Erik Amundsen (1 February 1937 – 22 February 2015) was a Norwegian jazz bassist from

Oslo Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...

Career

Amundsen debuted in 1954 within the trio of his brother Arvid Amundsen and within Atle Hammer Sextet. Throughout the 1950s, he played within Karl Otto Hoff Trio, Eilif Holm Quartet and released an album with

Mikkel Flagstad Michael "Mikkel" Flagstad (23 April 1930 – 29 June 2005) was a Norwegian jazz musician (saxophone), son of the cellist Ole Flagstad and nephew of the pianist Lasse Flagstad, the singer Karen-Marie Flagstad and opera singer Kirsten Flagstad. ...

in 1956. In the 1960s, he was involved in European All Stars in

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

(1961) and was awarded the

Buddyprisen Buddyprisen (established 1956 in Oslo, Norway) is an award, given annually by the Norwegian Jazz Forum to a Norwegian jazz musician that has "been an excellent performer and significantly involved in Norwegian jazz by other means". The award was a ...

in 1962. Amundsen performed on recordings with

Karin Krog Karin Krog (born 15 May 1937) is a Norwegian jazz singer. Life and career Krog began singing jazz as a teenager and attracted attention while performing in jam sessions in Oslo. In 1955, she was hired by the pianist Kjell Karlsen to sing in ...

, Bernt Anker Steen, Erik Andresen,

Laila Dalseth Laila Dalseth (born 6 November 1940) is a Norwegian jazz singer. She was formerly married to the jazz saxophonist Theodor "Totti" Bergh (1935–2012). Career After an early debut in her hometown of Bergen, Dalseth was active on the Oslo jazz ...

Magni Wentzel Magni Wentzel (born 28 June 1945 in Oslo, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz musician (vocals and guitar), the daughter of musicians Odd Wentzel-Larsen and Åse Wentzel, and known for a number of jazz recordings. Career Wentzel started in "Totenla ...

, Bjørn Johansen, Jan Berger and

Bjarne Nerem Bjarne Arnulf Nerem (31 July 1923 in Oslo, Norway – 1 April 1991 in Oslo), was a Norwegian jazz musician (tenor saxophone, alto saxophone and clarinet) among the foremost soloists in Norwegian jazz. He was in the tradition of Lester Young, ...

. He played regularly at the Metropol Jazz Centre in Oslo, including with visiting musicians such as

Bud Powell Earl Rudolph "Bud" Powell (September 27, 1924 – July 31, 1966) was an American jazz pianist and composer. Along with Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Kenny Clarke and Dizzy Gillespie, Powell was a leading figure in the development of modern ...

. Amundsen also played with

Al Cohn Al Cohn (November 24, 1925 – February 15, 1988) was an American jazz saxophonist, arranger and composer. He came to prominence in the band of clarinetist Woody Herman and was known for his longtime musical partnership with fellow saxophonist Zo ...

and

Bengt Hallberg Bengt Hallberg (13 September 1932 – 2 July 2013) was a Swedish jazz pianist, composer and arranger.John Fordha"Bengt Hallberg obituary" theguardian.com, 7 August 2013 Born in Gothenburg, he studied classical piano from an early age, and wro ...

, within bands led by Per Borthen and Totti Bergh, and the groups VSOBOP, Street Swingers, Storeslem and Jazz A Pell Oktett. His own Erik Amundsen Sextet (2000) included Atle Hammer (trumpet), Jan Erik Ulseth (saxophone),

Erling Wicklund Erling Sachs Wicklund (7 June 1944 – 8 August 2019) was a Norwegian jazz trombonist, composer, arranger and journalist, known for a series of jazz programs on NRK. Career Wicklund was born in Göteborg, Sweden, and studied musicology, art ...

(trombone), Roger Amundsen (guitar) and Eyvind Olsen (drums). After a stroke in 2002, he was unable play his instrument. In 2006, he was honored by a concert at the club Cosmopolite in

). A selection of nearly forty tracks from his recording career can be heard on the album ''Portrait of a norwegian jazz artist'' (2005). Amundsen died on 22 February 2015. He was 78.

Honors

*1962:

Discography

*1993: ''Tenderly'', with Monica Borgen *1995: ''Remember'', with Totti Bergh *1998: ''The Oslo Jazz Circle jubilee concert in the fall of 1998'' *2005: ''Portrait of a Norwegian jazz artist'' (Gemini Records)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Amundsen, Erik 1937 births 2015 deaths 20th-century Norwegian upright-bassists 21st-century Norwegian upright-bassists Jazz double-bassists Norwegian jazz upright-bassists Male double-bassists Musicians from Oslo 20th-century Norwegian male musicians 21st-century Norwegian male musicians Male jazz musicians