Ab und Zu (established 1987) is a Norwegian jazz band, originally named "Anne Marie Giørtz Quintet" (1982–1987), and presenting music written by Ole Henrik Giørtz.
Biography
The quintet comprised the siblings
Anne-Marie Giørtz (vocals) and
Ole Henrik Giørtz (piano), together with
Vidar Johansen
Vidar Johansen (born 17 December 1951) is a Norwegian former ice hockey player. He was born in Asker, Norway and represented the club Frisk Asker. He played for the Norwegian national ice hockey team at the 1980 Winter Olympics
The 1980 Winter ...
(saxophone),
Audun Kleive
Audun Kleive (born 20 October 1961) is a Norwegian jazz drummer.) He was raised in Skien and is the son of organist Kristoffer Kleive and brother of organist Iver Kleive.
Career
Kleive began to play drums in a rock and dance band, and then wen ...
(drums) and
Olaf Kamfjord (bass). The first record release was ''Breaking out'' (1983), followed by ''Tigers of pain'' (1985), where drummer
Audun Kleive
Audun Kleive (born 20 October 1961) is a Norwegian jazz drummer.) He was raised in Skien and is the son of organist Kristoffer Kleive and brother of organist Iver Kleive.
Career
Kleive began to play drums in a rock and dance band, and then wen ...
was substituted for
Finn Sletten
Finn Sletten (born 11 August 1952) is a Norwegian jazz musician (drums and percussions).
Career
Sletten was born in Bodø. After a study tour to Arizona (1968–70), he played in his home town with such musicians as Paul Weeden Band at Fes ...
. ''Tigers of pain'' was the first album where they present lyrics by
Fran Landesman
Fran Landesman (October 21, 1927 – July 23, 2011) was an American lyricist and poet. She grew up in New York City and lived for years in St. Louis, Missouri, where her husband Jay Landesman operated the Crystal Palace nightclub. One of her best ...
.
The band changed name in 1987, and released the album ''Ab und Zu'' (1989) with two substitutes in the band, drummer
Paolo Vinaccia
Paolo Vinaccia (Camerino, 27 March 1954 – Oslo, 5 July 2019) was an Italian jazz drummer who lived in Norway. He died on July 5, 2019 after almost ten years of living with pancreatic cancer.
Career
Vinaccia worked with Terje Rypdal, Bendik ...
and guitarist
Eivind Aarset
Eivind Aarset (born 23 March 1961) is a Norwegian guitarist who has worked with Ray Charles, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Ute Lemper, Ketil Bjørnstad, Andy Sheppard, Mike Mainieri, Arild Andersen, Abraham Laboriel, Dhafer Youssef, Django Bates, and Nils ...
. At
Moldejazz
Molde International Jazz Festival (MIJF) or Moldejazz (established 1961 in Molde) takes place annually in July, and is known as one of the oldest jazz festivals in Europe. It was initiated by the local Storyville Jazz Club. Since 1964 it has rec ...
they performed the commissions ''Den akustiske skyggen'' (1993) and ''Skrapjern og silke'' (1999), both presenting lyrics by
Lars Saabye Christensen
Lars Saabye Christensen (born 21 September 1953 in Oslo) is a Norwegian/Danish author.
Saabye Christensen was raised in the Skillebekk neighbourhood of Oslo, but lived for many years in Sortland in northern Norway; both places play a major r ...
. When they released the next album ''Totally'' (1996) the drummer
Kim Ofstad
Kim Ofstad (born 25 November 1969) is a Norwegian drummer. He is best known from collaborations in the pop/soul band D'Sound where he was a member from its inception in 1993 to 2010 and his work with the production team Element.
Career
Ofstad ...
was in the line-up. The last album release was ''Spark of life'' (2002).
With the big band
Prime Time Orchestra they performed the commissioned work ''Rhymes at midnight'' at «Sandvika Storbandfestival» (2004), this time also presenting lyrics by
Fran Landesman
Fran Landesman (October 21, 1927 – July 23, 2011) was an American lyricist and poet. She grew up in New York City and lived for years in St. Louis, Missouri, where her husband Jay Landesman operated the Crystal Palace nightclub. One of her best ...
. The lineup on this project is with
Kenneth Ekornes
Kenneth Ekornes (born 7 July 1974 in Sykkylven, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz musician (percussion) and member of the 'Brazz Brothers', known from a number of recordings, as well as for his multiethnic musical expression and his creative use of el ...
