It was in 2008 that Billboard chart-topping pianist Jonathan Fritzén burst onto the scene with his debut recording ‘Love Birds’ which at the time was described as reaching the very core of what great smooth jazz is all about. Now, six hit albums later Fritzén is back with the highly anticipated ‘Piano Tales’. Released on his own label, Nordic Night Records, it is a collection that is very much all his own work.

Indeed, as well as producing, recording and mixing throughout he also writes all ten choice tunes. The title of each track is linked in some way to the piano, a fact born out by the first single to be serviced to radio, ‘Keys To Paradise’, which peaked at #1 on the Billboard Smooth Jazz Chart and the second single, ‘Hammers Of Love’ that also found its way into the top ten.

The entire collection bears testimony to Fritzén’s renowned musical innovation and this is a quality that was also on show in 2020 when, under the name of the Jonathan Fritzén Jazz Trio, he released the album ‘Bach and Jazz’. Arranged by the trio for piano bass and drums the compositions on it were all written by Johann Sebastian Bach.

Known for his high-octane live performances, Fritzén has toured coast to coast across the USA on numerous occasions. He has appeared at some of the biggest jazz festivals in both the USA and around the world while along the way has collaborated with contemporary jazz heavy hitters such as Dave Koz, Gerald Albright, Boney James and Nils Landgren to name just a few.

Jonathan grew up in Stockholm Sweden to a Swedish mother, and an American father. After majoring in drums in high school he studied piano for six years at the Royal College Of Music in Stockholm where he became one of the first students to take a masters degrees in jazz. As well as giving him an outstanding musical education this experience proved to be pivotal in that he completed ‘Love Birds’ shortly before his graduation.

Quite simply Fritzén remains one of the hottest composers, producers and pianists around and, in what is already a storied career, it seems likely that there are still many tales to tell.