About Karl Jenkins
Welsh multi-instrumentalist and contemporary composer (born 17 February 1944, Penclawdd [Swansea], Wales). Sir Karl Jenkins is Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE), Knight Bachelor, Fellow of the [[label:Royal Academy of Music]] (FRAM), and Honorary Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales (HonFSLW). He performs on baritone & soprano saxophones, oboe, and keyboards. Jenkins grew up in Penclawdd village in Gower (now part of Swansea), born to a Swedish mother and Welsh father, a chapel organist and choirmaster, who gave Karl his first music lessons. In high school, 12-year-old Jenkins began playing oboe in the [[artist:National Youth Orchestra Of Wales]]. He got formally educated at [[label:Cardiff University]], followed by postgraduate studies at the [[label:Royal Academy of Music]] in London.
Early in his career, Karl Jenkins was primarily known as a jazz and fusion / jazz-rock saxophonist, oboist, and keyboard player. He participated in several of [[artist:Graham Collier]]'s ensembles and was active in the early free jazz / improv UK scene. In 1969, Jenkins co-founded the **[Nucleus](https://discogs.com/artist/184256)** band, which won the [[label:Montreux Jazz Festival]]'s first prize and headlined the [[label:Newport Jazz Festival]] the following year. As a session player and band member, Karl Jenkins appeared on such notable albums as [[artist:Elton John]]'s *[m=84216]* (1970) or *[m=197775]* (1972) by [[artist:Barry Guy]] with [[artist:London Jazz Composers Orchestra]]. (Jenkins played alongside [[artist:Mark Charig]] on a bugle and [[artist:Alan Wakeman]] on tenor & soprano saxophones, cousin of [[artist:Rick Wakeman]] of [[artist:Yes]] fame).
In 1972, Karl Jenkins joined **[[artist:Soft Machine]]**, a prog / jazz-rock / fusion band from Canterbury formed by [[artist:Mike Ratledge]]. He remained with the group until 1978 (and joined for brief reunions in 1980–81 and '84), active as a lead composer on many Soft Machine LPs. Jenkins toured extensively with the band, performing at [[label:Carnegie Hall]], the [[label:Royal Albert Hall]]'s "Proms" and [[label:The Reading Festival]]. In November 1973, Jenkins and Ratledge participated in a live-in-the-studio performance of [[artist:Mike Oldfield]]'s *[m=15016]* for the [[label:BBC]] (available on *[m=315636]* VHS/DVD compilation). Jenkins also recorded library music with Ratledge, sometimes using the Rubba moniker.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Karl Jenkins mainly focused on commercial music. Collaborating with [Bartle Bogle Hegarty](https://discogs.com/label/1372991) agency, Jenkins created soundtracks for [[label:Levi's]], [[label:Renault]], and De Beers, among other prominent clients. (Karl subsequently developed De Beers' theme into a full-length orchestral work, *[m=585426]*). In 1994, Jenkins started **[[artist:Adiemus]]** - a series of orchestral new-age albums with vocals. (The opening song on the debut album, *[m=10543]*, released in 1995 on CD/Cassette by [[label:Virgin]], was based on Karl's TV commercial tune for [[label:Delta Air Lines]].) Notably, all singing was in a fictional lyrical language, vaguely reminiscent of Latin, and constructed by Jenkins purely phonetically. (Similar to the *Kobaïan* language invented by French drummer and musician [[artist:Christian Vander]] for [Magma](https://discogs.com/artist/179749) band).
In 1999, Jenkins wrote *[m=620433]*, a neo-classical Mass for orchestra and mixed choir, commissioned by the Royal Armouries and debuted at [[label:Royal Albert Hall]]. Since then, it become one of Karl's best-known works, with over 400 performances and several critically-acclaimed recordings. In May 2023, Jenkins commissioned *Tros Y Garreg* (Crossing The Stone in English), one of 12 new works for the coronation of [Charles III](https://discogs.com/artist/2253564), attending its debut performance at [[label:Westminster Abbey]]'s ceremony. His photos from the event briefly circulated in the media, starting with memes joking that Karl was, instead, Meghan Markle ([[artist:HRH Prince Harry]]'s wife and estranged Duchess of Sussex) in buffoonish disguise, and subsequently numerous debunkings in high-profile press.
