View source for Karl Jenkins

{{Short description|Welsh musician and composer (born 1944)}}
{{similar names|Carl Jenkins (disambiguation)}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name              = Karl Jenkins
| honorific_prefix  = [[Knight Bachelor|Sir]]
| honorific_suffix  = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CBE|FRAM}} [[Honorary Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales|HonFLSW]]
| image             = Karl Jenkins - St David Awards 2017.png
| caption           = Jenkins in 2017
| birth_name        = Karl William Pamp Jenkins
| birth_date        = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1944|02|17}}
| birth_place       = [[Penclawdd]], [[Gower Peninsula|Gower]], Wales (now part of Swansea)
| origin            = 
| genre             = {{hlist|[[Jazz]]|rock|classical}}
| occupation        = {{hlist|Composer|musician}}
| instrument        = {{hlist|Keyboards|oboe|flute|saxophones}}
| years_active      = 1970–present
| label             = {{hlist|[[Virgin Records|Virgin]]/[[EMI]]|[[EMI Classics]]|[[Deutsche Grammophon]]}}
| past_member_of    = {{hlist|[[Nucleus (band)|Nucleus]]|Adiemus<!-- [[Adiemus (ensemble)]] currently redirects here -->|[[Soft Machine]]}}
| associated_acts   = 
| website           = {{URL|karljenkins.com}}
}}
'''Sir Karl William Pamp Jenkins''',<ref name="LG59446"/> {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|sep=,|CBE|FRAM}}, [[Honorary Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales|HonFLSW]] (born 17 February 1944) is a Welsh multi-instrumentalist and composer. His best known works include the song "[[Adiemus (song)|Adiemus]]" (1995, from the [[Adiemus (albums)|''Adiemus'' album series]]), ''[[Palladio (Jenkins)|Palladio]]'' (1995), ''[[The Armed Man]]'' (2000), his [[Requiem (Jenkins)|Requiem]] (2005) and his [[Stabat Mater (Jenkins)|Stabat Mater]] (2008).

Jenkins was educated in music at [[Cardiff University]] and the [[Royal Academy of Music]], and he is a [[fellow]] and an associate of the latter. He joined the [[jazz-rock]] band [[Soft Machine]] in 1972 and became the group's lead songwriter in 1974. He continued to work with Soft Machine until 1984, but has not been involved with any incarnation of the group since. He has composed music for advertising campaigns and has won the industry prize twice.

==Life and career==
===Early life and education===
Jenkins was born and raised in [[Penclawdd]], [[Gower Peninsula|Gower]], [[Wales]] (now part of [[Swansea]]). His mother was half-Swedish, and his father was Welsh. He received his initial musical instruction from his father, who was the local schoolteacher, chapel organist and choirmaster.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-11-15 |title=Karl Jenkins on writing music for adverts, royals and global conflicts |url=https://www.classical-music.com/features/composers/karl-jenkins |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=Classical Music |language=en}}</ref>

His maternal grandfather was a Swedish sailor who settled in Wales after meeting his future wife at a local market.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Graham |first=Jane |date=2024-08-04 |title=Karl Jenkins: 'I'm still not respected in some quarters of classical music' |url=https://www.bigissue.com/culture/music/karl-jenkins-classical-music-life-family-soft-machine/ |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=Big Issue |language=en-US}}</ref> Between the ages of two and five, Jenkins lived in [[Gävle]], Sweden, and continued to visit in subsequent years.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Radio |first=Sveriges |date=2014-04-24 |title=Stjärnkompositören Jenkins tillbaka i Gävle – efter 45 år - P4 Gävleborg |url=https://www.sverigesradio.se/artikel/5845330 |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=www.sverigesradio.se |language=sv}}</ref>

Jenkins attended [[Gowerton Grammar School]],<ref name="CardUniKJ">{{cite web |title=Alumni: Karl Jenkins |url=http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/music/alumni/profiles/karljenkins.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150222162627/http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/music/alumni/profiles/karljenkins.html |archive-date=22 February 2015 |access-date=22 February 2015 |publisher=Cardiff University School of Music}}</ref> studied music at Cardiff University, and then commenced postgraduate studies in London at the Royal Academy of Music.<ref>{{cite web |title=Karl Jenkins: Biography |url=http://www.karljenkins.com/biog |access-date=17 March 2016}}</ref>

