar, Moog, piano, soprano saxophone
2005	Seagull — Karin Krog & Bergen Big Band	arranger, conductor, baritone saxophone, soprano saxophone, saxophone, producer
2010	Folkways — Karin Krog	alto clarinet, bass clarinet, contrabass clarinet, piano, soprano saxophone, arranger
2011	Nino Rota — Richard Galliano	alto clarinet, soprano saxophone
2023	Live In Berlin 1971 — Weather Report	baritone saxophone, bass clarinet, soprano saxophone

Awards

Listen on Spotify

Frequently asked questions

What instrument does John Surman play?

John Surman is known for playing saxophone, clarinet, soprano saxophone and bass clarinet.

When and where was John Surman born?

John Surman was born 30 August 1944 in Tavistock.

What are John Surman's best-known albums?

Albums in our database include John Surman (1968), How Many Clouds Can You See? (1970), Tales of the Algonquin (1971), Jazz in Britain ’68–’69 (1972) and Westering Home (1972).

External links

Data compiled from open sources; see the source links below. Spotted an error? Let us know.