Jan Gunnar Hoff (born 22 October 1958) 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, composer, arranger and professor, living in Bodø, known from cooperations with jazz musicians like

Pat Metheny Patrick Bruce Metheny ( ; born August 12, 1954) is an American jazz guitarist and composer. He is the leader of the Pat Metheny Group and is also involved in duets, solo works, and other side projects. His style incorporates elements of progre ...

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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 ...

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John Surman John Douglas Surman (born 30 August 1944) is an English jazz saxophone, bass clarinet, and synthesizer player, and composer of free jazz and modal jazz, often using themes from folk music. He has composed and performed music for dance performanc ...

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 ...

, Maria João,

Marilyn Mazur Marilyn Mazur (born January 18, 1955) is an American-born Danish percussionist. Since 1975, she has worked as a percussionist with various groups, among them Six Winds with Alex Riel. Mazur is primarily an autodidact, but she has a degree in ...

Anders Jormin Anders Bertil Michael Jormin (born 7 September 1957) is a Swedish bassist and composer. Jormin established a musical partnership with Bobo Stenson in the mid-1980s which led to international recognition playing with Charles Lloyd, in the early ...

Arve Henriksen Arve Henriksen (born 22 March 1968) is a Norwegian trumpeter. Career Henriksen was born in Stranda and educated on the Jazz program at Trondheim Musikkonservatorium; he later studied music pedagogy, while he played in «Bodega Band» (1987� ...

Per Jørgensen Per Jørgensen (born 9 September 1952) is a Norwegian multi-instrumentalist with trumpet as his main instrument, also known for his vocal contributions, in collaboration with Dag Arnesen, Knut Kristiansen, Alex Riel, Jon Christensen, Jon Bal ...

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 ...

Bjørn Kjellemyr Bjørn Kjellemyr (born 4 December 1950 in Bamble, Norway) is a jazz double bassist, known from a variety of musical contexts like Terje Rypdal & The Chasers, Joe Henderson, Bob Berg, Chet Baker, Art Farmer, Pat Metheny, Mike Stern, Dag Arnesen, K ...

Ernst-Wiggo Sandbakk Ernst-Wiggo Sandbakk (born 28 September 1957) is a Norwegian jazz musician (drums) and music tescher. Known from a series of concerts, festival performances and records with the likes of DumDum Boys, Thorgeir Stubø, Frode Alnæs, Palle Mikkel ...

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, Tore Johansen,

Nils Petter Molvær Nils Petter Molvær () also known as NPM (born 18 September 1960) is a Norwegian jazz trumpeter, composer, and record producer. He is considered a pioneer of future jazz, a genre that fuses jazz and electronic music, best showcased on his most ...

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a.o.

Store Norske Leksikon The ''Great Norwegian Encyclopedia'' ( no, Store Norske Leksikon, abbreviated ''SNL''), is a Norwegian-language online encyclopedia. The online encyclopedia is among the most-read Norwegian published sites, with more than two million unique vis ...

(in Norwegian) (in Norwegian)

Career

Hoff was born in

Bodø Bodø (; smj, Bådåddjo, sv, Bodö) is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Salten. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Bodø (which is also the capital of Nordland count ...

. He is a graduate of the Teachers' College in

and

Bergen Bergen (), historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipality in Vestland county on the west coast of Norway. , its population is roughly 285,900. Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway. The municipality covers and is on the peninsula of ...

, and was further educated in the Jazz program at Trondheim Musikkonservatorium under

Terje Bjørklund Terje Bjørklund (born 2 January 1945) is a jazz pianist and composer. He was an active jazz pianist until approximately 1980. From then on he has concentrated on composing. Early life and career Bjørklund was born in Narvik. After obtaini ...

(1986–89), and in composition at

Norges Musikkhøgskole The Norwegian Academy of Music (Norwegian: ''Norges musikkhøgskole'', NMH) is a university-level music conservatory located in Oslo, Norway, in the neighbourhood of Majorstuen, Frogner. It is the largest music academy in Norway and offers the c ...

