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Jan Johansson was a Swedish jazz pianist and composer who was born on September 16, 1931, in Söderhamn, Sweden. He was the son of a jazz musician and grew up in a musical family. His father, Evert Johansson, was a well-known jazz pianist in Sweden, and his mother, Greta Johansson, was a singer. Johansson began playing the piano at a young age and showed a natural talent for music. He studied classical music at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, but he was more interested in jazz. He began playing in jazz clubs in Stockholm and quickly gained a reputation as a talented pianist. In the 1950s, Johansson became a member of the Swedish Radio Jazz Group, which was a popular jazz ensemble in Sweden. He also played with other jazz musicians, including Arne Domnérus and Lars Gullin. In 1959, he formed his own trio, which included bassist Georg Riedel and drummer Egil Johansen. Johansson's music was influenced by Swedish folk music, and he often incorporated folk melodies into his jazz compositions. He was also influenced by American jazz musicians, such as Bill Evans and Thelonious Monk. One of Johansson's most famous works is his album "Jazz på svenska" (Jazz in Swedish), which was released in 1964. The album featured jazz arrangements of traditional Swedish folk songs, and it became a best-selling album in Sweden. The album was a groundbreaking work that helped to popularize jazz in Sweden and introduced Swedish folk music to a wider audience. Johansson continued to record and perform throughout the 1960s and 1970s. He recorded several albums with his trio, including "Innertrio" (1962), "8 Bitar" (1967), and "Jazz på ryska" (Jazz in Russian) (1971). He also collaborated with other musicians, such as saxophonist Bernt Rosengren and singer Monica Zetterlund. Tragically, Johansson's life was cut short when he died in a car accident on November 9, 1968, at the age of 37. Despite his short career, he left a lasting legacy in Swedish jazz and his music continues to be celebrated today.

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