===Early career: Graham Collier's group and Nucleus===
For the bulk of his early career, Jenkins was known as a [[jazz]] and [[jazz-rock]] musician, playing [[baritone saxophone|baritone]] and [[soprano saxophone]]s, keyboards and oboe, an unusual instrument in a jazz context. He joined jazz composer [[Graham Collier]]'s group and later co-founded the jazz-rock group [[Nucleus (band)|Nucleus]], which won first prize at the [[Montreux Jazz Festival]] in 1970. In 1971, Jenkins collaborated with [[Linda Hoyle]] on her album [[Pieces of Me (Linda Hoyle album)|''Pieces of Me'']], co-writing 8 of the 11 tracks, playing piano and oboe, as well as arranging and conducting the orchestra.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Karl Jenkins {{!}} Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/karl-jenkins-mn0000131898/credits |access-date=2023-08-02 |website=AllMusic |language=en}}</ref>

===Soft Machine===
In 1972, Jenkins joined the [[Canterbury scene|Canterbury]] jazz fusion rock band [[Soft Machine]], playing saxophone, oboe and flute along with keyboard instruments. The group played venues including [[The Proms]], [[Carnegie Hall]], and the [[Newport Jazz Festival]]. The album ''[[Six (Soft Machine album)|Six]]'', on which Jenkins first played with Soft Machine, won the ''[[Melody Maker]]'' British Jazz Album of the Year award in 1973. Jenkins also won the miscellaneous musical instrument section (as he did the following year). Soft Machine was voted best small group in the ''[[Melody Maker]]'' jazz poll of 1974. The albums in which Jenkins performed and composed were ''[[Six (Soft Machine album)|Six]]'' (1973), ''[[Seven (Soft Machine album)|Seven]]'' (1973), ''[[Bundles (album)|Bundles]]'' (1975), ''[[Softs (album)|Softs]]'' (1976), ''[[Alive & Well: Recorded in Paris]]'' (1978) and ''[[Land of Cockayne (album)|Land of Cockayne]]'' (1981). Jenkins was the group's primary composer on ''Seven'' and the subsequent four albums.

After [[Mike Ratledge]] left the band in 1976, Soft Machine did not include any of its founding members, but kept recording on a project basis with line-ups revolving around Jenkins and drummer [[John Marshall (drummer)|John Marshall]]. Although ''Melody Maker'' had positively reviewed the Soft Machine of 1973 and 1974, [[Hugh Hopper]], involved with the group since replacing bassist [[Kevin Ayers]] in 1968, cited Jenkins' "third rate" musical involvement in his own decision to leave the band,<ref>''Soft Machine: Out-Bloody-Rageous'', Graham Bennett, 2008 ({{ISBN|0-946719-84-5}}) p. 246.</ref> and the band of the late 1970s has been described by band member [[John Etheridge]] as wasting its potential.<ref>''Soft Machine: Out-Bloody-Rageous'', Graham Bennett, 2008 ({{ISBN|0-946719-84-5}}) p. 324.</ref>

=== Other works===
{{stack|[[File:St David Awards Finalist 2015 - Dr Karl Jenkins CBE.webm|thumb|Karl Jenkins at the [[Welsh Government]]'s [[St David Awards]] (2015)]]}}
In November 1973, Jenkins and Ratledge participated in a live-in-the-studio performance of [[Mike Oldfield]]'s ''[[Tubular Bells]]'' for the BBC.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.memorabletv.com/global/uk-tv/second-house-tubular-bells-mike-oldfield/ |title=Second House: Tubular Bells |author=Mike Oldfield |work=Memorable TV |access-date=24 April 2011 |archive-date=16 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120716201335/http://www.memorabletv.com/uk-tv/second-house-tubular-bells-mike-oldfield/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> It is available on Oldfield's ''[[Elements – The Best of Mike Oldfield (video)|Elements]]'' DVD.

==Works==
Jenkins has created advertising music, twice winning the industry prize in that field. From the 1980s, he developed a relationship with [[Bartle Bogle Hegarty]], starting with composing musics for their [[Levi Strauss & Co.|Levi's]] jeans "Russian" series. He composed a classical theme used by [[De Beers]] diamond merchants for their television [[advertising campaign]] focusing on jewellery worn by people otherwise seen only in [[silhouette]]. Jenkins later included this as the title track in a compilation called ''Diamond Music'', and eventually created ''[[Palladio (Jenkins)|Palladio]]'', using it as the theme of the first movement. Other arrangements have included advertisements for the [[Renault Clio]].