(2001). He had his jazz debut with his own trio on ''Ad Lib Jazzklubb'' (1976). Hoff´s background includes classical piano, progressive rock, pop and jazz. Hoff has released 20 recordings as soloartist and co-leader and he has composed 250 works for different settings. In 2005 he received the prestigious Edvard-prize (named after Edvard Grieg) for his jazz mass ''Meditatus'' and the same year he wrote the commission work for Vossajazz. In 2013 Jan Gunnar Hoff and his “Hoff Ensemble” was nominated for US Grammy Awards with their album Quiet winter night. Hoff´s quartet album Fly North with Marilyn Mazur, Anders Jormin and Arve Henriksen was nominated for the Norwegian Grammy, Spellemannpris 2014. Jan Gunnar Hoff has performed in Los Angeles, New York, London, Zagreb, Milano, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Kiev, Stockholm, Istanbul, Havana, Riga and other major cities. In January 2014 Hoff received the highest distinction in Norwegian Jazz, the Buddy-award. In May 2014 he was credited internationally as an official Steinway Artist. Since 2016 Hoff has released a number of albums: ''Stories'' - solo piano 2L 2016, ''Terra Nova'' w/mezzo soprano Marianne Beate Kielland, Lawo classics 2017, ''Polarity'' with Audun Kleive, Anders Jormin, Morten Lindberg, 2L April 2018, ''Barxeta II'' with Per Mathisen and Horacio Hernandez, Losen Records June 2018, ''Jan Gunnar Hoff Group feat. Mike Stern'' on Losen Records November 2018, ''Gladiator'' w/Gary Novak, Per Mathisen in 2021 and the solo album ''HOME'' in 2022 (2L, Morten Lindberg). Hoff is working as a professor at the

University of Tromsø The University of Tromsø – The Arctic University of Norway (Norwegian: ''Universitetet i Tromsø – Norges arktiske universitet''; Northern Sami: ''Romssa universitehta – Norgga árktalaš universitehta'') is a state university in Norway an ...

and the

University of Agder The University of Agder ( no, Universitetet i Agder), formerly known as Agder College and Agder University College, is a public university with campuses in Kristiansand and Grimstad, Norway. The institution was established as a university co ...

. He co-founded The Groove Valley JazzCamp in

Beiarn Beiarn is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional district of Salten. Beiarn is also a part of the Bodø Region, a statistical metropolitan region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of ...

, and was artistic director for TGV Jazz camp from 2005 to 2009. Hoff also initiated Bodø Jazz Open which was launched in January 2011, where he was artistic leader and festival head until 2020.

Honors

*« Stubøprisen» 1997 *«

Edvardprisen The Edvard Prize is a Norwegian music award in given by TONO, copyright organization for musicians and composers. The award, which was first awarded in 1998, is awarded annually and can only be awarded to members of the organization. The goal is t ...

» Church Music, for ''Meditatus'', 2005 *«

Nordlysprisen (the Northern Lights Prize, established in 1989) is an annual award presented by the newspaper Nordlys during the opening concert at Nordlysfestivalen in Tromsø, Norway. Nordlysprisen is awarded to a performing musician or composer, that through ...

» 2006 *« US Grammy Awards» 2013 (nomination for album ''Quiet winter night'', as arranger and leader) *« Buddyprisen» 2014 *« Steinway Artist» 2014 *«

Spellemann Spellemann is a folk music album by Norwegian singer Elisabeth Andreassen. It was released in Norway on 9 February 2009. On the album charts, it peaked at #6 in Norway and #45 in Sweden. Track listing #" Klinga mina klockor" #"Här är gudagott a ...

» 2014 (nomination) *«

Nordland Fylkes kulturpris Nordland (; smj, Nordlánnda, sma, Nordlaante, sme, Nordlánda, en, Northland) is a county in Norway in the Northern Norway region, the least populous of all 11 counties, bordering Troms og Finnmark in the north, Trøndelag in the south, No ...

