Esbjorn Svensson, of the Esborn Svensson Trio (or EST), died this weekend at the age of 44, as the result of a diving accident.
An influential jazz artist, the pianist and composer developed an interest in music at an early age, possibly due to the influence of his parents, his mother playing classical piano and his father being a jazz enthusiast. Svensson attended music college from the age of sixteen, and went on to study music at the University of Stockholm. In 1993 he founded EST with childhood friend Magnus Ostrom and Dan Berglund, a trio which became known for their contemporary style - they regularly played in rock venues to crowds of young people, and performed jazz blended with rock, pop and electronica. Famous across the world as well as in their native Sweden, and the recipients of numerous awards, the group had just finished working on their twelfth studio album 'Leucocyte'.
EST's manager Burkhard Hopper told Reuters: "Musically, he was the light that lit the world, because in what he did he was pushing boundaries. Himself, he said he was following the music inside himself. His music inspired people in all corners of the world".
Svensson is survived by his wife and two children.