As a composer, his breakthrough came with the crossover project ''[[Adiemus (albums)|Adiemus]]''. Jenkins has conducted the ''Adiemus'' project in Japan, Germany, Spain, [[Finland]], the [[Netherlands]], and [[Belgium]], as well as London's [[Royal Albert Hall]] and [[Battersea Power Station]]. The ''[[Adiemus: Songs of Sanctuary]]'' (1995) album topped the classical album charts. It spawned a series of successors, each revolving around a central theme. In 2014 Jenkins released a tribute song for the [[2014 Winter Olympics]], performed by his [[new age music]] group also called Adiemus.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newagemusicworld.com/olympic-tribute-song-by-adiemus/ |title=Olympic Tribute Song by Adiemus |date=8 January 2014 |first=John P. |last=Olsen |website=New Age Music World}}</ref>

Jenkins was the first international composer and conductor to conduct the [[University of Johannesburg]] Kingsway Choir led by Renette Bouwer, during his visit to South Africa as the choir performed his ''[[The Armed Man|The Armed Man: A mass for peace]]'' together with a 70-piece orchestra. In November 2024, the "Benedictus" from the mass was the subject of the BBC Radio 4 programme ''[[Soul Music (radio series)|Soul Music]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0k2yz75|title=BBC Radio 4 - Soul Music, Benedictus|date=9 November 2024|website=BBC}}</ref>

Jenkins' choral work ''The Peacemakers'' was first performed in New York City's Carnegie Hall on 16 January 2012. Jenkins conducted from the podium and John H. Briggs, Sr. conducted the Children's Chorus from a seated position.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Search Results |url=https://catalogue.royalalberthall.com/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Persons&id=DS/UK/23 |access-date=2024-06-13 |website=catalogue.royalalberthall.com}}</ref> The seventeen-movement piece features extracts from religious texts and works by notable humanitarians. A recording was released on 26 March 2012; it features the [[London Symphony Orchestra]] and several choirs, as well as guest vocalists and instrumentalists. Additional concerts in the UK and US took place later in the year.<ref>{{cite web |title=Warner releases world-premiere recording of The Healer as part of 'Still With the Music' collection |url=http://www.karljenkins.com/news/news-view/new-album-coming-soon-the-peacemakers |publisher=Karl Jenkins}}</ref>{{Primary source inline|date=November 2022}}

[[File:The Bards Of Wales - Beirdd Cymru, album cover.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|Album cover of ''The Bards of Wales'' (2012)]]
Jenkins composed the music for the 2012 [[BBC Wales]] series ''The Story of Wales'' presented by [[Huw Edwards (journalist)|Huw Edwards]].<ref>{{cite web |title=The Story of Wales | website=[[IMDb]] |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2322215/fullcredits?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm |access-date=20 January 2016}}</ref>

A work entitled ''[[The Healer (Jenkins)|The Healer – A Cantata For St Luke]]'' was premiered on 16 October 2014 at St Luke's Church, [[Grayshott]], Hampshire, and was recorded and broadcast on [[Classic FM (UK)|Classic FM]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.grayshott.com/wordpress/groups/grayshott-concerts/calendar/event/1397 |title=Grayshott Concerts: World Premier of "The Healer – A Cantata for St Luke" by Karl Jenkins |date=2014 |website=grayshott.com |access-date=16 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924023729/http://www.grayshott.com/wordpress/groups/grayshott-concerts/calendar/event/1397/ |archive-date=24 September 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> ''The Healer'' received its US premiere at Carnegie Hall, New York on 19 January 2015.  In September 2015, the recording of the premiere of ''The Healer'' was released on CD by Warner Classics as part of the eight-disc boxed set ''Voices''.