» 2019 *« Bodø Municipality cultural award» 2021

Selected works

* ''FASER'', a suite in four movements for the concert debut at FINN 1992 * ''Winds, sea and rhythm'', for regional musicians Bodø Kommune 2001 * ''Blå sitron'', for string quartet and jazz trio 2002 * ''Meditatus'', premiered at Nattjazz in

Bodø Domkirke Bodø (; smj, Bådåddjo, sv, Bodö) is a List of municipalities of Norway, municipality in Nordland Counties of Norway, county, Norway. It is part of the Districts of Norway, traditional region of Salten. The administrative centre of the muni ...

, December 17, 2004 with

Bodø Domkor Bodø (; smj, Bådåddjo, sv, Bodö) is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Salten. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Bodø (which is also the capital of Nordland count ...

(

Edvard Prize The Edvard Prize is a Norwegian music award in given by TONO, copyright organization for musicians and composers. The award, which was first awarded in 1998, is awarded annually and can only be awarded to members of the organization. The goal is t ...

in 2005) * ''Free Flow Songs'', commissioned for

Vossajazz Vossajazz or Vossa Jazz (established 19 December 1973) is an international jazz festival in Voss, Norway, which takes place annually during the week before Easter, and which also includes concerts throughout the year. The festival has been led by ...

2005 (tour in 2006) * ''Magma'', commissioned work for Jan Gunnar Hoff Group feat.

2006 * ''Seven seasons'', commissioned work for Festspillene in Harstad 2007 * ''Fantasie nr.1'', commissioned work for NMFU 2007 * ''Songs for trio'', commissioned work for Acuña/Hoff/Mathisen CD ''Jungle City'' 2008 * ''Electric blue'', commissioned work for NMFU 2009 * ''For ingens øyne'', commissioned work for Hamsunjubileet 2009, with

Bjørn Sundquist Bjørn Richard Sundquist (born 16 June 1948) is a Norwegian actor, famous for TV, theatre, and movie roles. For many years he worked at Det Norske Teatret and Nationaltheateret in Oslo, and he is especially famous for the roles as Merlin and ...

* ''Pictures'', commissioned work for Nordland Musikkfestuke 2011, with Knut Erik Sundquist,

Unni Wilhelmsen Unni Elisabeth Wilhelmsen (born 12 July 1971) is a Norwegian singer, songwriter, and musician. Her musical influences are pop music and the American tradition of the singer-songwriter in which the lyrics play an important role as well as the mus ...

, and others * ''Living'', commissioned work for Bodø Jazz Open 2012, with

* ''Munch'', commissioned work for solo piano 2013 * ''Hammars suite'', composition for jazz trio and string orchestra 2014 * ''Terra Nova'', commissioned work for Bodø Domkor (and jazz group) 2014 *''Terra Nova -'' songs for Marianne Beate Kielland (mezzo soprano) 2016 *''Barxeta II -'' compositions for jazz/fusion trio *''Polarity -'' compositions for jazz trio *''Mike Stern & Jan Gunnar Hoff Quartet -'' compositions for recording 2018 *''Vaapstenjeanoe -'' commission for Festspillene Helgeland, 2020

