Christian Wallumrød (born 26 April 1971 in Kongsberg, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz musician (piano, organ and electronic keyboards) and composer, and is considered one of the most prominent musicians of the younger Norwegian generation, known from releases with his own ''Christian Wallumrød Ensemble'' on the German label

ECM Records ECM (Edition of Contemporary Music) is an independent record label founded by Karl Egger, Manfred Eicher and Manfred Scheffner in Munich in 1969. While ECM is best known for jazz music, the label has released a variety of recordings, and ECM's a ...

, while regularly touring and appearing in festivals in Norway, elsewhere in Scandinavia and Europe, and in the US. He is the brother of jazz vocalist Susanna Wallumrød and the drummer

Fredrik Wallumrød Fredrik Wallumrød (born 21 September 1973 in Kongsberg, Norway) is a Norwegian drummer and composer, known for his collaborations with musicians like Karl Seglem, Trygve Seim, Solveig Slettahjell, Jarle Bernhoft, Lene Marlin, Maria Mena, and th ...

, and cousin to the pianist

David Wallumrød David Wallumrød (born 2 October 1977 in Kongsberg, Norway) is a Norwegian pianist, known from cooperations with artists such as Knut Reiersrud, Torun Eriksen, Jarle Bernhoft, Marit Larsen, Maria Solheim, Vidar Busk, Bigbang, Maria Mena, Thomas ...

Career

Wallumrød was educated on the Jazz Program at '' Trondheim Musikkonservatorium'', where he cooperated with the bands ''Airamero'', ''Nutrio'' together with Eldbjørg Raknes and Arve Henriksen, as well as in a trio with drummer Espen Rud and bassist

Johannes Eick Johannes Eick (born 22 April 1964) is a Norwegian bassist (double bass and electric bass guitar), the son of bassist and vibraphonist Jürgen Eick (b. 1937), and the older brother of musicians Trude Eick and Mathias Eick. In his youth he played ...

, among others. After moving to Oslo he has played in a quartet with Petter Wettre, composed the commissioned work ''Eight Thirty'' for

Kongsberg Jazz Festival Kongsberg Jazz Festival or Kongsberg Jazzfestival is an international jazz festival that has been held annually in Kongsberg, Norway, since 1964. Artists Several worldwide great artists have visited Kongsberg during this festival; internation ...

with Ståle Storløkken (1994), and operated the trio ''Close Erase'' with Ingebrigt Håker Flaten (bass) and Per Oddvar Johansen (drums), with four releases. He has also contributed on recordings within a wide range of musical expressions, like

Odd Børretzen Odd Lunde Børretzen (21 November 1926 – 3 November 2012) was a Norwegian author, illustrator, translator, and one of the most significant text writers, folk singers and artists in Norway. Biography Børretzen was born in Fister in th ...

Lars Martin Myhre Lars Martin Myhre (born 10 August 1956 in Tønsberg, Norway) (in Norwegian) is a Norwegian composer, guitarist, pianist, singer and producer residing in Sandefjord. He is best known for his collaboration with Odd Børretzen, (in Norwegian) but ha ...

(''Noen ganger er det all right'', 1995), Jon Eberson's

Jazzpunkensemblet Jazzpunkensemblet (established 1983 in Oslo, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz ensemble orchestra led by the famous musicians Jon Eberson on guitar and Nils Petter Molvær on trumpet, and known for a clean style duel between two rhythm sections, and the ...

(''Thirteen Rounds'', 1997), Jacob Young (''Glow'', 1999), with Arve Henriksen, Jan Bang and Erik Honoré (''Birth wish'', 2000), and last but not the leased Audun Kleive's

Generator X ''Generator Rex'' is an American animated science fiction television series created by Man of Action for Cartoon Network, with John Fang of Cartoon Network Studios serving as supervising director. It was inspired by the comic ''M. Rex'', publishe ...

(''Generator X'', 2000) Wallumrød has continued the cooperation with Henriksen, in a trio with

Hans-Kristian Kjos Sørensen Hans-Kristian Kjos Sørensen, also known as HKKS (born 23 July 1965), is a Norwegian percussion and cimbalom player, Career Born in Oslo, Hans-Kristian Kjos Sørensen started to play music at the age of seven and grew up playing percussion, pia ...

with the albums ''No birch'' (1997) and ''Birth wish'' (2001), and in his own ''Christian Wallumrød Ensemble'' with Per Oddvar Johansen (trommer) releasing ''Sofienberg variations'' (2003) and ''A year from easter'' (2005), all on the German label

ECM ECM may refer to: Economics and commerce * Engineering change management * Equity capital markets * Error correction model, an econometric model * European Common Market Mathematics * Elliptic curve method * European Congress of Mathematics ...

. In the autumn 2006 he toured with his own Christian Wallumrød Sextet, consisting of the personnel from his Christian Wallumrød Ensamble reinforced with string trio Tanja Orning (cello), Gjermund Larsen (violin) and

Giovanna Pessi Giovanna is an Italian feminine first name. It is the feminine counterpart of the masculine Giovanni, which in turn is the Italian form of John; it is thus the Italian equivalent of Jane, Joanna, Jeanne, etc. In Brazil, the feminine name Giovanna ...

