Born in Sweden and based in Switzerland since 1996, Björn Meyer is acclaimed for his category-defying musicianship, expanding the sonic and expressive possibilities of the electric bass. With Convergence (2026), his second solo album on ECM, he further develops music on the blueprint established with his pivotal solo-debut Provenance (2017). Produced by Manfred Eicher, these recordings explore the unheard potential of the bass guitar to create striking sonorities and rich-grained textures while also being acutely aware of the acoustic space in which the sounds emerge — what Meyer describes as a “second member” in his solo performances. His solo-work has led him to festivals and audiences worldwide, from the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg and Ronnie Scott’s in London to Istanbul, Yokohama, Tehran, and beyond.
“A single note, played on a left alone instrument, changed my life. The instrument was an electric bass and I was a hobby guitarist just turning 18 off to study computer science. That one note resonated with the very core of my being and opened up a
musical universe I had only dreamt of before. In an instant everything focused on music and exploring all I could about the bass. Five years later I finished my degree, took a break from computers and went on tour with my first working band. That
was 1989 and I never turned back.
My first overseas tour was for the Havana Jazz Festival 1990 with an Afro-Cuban jazz band. Nothing could have prepared me for the intensity of those concerts and encounters. A few years later I had toured most of the US with a singer songwriter, spent months doing studio work in New York – where I also found the bass I
have been playing since 1995. I had played flamenco all over Europe and was figuring out how to integrate the electric bass in Swedish folk music. To this day, I am still discovering new depths of the instrument that made me dedicate my life to music – the electric bass.”
“.. In the depth everything vibrates, at the same time silver threads of sound are shimmering on top. Meyer shows an electric orchestra-sound under a sound-microscope.” – Christoph Merki, Tages-Anzeiger ZH
“.. Meyer manages to make his tools sound not quite like a bass or a guitar, yet similar and distinct from both.” – Geno Thackara, All About Jazz
“Meyer’s bass sings.” – Rob Mallows, London Jazz News UK
https://www.bjornmeyer.com/en/downloads/
https://www.bjornmeyer.com/en/press/
https://www.bjornmeyer.com/de/about/
https://ecmrecords.com/artists/bjorn-meyer/
New Album out:
Björn Meyer Solo – Convergence (ECM 2026)