Discography

Discography as a side man

* Flying Norwegians: ''This Time Around'' (1979) * June: ''E' det sant?/Hvess æ...'' (1981) * June: ''Det e' nu æ lev'' (1981) * ASA: ''Snu pulken'' (1983) * Halvdan Sivertsen, Vibeke Sæther, Geir Børresen & Åsmund Huser: ''Labbetusseviser'' (1983) * Arne Benonisen: ''Looking For Love'' (1983) * Terje Nilsen: ''Pop'' (1983) * Halvdan Sivertsen: ''Amerika'' (1985, Spellemannpris) * Dag Kajander: ''Stormen: Eloise/Petit pictorial'' (1986) * Sørpolnissen: ''Sørpolnissen'' (1987) * Nordvest-Russland: ''Visehjelp til Nordvest-Russland'' (1989) * Totenschlager: ''Bodø-Glimt kassett -89'' (1989) * Torgils Gundersen: ''Røsslyng/Tilegnet himmelens og jordens skaper – La ditt rike komme'' (1990) * Terje Nilsen: ''Kanskje'' (1992) * Mathisens: ''Mathisens'' (1993) * Forenede Fonogramprodusenter: ''Norske bilder – Sounds and Visions of Norway'' (1993) * Rikskonsertene: ''Levende musikk til alle'' (1994) * Pelle Politibil: ''Glade blålys'' (1995) * Terje Nilsen: ''Sånn'' (1996) * Blues Basement: ''Where the Eagle Flies – Unplugged'' (1996) * Gemini Records: ''Jazz Out of Norway 2'' (1996) * Torgils Gundersen: ''Tellus. The Blue Album'' (1997) * Bodø videregående skole: ''NRK-opptak november 97'' (1997) * Blues Basement: ''Ten Years'' (1998) * Skoleveiens venner: ''Skoleveien'' (2000) * Tore Johansen: ''Man, Woman and Child'' (2000) * Torgils Gundersen med venner: ''Kan du hør sirenan...'' (2001) * Gemini Records: ''Distant Reports – Jazz From North Norway'' (2001) * Torgils Gundersen: ''Lysbroen'' (2001) * Jan Eggum: ''President'' (2002) * Tore Johansen: ''Happy Days'' (2002) * Dag Kajander: ''Lykkeland'' (2002) * Eva Trones: ''Lille bille – Eva Trones synger barnesanger av Terje Nilsen'' (2003, Spellemann) * Chillinuts: ''Reworks: What Kind of Machine Is This?'' (2004) * Torgils Gundersen: ''Lånte fjær'' (2004) * Music Export Norway: ''Norway Now – Jazz'' (2004) * Jan Eggum: ''30/30'' (2005) * Halvdan Sivertsen: ''40+'' (2005) * Blues Basement: ''Blue Tales'' (2005) * Terje Nohr: ''Så langt'' (2005) * Alf Kjellman: ''June 1999'' (2007) * Bodø Domkor: ''Meditatus'' (2007) * Norsk jazzforum: ''Jazz From Norway 2010 – JazzCD.no 4th Set'' (2010) * Tore Johansen: ''Natt, stille'' (2010) * Tore Johansen: ''Nord'' (2011) * Eva Trones: ''Tango for en'' (2011) * Dag Kajander: ''The Glassblower's Tune'' (2011) * Halvdan Sivertsen: ''Gjør det så gjerne'' (2012) * Universal: ''Stille, stille vinternatt – Musikk fra Blåfjell'' (2012) * Dr. Fish: ''Jeg bor i Lofoten'' (2013) * Unni Wilhelmsen: ''Live with Bodø Rhythm Group featuring Bodø Sinfonietta'' (2013) * Norsk jazzforum: ''Jazz From Norway 2016 – JazzCD.no 7th Set'' (2016) * Dag Kajander: ''Kaldvinds forunderlige reise'' (2016) * Dag Kajander: ''Dag Kajander synger Arvid Hanssen'' (2017) * NOSO and Pacho Flores: ''Deutsche Grammophon'' (2018) * Tore Johansen: ''Natt, Lys'' (2020) * Dag Kajander: ''Salme etter mørketid'' (single 2022)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Hoff, Jan Gunnar 20th-century Norwegian pianists 21st-century Norwegian pianists Norwegian jazz pianists Nu jazz musicians Norwegian jazz composers Odin Records artists Curling Legs artists Grappa Music artists Losen Records artists Alessa Records artists Norwegian University of Science and Technology alumni University of Agder faculty Musicians from Bodø 1958 births Living people University of Tromsø faculty