Jens Ola Johansson[1] (born November 2, 1963 in Stockholm) is a Swedish power metal keyboardist and pianist. He is noted as one of the first and most influential "shred" keyboardists, for his high-speed neoclassical and fusion style.Contents [hide]
1 Biography
2 Gear
3 Studio albums
4 Related links
5 References

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Biography

Johansson is son of Swedish jazz pianist Jan Johansson and brother of the heavy metal drummer Anders Johansson. He is highly influenced by classic Rock keyboardists like Don Airey, Eddie Jobson and Jon Lord.[2] In 1982, the classically trained Johansson left the jazz fusion band Slem and joined the Swedish metal band Silver Mountain, which also included Anders. In 1983 he left Sweden for California and joined guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen as a member of his band, Rising Force. Numerous records and world tours ensued and he stayed with Yngwie until 1989.[citation needed] Johansson also played with the band Dio between 1989 and 1990. Like Anders, he began an ongoing collaboration with Jonas Hellborg in 1989 which has resulted in several progressive and avant-garde recordings, including Dissident, Silent Run (an acoustic piano trio record with Ginger Baker on drums) and the hard core progressive fusion record, E.

In 1993, Johansson co-founded a progressive blues metal project, The Johansson Brothers, and recorded a self-titled record. In 1996, with a different line-up, they recorded another album, Sonic Winter, this time under the name "Johansson", with Yngwie Malmsteen guesting on guitar. The last Johansson record, The Last Viking, a more "European metal" oriented album, was released in 1999 with special guests Michael Romeo and Göran Edman.

Johansson has released several instrumental solo records such as Fjäderlösa Tvåfotingar, Ten Seasons (a piano solo album improvised in the Mark Kostabi gallery, New York), Heavy Machinery (with Anders and Allan Holdsworth) and Fission (with Anders, Shawn Lane and Mike Stern) and many collaborations with other artists, metal compilations and Berends Brothers' band Mastermind.

He co-founded Heptagon Records to distribute his own recordings and that of other musicians, such as guitarist Benny Jansson and bassist Magnus Rosén.

Johansson auditioned for Dream Theater after Kevin Moore left the band in 1994[3] but due to many delays by the band in making a decision he instead joined Finnish Power metal band Stratovarius. Since 1995 he has remained in Stratovarius, and still releasing solo albums and appearing as a guest or session musician in other projects.

Jens is a self-confessed computer nerd, admitting to have started on an Atari ST (which he still owns), and having coded software in C, as well as his own website in Perl.[4]
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He has used many types of keyboards and synthesizers throughout his career. Amongst his favourites are the Korg Polysix, Yamaha DX7 (from the Rising Force times to present), the Oberheim Matrix Series and the Roland JV-1080. Johansson is also fond of the Hammond Organ and used Kurzweil synthesizers. Johansson is a computer fan and long time Steinberg programs user (like Cubase). An example of his interest in computers is his record "Fission", which is replete with special effects and sound experimentations. For his famous lead sound he uses Morley JD-10 as distortion.
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Studio albumsTítle Label Year
Silver Mountain: Shakin' Brains 1983
Yngwie Malmsteen: Rising Force Polydor 1984
Yngwie Malmsteen: Marching Out Polydor 1985
Yngwie Malmsteen: Trilogy Polydor 1986
Erik Borelius: Fantasy 1988
Yngwie Malmsteen: Odyssey Polydor 1988
Yngwie Malmsteen: Trial By Fire Polydor 1989
Dio: Lock Up the Wolves Warner Bros. Records 1990
Deadline: Dissident 1991
Stephen Ross: Midnight Drive 1991
Anders Johansson: Shu-Tka 1992
Ginger Baker: Unseen Rain 1992
RAF: Ode To A Tractor 1992
Shining Path: No Other World 1992
Jonas Hellborg Group: E 1993
Snake Charmer: Smoke And Mirrors 1993
Dave Nerge's Bulldog: The Return Of Mr. Nasty 1994
Robert Blennerhed: Seven 1994
Smoke On The Water - A Tribute 1994
The Johansson Brothers 1994
Tony MacAlpine: Premonition 1994
Anders Johansson, Jens Johansson and Allan Holdsworth: Heavy Machinery 1996
Yngwie Malmsteen: Inspiration 1996
Anders Johansson: Red Shift 1997
Johansson: Sonic Winter 1997
Itä-Saksa: Let's Kompromise 1998
Snake Charmer: Backyard Boogaloo 1998
Fission 1998
Benny Jansson: Flume Ride 1999
Johansson: The Last Viking 1999
Mastermind: Excelsior 1999
Mastermind: Angels Of The Apocalypse 2000
instein: Einstein Too 2001
La Leyenda Continua - Tributo A Rata Blanca 2001
Silver Mountain: Breakin' Chains 2001
Andy West With Rama: Rama 1 2002
Arjen Anthony Lucassen's Star One: Space Metal 2002
Benny Jansson: Save The World 2002
Aina: Days Of Rising Doom 2003
Barilari 2003
Sonata Arctica: Winterheart's Guild Spinefarm Records 2003
Mastermind: To The World Beyond 2004
Spastic Ink: Ink Compatible 2004
Kamelot: The Black Halo 2005
HammerFall: No Sacrifice, No Victory 2009
Stratovarius: Episode Noise Records 1996
Stratovarius: Visions Noise Records 1997
Stratovarius: Destiny Noise Records 1998
Stratovarius: Infinite Nuclear Blast 2000
Stratovarius: Elements, Pt. 1 Nuclear Blast 2003
Stratovarius: Elements, Pt. 2 Nuclear Blast 2003
Stratovarius: Stratovarius Sanctuary 2005
Stratovarius: Polaris Edel Music 2009
Avantasia: Angel Of Babylon 2010

Album reviews

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