Story

Björn Thoroddsen was born in 1958 and began his career as a rock guitarist. He studied at the Musicians Institute in Los Angeles, graduating in 1982. That same year he released his debut solo album, Svif — the first Icelandic jazz-fusion record.

Through the eighties and nineties he led the fusion group Gammar and co-founded Kuran Swing with Polish violinist Szymon Kuran, a Django Reinhardt-inspired band that played together for thirteen years. In 1997 he recorded BT Jazz Guitar with European guitarists including Philip Catherine and Doug Raney.

In 1999 Björn founded the trio Guitar Islancio with Gunnar Þórðarson and Jón Rafnsson. The trio recast Icelandic folk songs as jazz, became the first Icelandic jazz act to earn a gold record, and was named City Artist of Reykjavík in 2000.

Internationally, Björn has performed with Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Tommy Emmanuel, Al Di Meola, Robben Ford, and many others. With Canadian trumpeter Richard Gillis and bassist Steve Kirby he formed the trio Cold Front, and the album Bjössi was recorded in Nashville in 2016 with Robben Ford producing.

Björn founded the Icelandic Guitar Festival in 2007 and the international guitar festival Guitarama in Canada in 2013. He received the Icelandic Music Awards for Jazz Performer of the Year in 2003 and Jazz Composer of the Year in 2005.