(drums) and
Tore Brunborg
Tore Brunborg (born 20 May 1960) is a Norwegian jazz musician and composer who plays saxophone. He was born in Trondheim but grew up in Voss where a jazz environment was flowering. Known from numerous appearances with international greats includ ...
(saxophone).
Band members
*
Anne–Marie Giørtz – vocal
*
Ole Henrik Giørtz – piano
*
Vidar Johansen
Vidar Johansen (born 17 December 1951) is a Norwegian former ice hockey player. He was born in Asker, Norway and represented the club Frisk Asker. He played for the Norwegian national ice hockey team at the 1980 Winter Olympics
The 1980 Winter ...
– saxophone
*
Tore Brunborg
Tore Brunborg (born 20 May 1960) is a Norwegian jazz musician and composer who plays saxophone. He was born in Trondheim but grew up in Voss where a jazz environment was flowering. Known from numerous appearances with international greats includ ...
– saxophone
*
Olaf Kamfjord – bass
*
Kenneth Ekornes
Kenneth Ekornes (born 7 July 1974 in Sykkylven, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz musician (percussion) and member of the 'Brazz Brothers', known from a number of recordings, as well as for his multiethnic musical expression and his creative use of el ...
– drums
Former members
Anne Marie Giørtz Quintet
*
Audun Kleive
Audun Kleive (born 20 October 1961) is a Norwegian jazz drummer.) He was raised in Skien and is the son of organist Kristoffer Kleive and brother of organist Iver Kleive.
Career
Kleive began to play drums in a rock and dance band, and then wen ...
– drums
*
Finn Sletten
Finn Sletten (born 11 August 1952) is a Norwegian jazz musician (drums and percussions).
Career
Sletten was born in Bodø. After a study tour to Arizona (1968–70), he played in his home town with such musicians as Paul Weeden Band at Fes ...
– drums
Former members
Ab und Zu
*
Eivind Aarset
Eivind Aarset (born 23 March 1961) is a Norwegian guitarist who has worked with Ray Charles, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Ute Lemper, Ketil Bjørnstad, Andy Sheppard, Mike Mainieri, Arild Andersen, Abraham Laboriel, Dhafer Youssef, Django Bates, and Nils ...
– guitar
*
Paolo Vinaccia
Paolo Vinaccia (Camerino, 27 March 1954 – Oslo, 5 July 2019) was an Italian jazz drummer who lived in Norway. He died on July 5, 2019 after almost ten years of living with pancreatic cancer.
Career
Vinaccia worked with Terje Rypdal, Bendik ...
– drums
*
Kim Ofstad
Kim Ofstad (born 25 November 1969) is a Norwegian drummer. He is best known from collaborations in the pop/soul band D'Sound where he was a member from its inception in 1993 to 2010 and his work with the production team Element.
Career
Ofstad ...
– drums
Discography
As Anne Marie Giørtz Quintet
*1983: ''Breaking out'' (
Hot Club)
*1985: ''Tigers of pain'' (
Odin
Odin (; from non, Óðinn, ) is a widely revered Æsir, god in Germanic paganism. Norse mythology, the source of most surviving information about him, associates him with wisdom, healing, death, royalty, the gallows, knowledge, war, battle, v ...
)
As Ab und Zu
*1989: ''Ab und Zu'' (
Curling Legs
__NOTOC__
Curling Legs Productions A/S (established 1992 in Oslo, Norway) is a Norwegian record label with a catalogue encompassing all styles of jazz and improvised music. It was started by Knut Værnes and Morten Halle to release their own mus ...
)
*1996: ''Totally'' (Curling Legs)
*1999: ''Skrapjern og silke'' (
Grappa
Grappa is an alcoholic beverage: a fragrant, grape-based pomace brandy of Italian origin that contains 35 to 60 percent alcohol by volume (70 to 120 US proof).
Grappa is made by distilling the skins, pulp, seeds, and stems (i.e., the poma ...
)
*2002: ''Spark of life'' (Curling Legs)
References
External links
Ab und Zu at Curling Legs
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ab und Zu
1987 establishments in Norway
Curling Legs artists
Grappa Music artists
Hot Club Records artists
Musical groups established in 1987
Musical groups from Oslo
Norwegian jazz ensembles
Odin Records artists