A compilation CD ''Still with the Music'' was also released in September 2015, coinciding with the publication of his autobiography of the same name.{{cn|date=November 2024}}

On 8 October 2016 Jenkins' choral work ''Cantata Memoria: For the children'', a response to the 1966 [[Aberfan disaster]] with a libretto by [[Mererid Hopwood]] and commissioned by [[S4C]], premiered at the [[Wales Millennium Centre]]. The concert was broadcast the following evening on S4C and was released as an album by [[Deutsche Grammophon]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-37575152 |title=Aberfan: Sir Karl Jenkins' choral memorial to disaster |first=Geraint |last=Thomas |date=7 October 2016 |publisher=BBC |access-date=10 October 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/elin-manahan-thomas-and-sir-karl-jenkins-s-aberfan-memorial/story-29787982-detail/story.html#3siLjDVL2Prf746K.99 |title=Elin Manahan Thomas and Karl Jenkins perform Aberfan memorial |date=8 October 2016 |publisher=southwales-eveningpost.co.uk |access-date=10 October 2016}}</ref>

==Musical style==
{{expand section|date=February 2022}}

===Lyrics===
Many of the songs written by Jenkins have specifically written phonetic lyrics, but they are not in any language.<ref name="Roberts">{{cite web |last1=Roberts |first1=Maddy Shaw |title=The meaning behind the lyrics to 'Adiemus' by Karl Jenkins |url=https://www.classicfm.com/composers/jenkins/karl-adiemus-lyrics-language-what-they-mean/ |website=Classic FM |access-date=2022-02-09 |language=en |date=5 May 2021}}</ref> Instead, they are syllables intended to have a musical effect, but not to carry any specific meaning.<ref name="Roberts"/> This [[glossolalia]] is similar to the sounds of "[[scat singing]]", except that this latter artform sometimes emphasises of-the-moment [[Musical improvisation|improvisation]] as well.<ref name="Childed">{{cite web |last1=Childed |first1=Serg |title=The meaningless song lyrics of Adiemus |url=https://musictales.club/article/meaningless-song-lyrics-adiemus |website=MusicTales |access-date=2022-02-09 |date=April 4, 2021}}</ref>

The composer has said the lyrics to his "[[Adiemus (albums)|Adiemus]]" series of songs are in "an invented language", and have no particular meaning.<ref name="Roberts"/> He has observed, "The text was written phonetically with the words viewed as instrumental sound, the idea being to maximise the [[melisma]] by removing the distraction, if one can call it that, of words”.<ref name="Roberts"/> Some listeners compare his lyrics to the [[Latin]] language, but other critics discount such a connection.<ref name="Barone">{{cite web |last1=Barone |first1=Brian |title=An Aural History of "Adiemus" |url=https://medium.com/the-awl/an-aural-history-of-adiemus-89a7727e15e7 |website=The Awl |access-date=2022-02-09 |language=en |date=3 October 2016}}</ref>

Other songs he has written use Biblical or literary texts for the lyrics.

==Awards and honors==
Jenkins was awarded an honorary [[Doctor of Music|doctorate in music]] by the [[University of Wales]] in 2006.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Edwards |first1=Fiona |title=Honorary doctorate for Adiemus composer |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/showbiz/a28253/honorary-doctorate-for-adiemus-composer/ |website=DigitalSpy |date=19 January 2006 |publisher=Hearst UK |access-date=8 May 2023}}</ref> He has been made both a [[Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music|fellow]] (FRAM) and an associate (ARAM) of the Royal Academy of Music in 2003,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ram.ac.uk/about-us/honours |title=Honours |publisher=Royal Academy of Music}}</ref> and a room has been named in his honour. He also has had fellowships at Cardiff University (2005),<ref>{{cite web|title=Cardiff University: Alumni|url=http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/alumni/our-alumni/prominent-alumni/celebrity|access-date=16 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160322085414/http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/alumni/our-alumni/prominent-alumni/celebrity|archive-date=22 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> the [[Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama]], [[Trinity College Carmarthen]] and [[Swansea Metropolitan University]].<ref name=":0" /> In 2022, he was elected as an [[Honorary Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales]] (HonFLSW).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.learnedsociety.wales/four-honorary-fellows-elected-to-learned-society-of-wales/ |title=Four Honorary Fellows Elected to Learned Society of Wales |date=3 May 2022 |publisher=[[Learned Society of Wales]]}}</ref>

In 2008, Jenkins' ''The Armed Man'' was listed as No. 1 in Classic FM's "Top 10 by living composers".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.classicfm.com/concerts-events/hall-fame/top-10-living-composers-2008/ |title=Top 10 by living composers  |publisher=Classic FM |year=2008 |access-date=21 August 2012}}</ref>

