Swedish jazz pianist Esbjorn Svensson dies

(Reuters)

Swedish jazz pianist Esbjorn Svensson has died in a diving accident outside Sweden's capital. He was 44.

His manager Burkhard Hopper says Svensson died on Saturday, but further details of the accident were not immediately available.

Svensson and his band, the Esbjorn Svensson Trio, became world renowned with their 2002 album "Strange Place for Snow." It won a string of jazz awards, including the Guinness Jazz in Europe Award and best international act in the BBC Jazz Awards.

In 2005, it became the first European jazz band to be featured on the cover of Downbeat jazz magazine in the US.