Jan Erik Tage "Janne" Schaffer (born 24 September 1945) is a Swedish songwriter and guitarist. He is best known for his work as a session guitarist for ABBA but he has also recorded with artists such as Bob Marley, Johnny Nash, Art Farmer and Tony Williams. He also played at the 1977 Montreux Jazz Festival.
Schaffer's 1979 album Earmeal included session work from brothers Jeff, Steve and Mike Porcaro, as well as their father, Joe Porcaro. This is one of the few instances where the entire Porcaro family appears together on one album, the most well-known examples being Toto's Toto IV and The Seventh One.
Schaffer is a member of the Electric Banana Band where he plays guitar as the character 'Zebra'. He also performs with the group The Night Agent. Schaffer received the Albin Hagström Memorial Award in 1999 and in 2005 Illis quorum.
Discography – albums Source:
1973 – Janne Schaffer 1974 – Janne Schaffer's Andra LP 1974 – The Chinese 1976 – Katharsis 1978 – Earmeal 1980 – 1982 – 1985 – Traffic 1987 – 1988 – Electric Graffiti 1989 – (with Leif Strand, Bo Westman and Nacka Sångensemble) 1989 – (compilation) 1990 – (with Björn J:son Lindh and Gunnar Idenstam) 1992 – 1993 – (compilation) 1995 – 1996 – (compilation) 1996 – (compilation) 2000 – (music from the movie Hälsoresan with Björn J:son Lindh and Electric Banana Band) 2000 – 2002 – (compilation) 2002 – (with Björn J:son Lindh, Leif Strand and Nacka Sångensemble) 2004 – (compilation) 2005 – (compilation) 2009 – (compilation) 2010 – Music Story (compilation box) 2013 – (with Lasse Åberg) 2023 –
Soundtracks Source: 1970 – Förpassad 1974 – 1979 – Repmånad eller Hur man gör pojkar av män 1998 – (with Lasse Åberg) 1999 – Hälsoresan – En smal film av stor vikt (with Björn J:son Lindh) 2011 – The Stig-Helmer story (with Björn J:son Lindh)
Prog, fusion and jazz projects Source: Svenska Löd AB: Hörselmat (1971) Gabor Szabo: Small World (1972) Gugge Hedrenius Big Blues Band: Blues of Sweden (1972) Anthony 'Reebop' Kwaku Bah: Anthony 'Reebop' Kwaku Bah (1973) Jazz Meeting 1. (1973) Rune Gustafsson: Killing Me Softly (1973) Pop Workshop: Vol. 1. (1973) Pop Workshop: Song of the Pterodactyl (1974) Gugge Hedrenius Big Blues Band: Blues of Stockholm (1974) Art Farmer: A Sleeping Bee (1974) Ablution: Ablution (1974) Rune Gustafsson: On A Clear Day (1976) Mads Vinding Group Featuring Janne Schaffer: Danish Design (1977) Various: Montreux Summit, Volume 1 (1977) Rune Gustafsson: Move (1977) Gabor Szabo: Belsta River (1979) Allen Vizzutti: Rainbow (1981) Oriental Wind: Bazaar (1981) Hector Bingert – Don Menza: El Encuentro (1983) Putte Wickman: Desire (1984) Urban Agnas: Bilder Från En Ö (1984) Putte Wickman: Mr Clarinet (1985) Lennart Åberg: Green Prints (1986) Leif Strand: 'New Age / De 12 Årstiderna' (1986) Andreas Vollenweider – Dancing with the Lion (1989) String Along With Basie: Rune Gustafsson Featuring Jan Schaffer, Georg Wadenius, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (1989) Isildurs Bane – The Voyage (A Trip To Elsewhere) (1992) Thomas Darelid – 10 Sånger Utan Sång (1992) Rune Gustafsson: Rune Gustafsson (1993) Isildurs Bane: Cheval – Volonté De Rocher (2002) Ola Melander Featuring Georg Wadenius, Janne Schaffer, Sofi Hellborg, Blue Marmelade Band: Blue Marmelade (2011) S-O-K, by Stany Van Wymeersch, Featuring Janne Schaffer and Susie Webb: Crazy World (2025)
Awards and honours 1989 – Swedish Grammy (Grammis) for "Instrumental production of the year" with the album Electric Graffiti 1999 – Albin Hagström Memorial Award 2005 – Illis Quorum 2010 – S:t Eriksmedaljen 2023 – Litteris et ArtibusKungen delade ut medaljer
References
External links Janne Schaffer – Official website