He has been awarded an honorary doctorate in music by the [[University of Leicester]],<ref>{{citation|title=Honorary graduates |quote=Jenkins has created advertising music, twice winning the industry prize in that field |publisher=[[University of Leicester]]<!-- |access-date=8 May 2023 -->}}{{full citation needed|date=July 2023|reason=Which industry prize? This is too vague and the claim is unsourced.}}</ref> the Chancellor's Medal by the [[University of Glamorgan]] and honorary visiting [[professorships]] at [[Thames Valley University]], [[London College of Music]] and the ATriUM, [[Cardiff]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore the Music of Karl Jenkins Hal Leonard Online |url=https://www.halleonard.com/feature/304/explore-the-music-of-karl-jenkins |access-date=2024-06-13 |website=Hal Leonard Online |language=en}}</ref>

Jenkins was appointed an [[Officer of the Order of the British Empire]] (OBE) in the [[2005 New Year Honours]] and promoted to [[Commander of the Order of the British Empire|Commander of the same Order]] (CBE) in the [[2010 Birthday Honours]], in both cases for services to music.<ref name="LG59446">{{London Gazette |issue=59446 |date=12 June 2010 |page=7 |supp=y}}</ref><ref>[https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/57509/supplement "New Year Honours—United Kingdom"], ''The London Gazette of Thursday 30 December 2004 Supplement No. 1''; accessed 12 May 2023.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/arts_entertainment/cbe+for+zeta+jones+knighthood+for+harwood/3677442|title=Special Reports|work=Channel 4 News}}</ref> In the [[2015 Birthday Honours]] he was made a [[Knight Bachelor]] "for services to Composing and Crossing Musical Genres."<ref name=GBR>United Kingdom: {{London Gazette |issue=61256 | date=12 June 2015 |pages=B2| supp=y}}</ref><ref>[http://metro.co.uk/2015/06/13/queens-birthday-honours-heres-the-full-list-5243692/ Metro, 13 June 2015]. Retrieved 26 June 2015</ref>

Jenkins is joint president of the [[British Double Reed Society]]<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.bdrs.org.uk/bdrs | title = About the BDRS | publisher = British Double Reed Society | access-date = 24 February 2009 | date = 24 February 2009}}</ref> and Patron of the International Schools Choral Music Society (ISCMS).<ref name=":0" />

In 2016, Jenkins received the [[BASCA]] Gold Badge Award for his unique contribution to music.<ref>{{cite news|work=Music Week|title=BASCA Gold Badge Award winners revealed|author=Daniel Gumble|date=4 October 2016|url=http://www.musicweek.com/talent/read/basca-gold-badge-award-winners-revealed/066139|access-date=2 July 2018}}</ref>

Jenkins' work {{lang|cy|Tros y Garreg}} (Welsh for Crossing the Stone) was performed at the [[Coronation of Charles III and Camilla|coronation]] of [[King Charles III]] in 2023,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-65485194|title=King Charles III coronation: Sir Karl Jenkins piece to be played|work=BBC News |date=5 May 2023}}</ref> with Jenkins in attendance.<ref>{{cite news |last=Yeates |first=Cydney |title=Myleene Klass debunks mystery surrounding identity of coronation guest |url=https://metro.co.uk/2023/05/07/myleene-klass-reveals-sir-karl-jenkins-was-mystery-guest-at-kings-coronation-18742747/ |access-date=8 May 2023 |work=Metro |date=7 May 2023 }}</ref>

== Discography ==
=== With Graham Collier ===
; The Graham Collier Septet :
* ''Deep Dark Blue Center'' (1967) – Jenkins: Baritone saxophone. With John Marshall on drums, future [[Soft Machine]]

; The Graham Collier Sextet :
* ''Down Another Road'' (1969) Piano, oboe. Jenkins composed ''Lullaby For A Lonely Child'', John Marshall on drums

; Compilations :
* ''Workpoints'' (2005) – Jenkins, soprano and baritone sax
* ''Deep Dark Blue Centre / Portraits / The Alternate Mosaics'' (2008) 2 CD – With [[Alan Wakeman]], John Marshall, Harold Beckett, [[Kenny Wheeler]]. 
* ''Relook : Graham Collier 1937–2011: A Memorial 75th Birthday Celebration'' (2012) With John Marshall, [[Nick Evans (trombonist)|Nick Evans]], Gary Burton, Frank Ricotti, [[Roy Babbington]], Kenny Wheeler, Alan Wakeman etc.