(harp). Other prominent partnership include

Ketil Gutvik Ketil Gutvik (born 4 July 1972 in Ålesund, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz musician (guitar) known on the Oslo's jazz scene since 1992. Career Gutvik is a graduate of "The Trondheim Kommunale Musikkskole" (1987–92) and the Norwegian Academy of ...

, Sidsel Endresen and Jan Bang, resulting in a series of album releases. On his latest albums ''Fabula Suite Lugano'' (2009) and ''Outstairs'' (2013) with Christian Wallumrød Ensamble, he leads a virtuoso ensemble at low speed. It is a beautiful but unsettling experience. We get a mixture of catchy songs with recognizable melodies and simple harmonies, combined with idea-based compositions where the musicians' improvising abilities are expressed. John Kellman of the All About Jazz magazine recognized Christian Wallumrød Ensemble's appearance at TD

Ottawa Jazz Festival The Ottawa Jazz Festival is an annual music festival located in Ottawa, Canada. Lineups 2019 2019 event was held from June 21 to July 1 in Marion Dewar Plaza due to the Confederation Park's renovation. 2020 It was cancelled due to COVID-19 pa ...

June 2013, as no. 8 of his "Best Live Shows of 2013".

Honors

*2001: Kongsberg Jazz Award

Discography

Solo albums

*2015: ''Pianokammer'' ( Hubro Music)

As Band Leader

;With ''Christian Wallumrød Trio'' *1998: ''No Birch'' (

) ;With ''Christian Wallumrød Ensemble'' *2001: ''Sofienberg Variations'' (

) *2004: ''A Year From Easter'' (

) *2007: ''The Zoo Is Far'' (

) *2009: ''Fabula Suite Lugano'' (

) *2013: ''Outstairs'' (

) *2016: ''Kurzsam And Fulger'' ( Hubro Music)

Collaborations

;With Close Erase *1996: ''Close Erase'' ( NorCD) *1999: ''No. 2'' (NorCD) *2001: ''Dance This'' (Blå Production) *2006: ''Sport Rocks'' (

Jazzaway Jazzaway is a Norwegian record label founded by saxophonist Jon Klette in Oslo, Norway. He is also the main composer/leader in the band Jazzmob. Their CD ''Pathfinder'' (2003) was the first release from the label. The label includes artists an ...

) ;With Audun Kleives Generator X *2000: ''Generator X'' ( Jazzland) *2004: ''Ohmagoddabl'' (Jazzland) *2012: ''Attack '' (POLselection) ;With Karl Seglem *2004: ''Nye Nord'' ( NorCD) *2004: ''New North'' (NorCD) ;With others *1994: ''Airamero'' ( Odin Records), with Airamero *1995: ''Noen Ganger Er Det All Right'' (Tylden), with

and

*1997: ''Thirteen Rounds'' ( Curling Legs), with Jon Eberson's ''Jazzpunkensemble'' *1997: ''Fra Himmelen'' (NorCD), with

Elin Rosseland Elin Rosseland (born 5 April 1959 in Norway) is a singer, bandleader, and composer who studied at the Norwegian Academy of Music and is known from collaborations with Vigleik Storaas, Johannes Eick, Sidsel Endresen, Eldbjørg Raknes, Christian W ...

and

*2000: ''Birth Wish'' (Pan M Records), with Arve Henriksen, Jan Bang and Erik Honoré *2001: ''Glow'' ( Curling Legs), with Jacob Young *2002: ''Objects Of Desire'' (Albedo), Oslo Sinfonietta conducted by Christian Eggen and music composed by Eivind Buene, featuring Christian Wallumrød and

Torben Snekkestad Torben is a Danish variant of the given name Torbjörn. People named Torben include: *Torben Betts (born 1968), English playwright and screenwriter *Torben Boye (born 1966), Danish former footballer *Torben Frank (born 1968), Danish former footbal ...

*2004: ''Merriwinkle'' (Jazzland), with Sidsel Endresen and Helge Sten *2006: ''Dans Les Arbres'' (

), with

Xavier Charles Xavier or Xabier may refer to: Place * Xavier, Spain People * Xavier (surname) * Xavier (given name) * Francis Xavier (1506–1552), Catholic saint ** St. Francis Xavier (disambiguation) * St. Xavier (disambiguation) * Xavier (footballer, bo ...

, Ivar Grydeland and Ingar Zach

References

External links

*
Biografi
from ''Norsk Musikkinformasjon'' (in Norwegian) {{DEFAULTSORT:Wallumrod, Christian 20th-century Norwegian pianists 21st-century Norwegian pianists Norwegian jazz pianists Norwegian jazz composers ECM Records artists Hubro Music artists Norwegian University of Science and Technology alumni Musicians from Kongsberg 1971 births Living people Trondheim Jazz Orchestra members Close Erase members Jazzpunkensemblet members TINGeLING members