Karl Jenkins

Welsh musician and composer (b. 1944)

Born: 17 February 1944
Penclawdd
Country: United Kingdom
Active: 1970–
Record labels: Virgin Records, Deutsche Grammophon, Caroline Records
Discography: 27 albums

Biography

Karl Jenkins is a jazz musician who plays saxophone, musical keyboard, baritone saxophone and oboe. Karl Jenkins was born on 17 February 1944 in Penclawdd. The music is usually filed under jazz, classical music and progressive rock. Record labels: Virgin Records, Deutsche Grammophon and Caroline Records. The discography here lists 27 albums, from “For Christmas, For Children” (1981) to “The Armed Man” (2024). Honours include Honorary Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales (2022), Commander of the Order of the British Empire and Knight Bachelor.

Sir Karl William Pamp Jenkins (born 17 February 1944) is a Welsh multi-instrumentalist and composer. His best known works include the song "Adiemus" (1995, from the Adiemus album series), Palladio (1995), The Armed Man (2000), his Requiem (2005) and his Stabat Mater (2008). Jenkins was educated in music at Cardiff University and the Royal Academy of Music, and he is a fellow and an associate of the latter. He joined the jazz-rock band Soft Machine in 1972 and became the group's lead songwriter in 1974. He continued to work with Soft Machine until 1984, but has not been involved with any incarnation of the group since. He has composed music for advertising campaigns and has won the industry prize twice.

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Discography

Studio and live albums

For Christmas, For Children 1981 · Music De Wolfe Diamond Music 1996 · Sony Masterworks Imagined Oceans 1998 · Sony Classical The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace 2001 · Decca Classics Requiem 2005 · EMI Classics River Queen 2005 · EMI Kiri Sings Karl 2006 · EMI Classics Tlep 2006 · Sony BMG Music Entertainment Stabat Mater 2007 · Decca Classics This Land of Ours 2007 · EMI Classics Quirk - The Concertos 2008 · EMI Classics Stabat Mater 2008 · EMI Classics Stella Natalis 2009 · EMI Classics Gloria / Te Deum 2010 · EMI Classics The Peacemakers 2011 · EMI Classics Adiemus Colores 2013 · Deutsche Grammophon Motets 2014 · Deutsche Grammophon Cantata Memoria: For the Children 2016 · Deutsche Grammophon Symphonic Adiemus 2017 · Decca Classics Karl Jenkins: Piano 2019 · Decca Records Miserere: Songs of Mercy and Redemption 2019 Penumbra II 2022 · Jazz in Britain One World 2023 · Decca Classics

Stabat Mater 2023 · Live

Stravaganza 2024 · Decca Records The Armed Man 2024 · Signum Classics Dewi Sant · Karl Jenkins Music Ltd.

Also plays on

Albums where Karl Jenkins is credited as a sideman

1970	Elastic Rock — Nucleus	baritone saxophone, piano, oboe, Pianet
1970	Greek Variations & Other Aegean Exercises — Neil Ardley, Ian Carr & Don Rendell	oboe, soprano saxophone, baritone saxophone
1972	Ode — Barry Guy; London Jazz Composers Orchestra	woodwind
1972	A Symphony of Amaranths — Neil Ardley	electric piano

Awards

2022 Honorary Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales
Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Knight Bachelor

Listen on Spotify

Frequently asked questions

What instrument does Karl Jenkins play?

Karl Jenkins is known for playing saxophone, musical keyboard, baritone saxophone and oboe.

When and where was Karl Jenkins born?

Karl Jenkins was born 17 February 1944 in Penclawdd.

What are Karl Jenkins's best-known albums?

Albums in our database include For Christmas, For Children (1981), Diamond Music (1996), Imagined Oceans (1998), The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace (2001) and Requiem (2005).

External links

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