Esbjorn Svensson, 44, a Swedish jazz pianist whose fusion of lyrical melodies and rock-inspired electronics broke fresh ground in modern jazz, has died in a diving accident, his manager said Monday. He died Saturday in a diving accident off a small island near Stockholm, said Burkhard Hopper, manager of the musician's band, the Esbjorn Svensson Trio. Svensson and his band won worldwide critical acclaim and several awards for their 2002 album "Strange Place for Snow," including the Guinness Jazz in Europe Award. Hopper said the band had just finished its 12th album, "Leukocyte," to be released in September.
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He effectively lobbied some of Minnesota’s wealthiest citizens to contribute to his projects: “You were just compelled to step up and do whatever Joe wanted to do.”
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