=== With Neil Ardley – Don Rendell – Ian Carr ===
* ''Greek Variations & Other Aegean Exercises'' (1970) – with [[Jack Bruce]], Jeff Clyne, Roy Babbington, John Marshall, Barbara Thompson, etc.

=== With Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber ===
* ''[[Jesus Christ Superstar (album)|Jesus Christ Superstar]]'' – (1970) Starring John Marshall, [[Ian Gillan]], [[Murray Head]], [[J. Peter Robinson]], [[Chris Spedding]], etc.

=== With Nucleus ===
; Nucleus :
* ''[[Elastic Rock]]'' (1970) – Chris Spedding on guitar, John Marshall on drums, album cover by [[Roger Dean (artist)|Roger Dean]].
* ''We'll Talk About It Later'' (1971)

; Ian Carr with Nucleus : 
* ''Solar Plexus'' (1971)

; Compilation :
* ''Direct Hits'' (1976) 
* ''Elastic Rock / We'll Talk About It Later'' (1994) 2 CD
* ''Solar Plexus / Belladonna'' (2002) 2 CD
* ''Alleycat / Direct Hits'' (2004) 2 CD

=== With Elton John ===
* ''[[Tumbleweed Connection]]'' (1970) – Oboe on "[[Come Down in Time]]".

=== With The Chitinous Ensemble ===
* ''Chitinous'' (1971) – With [[Paul Buckmaster]], [[Nucleus (band)|Nucleus]], [[Ian Carr]], etc.

=== With Linda Hoyle ===
* [[Pieces of Me (Linda Hoyle album)|''Pieces of Me'']] (1971) – Jenkins piano, oboe, arranging and conducting orchestra; [[Chris Spedding]] guitars; [[John Stanley Marshall|John Marshall]] drums, percussion; [[Jeff Clyne]] bass.

=== With Barry Guy/The London Jazz Composers' Orchestra ===
* ''Ode'' (1972) – Jenkins Oboe and soprano and baritone sax [[Marc Charig]] on bugle, Alan Wakeman on tenor and soprano saxes, future Soft Machine and cousin of [[Rick Wakeman]].

=== With Soft Machine ===
; Studio albums:
* ''[[Six (Soft Machine album)|Six]]'' (1973) – Jenkins keyboards and horns, [[Mike Ratledge]] keyboards, [[Hugh Hopper]] bass guitar, John Marshall drums
* ''[[Seven (Soft Machine album)|Seven]]'' (1973) – Same except Roy Babbington replaced Hopper on bass. 
* ''[[Bundles (album)|Bundles]]'' (1975) – [[Allan Holdsworth]] added on guitar. Last album with Mike Ratledge.
* ''[[Softs (album)|Softs]]'' (1976) – [[John Etheridge]] replaced Holdsworth and Alan Wakeman added on saxes. Jenkins only plays keyboards from this point.
* ''Rubber Riff'' (1976) – Originally an album for libraries providing "modern rock music featuring keyboards and guitar" composed by Karl Jenkins. As well as Jenkins some other then-current Soft Machine members played on the album. Reissued as in 1994 under the "Soft Machine" name.
* ''[[Land of Cockayne (album)|Land of Cockayne]]'' (1981) – Last Soft Machine album with Jenkins: Jenkins keyboards, John Taylor electric piano Fender Rhodes, Allan Holdsworth and Alan Parker guitars, Jack Bruce bass guitar, Ray Warleigh sax and flute, Dick Morrissey tenor sax, John Marshall drums.

