Erling Aksdal Jr. (born 18 February 1953 in

Molde Molde () is a town and municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Romsdal. It is located on the Romsdal Peninsula, surrounding the Fannefjord and Moldefjord. The administrative centre of the m ...

, Norway) is a Norwegian

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

pianist and composer, known from playing with the likes of

Warne Marsh Warne Marion Marsh (October 26, 1927 – December 18, 1987) was an American tenor saxophonist. Born in Los Angeles, his playing first came to prominence in the 1950s as a protégé of pianist Lennie Tristano and earned attention in the 1970s as ...

Chet Baker Chesney Henry "Chet" Baker Jr. (December 23, 1929 – May 13, 1988) was an American jazz trumpeter and vocalist. He is known for major innovations in cool jazz that led him to be nicknamed the "Prince of Cool". Baker earned much attention and ...

, Herb Pomeroy, Bob Mover, Mick Goodrick, Ralph Moore, Lee Konitz, John Pål Inderberg and Bjørn Alterhaug, and writing the commissioned works for

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 ...

in 1980 and 1995.

Career

Aksdal was educated at the

Berklee College of Music Berklee College of Music is a private music college in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern American music, it also offers college-level cours ...

(1977–80), and earned a master's degree in Jazz and Contemporary Improvisationat at the

New England Conservatory The New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) is a private music school in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the oldest independent music conservatory in the United States and among the most prestigious in the world. The conservatory is located on Hu ...

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

(1984). He has since 1991 taught on the Jazz program at Trondheim Musikkonsevatorium, where he is Head of the Jazz Performance Programme (directing manager until 2005). He is also head of «Midtnorsk jazzsenter» and representative in the «Norsk Jazzforum». His performing career started in association with Storyville Jazz Club during studies in Boston, in addition to local bands in Bergen (1972–73) where he was part of «Søbstad/Halvorsens Quintet», and Molde (1973–75) with his own trio and E. A. Sextet, including Alf Kjellman and

Torgrim Sollid Torgrim Sollid (born 17 June 1942) is a Norwegian self-taught traditional folk musician, composer and jazz musician (trumpet, flugelhorn, and drums), known for combining folk music with jazz, and for playing in the Jan Garbarek Quartet and War ...

in the lineup, and for the latter he contributed on the album ''Østerdalsmusikk'' (1975). When in the US he played with among others

Herb Pomeroy Irving Herbert Pomeroy III (April 15, 1930 – August 11, 2007) was an American jazz trumpeter, teacher, and the founder of the MIT Festival Jazz Ensemble. Early life Pomeroy was born in Gloucester, Massachusetts, United States. He began playing ...

Bob Mover Bob Mover (born March 22, 1952) is an alto, tenor and soprano jazz saxophonist and a vocalist. His father was a musician who played professionally including stints with the Charlie Spivak orchestra. He started playing the alto saxophone at age ...

Mick Goodrick Mick Goodrick (June 9, 1945 – November 16, 2022) was an American jazz guitarist who spent most of his career as a teacher. In the early 1970s, he worked with Gary Burton and Pat Metheny. Biography An Elvis fan, Goodrick began studying guitar ...

and

Ralph Moore Ralph Moore (born 24 December 1956) is an English jazz saxophonist. Early life Moore was born in Brixton, London, England. His mother was the dancer Josie Woods, and his father was in the US military. He spent his childhood in Brixton, and afte ...

, conducted his own orchestra with the commission to the anniversary concert at the

in 1980, and was in the «New Cool Quartet» (1982). Aksdal moved to Oslo and joined the Magni Wentzel Quintet (1975–76). He also played with

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, ...

, Bjørn Johansen with the album ''Dear Henrik'' (1986), Harald Gundhus and «Atle Hammer Quintet», Harald Bergersen and Krister Andersson, during his years in Oslo. In addition he composed the commissioned work ''Sonus in Obscuri'', with among others

Eldbjørg Raknes Eldbjørg Raknes (born 9 February 1970 in Midsund, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz vocalist known for her a cappella vocal performances, innovative improvised vocals and electronic effects. She has collaborated with musicians such as Jon Balke, Ander ...

for Moldejazz 1995. In Molde Aksdal composed music for

Teatret Vårt Teatret Vårt is a regional theatre for Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It was established in 1972 and is based in Molde. The theatre cooperates with the annual Molde International Jazz Festival. Carl Morten Amundsen Carl Morten Amundsen (born ...

(1988–1990), and in Trondheim (1991–) he played within «Asmund Bjørken Sextet» (''Pot's On'', 1992), toured with

Lee Konitz Leon Konitz (October 13, 1927 – April 15, 2020) was an American composer and alto saxophonist. He performed successfully in a wide range of jazz styles, including bebop, cool jazz, and avant-garde jazz. Konitz's association with the cool jazz ...

and co-musicians from the Jazz program at «Tronheim Musikkonservatorium» within «John Pål Inderberg Band», releasing the album ''Steps Towards A Dream'' (1993). He was within «Friends Connection» (1994), and has otherwise participated in Eldbjørg Raknes Quintet (1997), the album ''Sval Draum'' (2005) by

John Pål Inderberg John Pål Inderberg (born 6 August 1950 Steinkjer, Norway) is a versatile saxophonist and one of the leading traditional musicians in Norway. His playing synthethises many different styles, not least when in partnership with Norwegian and America ...

, and ''Veckan 44'' (2008) within «Norsk Svensk Cool Quintet».

Compositions

* Commission for

1980, at the 20-year anniversary * Commission for Moldejazz, ''Sonus in Obscuri'' 1995, also performed at the «Nordlysfestivalen» (1996), with among others

Discography

*1975: ''Østerdalsmusikk'' (MAI), with

*1984: ''Hotelsuite'' (

Odin Records Odin Records is a Norwegians, Norwegian jazz record company and label founded in 1981 by the Norwegian Jazz Federation, when there were not many independent record labels in Norway. Only major international record companies were to be found in O ...

), with Espen Rud *1986: ''Dear Henrik'' (Gemini Records), with Bjørn Johansen *1987: ''For the time being'' (

Hot Club Records Hot Club Records is a jazz record label established 1982, by guitarist Jon Larsen in Oslo, Norway.Dregni, Michael (2008) ''Gypsy Jazz: In Search of Django Reinhardt and the Soul of Gypsy Swing'', OUP USA, , p. 229 The label has released over 350 ...

), with Warne Marsh *1989: ''Norwegian Radio Big Band meets Bill Holman'' (Taurus Records) *1992: ''Pot's On'' (Gemini Records), within «Asmund Bjørken Sextet» *1993: ''Steps Towards A Dream'' (Odin Records), with

and

Bjørn Alterhaug Bjørn Alterhaug (born 3 June 1945) is a Norwegian jazz bassist, arranger, composer and professor of music. Store Norske Leksikon (in Norwegian) Career Alterhaug was born in Mo i Rana, Norway. He is one of the grand masters among European basspl ...

*2005: ''Sval Draum'' (Taurus Records), with John Pål Inderberg *2008: ''Veckan 44'' (Sonor Records), with «Norsk Svensk Cool Quintet»

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Aksdal, Erling 20th-century Norwegian pianists 21st-century Norwegian pianists Norwegian jazz pianists Norwegian jazz composers Male jazz composers Jazzland Recordings (1997) artists 1953 births Living people Musicians from Molde Norwegian male pianists 20th-century Norwegian male musicians 21st-century Norwegian male musicians Søyr members

Career

Compositions

Discography

See also

References

External links