GROUP/JAPAN
Jansen was formerly a founder member (along with brother David Sylvian) of the successful and innovative group Japan. The band worked professionally from 1977-1983 during which period five studio albums were made. There have been a number of compilation albums released at various times. They disbanded at the peak of the group's success following a final world tour in 1982, documented with a live video and double live album release in 1983.
In 1990 the original members of Japan reformed as Rain Tree Crow. Over a period of two months the band wrote and recorded new material, and obtained worldwide release through Virgin Records in April 1991.
Digital remasters of all of Japan's material have recently be released.

UNIT/LABEL
Steve Jansen's work has been extremely varied over the last two decades but most consistent has been his partnership with other ex-Japan member Richard Barbieri. Together Jansen & Barbieri have made a total of six albums, encompassing both instrumental and song orientated material (Jansen as vocalist). Their first work together was a soundtrack commissioned by Victor Japan for their 'Ambient Video' series in the mid 1980's (Seigen Ono being another contributor). Set against the backdrop of actual footage from NASA Space Shuttle missions, the album 'Worlds In A Small Room' is traditional form ambient music. (Recently re-issued by the Medium label as a blend of new and old recordings titled 'Other Wolrds In A Small Room'). The duo have also composed material commissioned for TV advertising and programming i.e.for Hitachi in Japan and Channel 4 TV in the UK.
In 1995 an interesting collaboration developed between Jansen/Barbieri and Japanese artist Nobukazu Takemura and together they produced an album titled 'Changing Hands'.

COLLABORATION
Jansen has been a long term collaborator with Yellow Magic Orchestra drummer/composer Yukihiro Takahashi, collaborating on recordings and many live performances. In 1997 they released a co-written album under the project name of 'Pulse', consisting entirely of pop song material and featuring UK female vocalist Zoe Niblett. Music from this recording and other specifically commissioned 'Pulse' material was used for various TVCM's in Japan, for example, Lipton's Tea and Japan Racing.
A remix version was also released featuring such contemporary names as 4 Hero, DJ Spooky, Reflection, Spacer and Fantastic Plastic Machine - an album that focuses entirely upon club dj and dance music.
Jansen appears on Ryuichi Sakamoto's project Zero Landmine, a fund raising campaign song to help landmine victims. Jansen also appeared in the live TV broadcast appeal in Tokyo upon it's release. More recently, Jansen worked again with Sakamoto for his collaboration with Sylvian titled 'World Citizen'. This project also enlisted the work of Sketch Show.
In 1999 Jansen teamed up with Italian keyboardist Claudio Chianura to perform a live soundtrack composition to Vertov's masterpiece 'Man With The Movie Camera' or 'Kinoapparatom' as the resulting album is titled. A moody and darkly intensive piece that demonstrates the filmic qualities of Jansen's more ambient approach to composition.
Aside from his own projects, Jansen has also contributed globally to many other artists' projects during his career, as a musician, producer, mixer and remixer.
Major involvements by Jansen have been with Anja Garbarek for her last recording as well acting as musical director for her live performances throughout Europe. Jansen has repeatedly worked with Italian arist 'Alice' for her recorded and live works, (again as musical director). And as record producer for two albums by London based Japanese singer/songwriter Akiko Kobayashi.

NEW LABEL
Jansen now works closely with brother David Sylvian on new recordings as well as live projects. Jansen & Sylvian are developing an independent label called SamadhiSound. (www.samadhisound.com) centered around their state-of-the-art recording studio in New Hampshire, USA.
Jansen's new solo work is also underway and encompasses a progression in computer programming which embraces percussive electronics and audio treatments within the digital domain.