; Live albums : 
* ''[[Alive & Well: Recorded in Paris]]'' (1978) – Jenkins keyboards, John Etheridge guitar, Steve Cook bass guitar, John Marshall drums, Rick Sanders violin.
* ''BBC Radio 1971 – 1974'' (2003) 
* ''British Tour '75'' (2005) 
* ''Floating World Live'' (2006) – Recorded in 1975.
* ''NDR Jazz Workshop'' (2010) CD + DVD – Recorded in 1973
* ''Switzerland 1974'' (2015) CD + DVD

; Compilations :
* ''Triple Echo'' (1977) – Available on vinyl on a triple album. Jenkins on the last 4 pieces
* ''The Untouchable'' (1990) 
* ''As If...'' (1991) – Contains songs from the '' Third '', '' Fourth '', '' Fifth '' & '' Sixth '' albums.
* ''Softs / Alive And Well (Recorded In Paris) / Bundles'' (1992) – 3 CDs
* ''The Best Of Soft Machine – The Harvest Years'' (1995) 
* ''De Wolfe Sessions'' (2002) – Presented as Karl Jenkins' Soft Machine. 
* ''MP3 Collection'' (2003) – Contains albums ''Volume One (The Soft Machine)'' to ''Rubber Riff''  + ''At the beginning''<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.discogs.com/fr/Soft-Machine-MP3-Collection/release/7018262 | title=Soft Machine – MP3 Collection | website=[[Discogs]] | date=6 August 2023 }}</ref>
* ''Six + Seven'' (2004) – 2 CDs 
* ''Out-Bloody-Rageous An Anthology 1967–1973'' (2005) – 2 CDs
* ''Tales Of Taliesin (The EMI Years Anthology 1975–1981)'' (2010) – 2 CDs
* ''Original Album Classics'' (2010) – Contains albums from ''Third'' to ''Seven''.

=== With Mike Oldfield ===
* ''Tubular Bells'' – BBC 1973 – Recorded live in studio for the BBC in November 1973 and released in 1993. Available on DVD ''Elements – The Best of Mike Oldfield''. 
* ''Music of the spheres'' (2008) – Jenkins; orchestrations, string direction and production.

=== With Planet Earth ===
* ''Planet Earth'' – Avec Mike Ratledge, Tristan Fry, etc. (1978)

=== With Plaza ===
* ''Plaza'' – With Mike Thorne and Mike Ratledge. (1979)

=== With Rollercoaster ===
* ''Wonderin''' – With Mike Ratledge, Dick Morrisey, Ray Warleigh, etc. (1980)

=== With Mike Ratledge ===
* ''Cuts For Commercials Volume 3'' (1981) 
* ''For Christmas, For Children'' (1981) 
* ''Movement''  (2010) 
* ''Some Shufflin''' (2010)

=== With JAR ===
* ''Only You/Ballad From An Unmade Movie'' – Single from The Projet ''Jenkins Aspery Ratledge'', JAR (1988)

=== With Kiri Te Kanawa ===
* ''[[Kiri Sings Karl]]'' (2006) – Jenkins orchestration and production

=== Adiemus ===
{{Main article|Adiemus (albums)}}
; Studio albums :
* ''Adiemus: Songs of Sanctuary'' (1995) – With Mike Ratledge on drums programming and production
* ''Adiemus II: Cantata Mundi''  (1997)
* ''Adiemus III: Dances of Time'' (1998)
* ''Adiemus IV: The Eternal Knot'' (2001) 
* ''Adiemus Live'' (2001) 
* ''Adiemus V: Vocalise'' (2003) 
* ''Adiemus Colores'' (2013) 
* ''Symphonic Adiemus'' (2017)

=== Compilations ===
* ''Diamond Music'' (1996) – Jenkins/The London Philharmonic/The Smith Quartet
* ''The Best Of Adiemus – The Journey'' (1999)
* ''The Essential Collection'' (2006) 
* ''The Very Best of Karl Jenkins'' (2011) – 2 CDs
* ''Adiemus The Collection'' (2013) – Coffret 6 CDs
* ''Still With The Music (The Album)'' (2015) 
* ''Voices'' – 8-CD boxset including the premiere of ''The Healer – A Cantata for St Luke''. (2015)
* ''The Very Best of Karl Jenkins'' (2019)
* ''The Very Best Of Karl Jenkins (80th Birthday Edition)'' (2024)

=== Film score ===
* ''[[River Queen]] – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack'' (2007)

=== Other works ===
* ''Nomination'' (1976) – Jenkins/Peter Milray 
* ''Topsy Turvy'' (1986) – Jenkins/Jack Trombey
* ''Merry Christmas to the World'' (1995) – Collection of traditional Christmas carols orchestrated by Jenkins (In Adiemus Style)
* ''Palladio'' (1996)
* ''Eloise'' (1997) – Opéra
* ''Imagined Oceans'' (1998)
* ''New Music from Karl Jenkins'' (1998) – Sampler
* ''Harmonia – Le Chant des rêves'' (1998) – Compilation with Mike Oldfield et [[Vangelis]]
* ''Dewi Sant'' (1999)
* ''[[The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace]]'' (1999)
* ''Over the Stone'' (2002) – Concerto for two harps
* ''Crossing the Stone'' (2003)
* ''Ave Verum'' (2004)
* Quirk (2004)
* La Folia (2004)
* ''In These Stones Horizons Sing'' (2004)
* ''[[Requiem (Jenkins)|Requiem]]'' (2005)
* ''River Queen'' (2005) – original film score ''River Queen'' by New Zealand director Vincent Ward
* ''Tlep'' (2006)
* ''This Land of Ours'' (2007) – with Cory Band and Cantorion 
* Sarikiz (2008)
* ''Stabat Mater'' (2008)
* ''Quirk – The Concertos'' (2008) – This album is a compilation of concertos by the composer that were previously commercially unavailable.  These are: "Over the Stone" (2002), La Folia (2004), Quirk (2004) and also includes new concerto "Sarikiz" (2008).
* ''Stella Natalis'' (2009)
* ''Gloria / Te Deum'' (2010) – with [[Hayley Westenra]]
* ''The Bards of Wales'' (2011) 
* ''Motets'' (2014)
* ''Cantata Memoria'' (2016) – in tribute to the victims (116 children and 28 adults) of the [[Aberfan disaster]], on 21 October 1966
* ''Songs Of Mercy And Redemption'' (2019) 
* ''Piano'' (2019)
*  ''One World'' (2021–2022)
* ''Stravaganza'' (2024) – with [[Jess Gillam]] and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

== See also ==
*[[List of ambient music artists]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*{{Official website}}
*[http://www.calyx-canterbury.fr/mus/jenkins_karl.html Biography at Calyx (Canterbury music website)]
*[https://www.myspace.com/jenkinsadiemus Karl Jenkins on ''MySpace'']
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/music/sites/karl-jenkins/ Karl Jenkins biography from BBC Wales]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110719001619/http://www.whatsonwales.co.uk/interviews/i/16114/l/1/ Karl Jenkins interview]
*[https://www.classicfm.com/composers/jenkins/guides/jenkins-70-life-in-pictures/ Karl Jenkins' life in pictures] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230927213446/https://www.classicfm.com/composers/jenkins/guides/jenkins-70-life-in-pictures/ |date=27 September 2023 }} on [[Classic FM (UK)|Classic FM]]


{{Gower Peninsula}}
{{Soft Machine|state=collapsed}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Jenkins, Karl}}
[[Category:Karl Jenkins| ]]
[[Category:1944 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century British classical composers]]
[[Category:20th-century British jazz composers]]
[[Category:21st-century British classical composers]]
[[Category:21st-century jazz composers]]
[[Category:Academics of the University of Glamorgan]]
[[Category:Alumni of Cardiff University]]
[[Category:Alumni of the Royal Academy of Music]]
[[Category:Ambient composers]]
[[Category:British male jazz composers]]
[[Category:British male oboists]]
[[Category:British male opera composers]]
[[Category:British people of Swedish descent]]
[[Category:Canterbury scene]]
[[Category:Caroline Records artists]]
[[Category:Centipede (band) members]]
[[Category:Choral composers]]
[[Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Composers awarded knighthoods]]
[[Category:Deutsche Grammophon artists]]
[[Category:EMI Classics and Virgin Classics artists]]
[[Category:Fellows of the Learned Society of Wales]]
[[Category:Knights Bachelor]]
[[Category:New-age composers]]
[[Category:Nucleus (band) members]]
[[Category:People associated with the Royal Academy of Music]]
[[Category:People associated with the University of Wales]]
[[Category:People educated at Gowerton Grammar School]]
[[Category:People from the Gower Peninsula]]
[[Category:Soft Machine members]]
[[Category:Virgin Records artists]]
[[Category:Welsh classical composers]]
[[Category:Welsh jazz composers]]
[[Category:Welsh male classical composers]]
[[Category:Welsh multi-instrumentalists]]
[[Category:Welsh oboists]]
[[Category:Welsh opera composers]]
[[Category:Welsh people of Swedish descent]]