Per Husby (born 2 April 1949 in

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 ...

) is a Norwegian jazz pianist, composer, teacher, civil engineer, and orchestra leader.

Career

Husby was raised in Oslo together with other jazz enthusiasts like jazz journalist Knut Borge.Per Husby
by

Tom Horvei Tom or TOM may refer to: * Tom (given name), a diminutive of Thomas or Tomás or an independent Aramaic given name (and a list of people with the name) Characters * Tom Anderson, a character in ''List of Beavis and Butt-Head characters#Local r ...

. He studied piano at the Music Conservatory of Oslo (1962–67), and became a siv.ing. in

acoustics Acoustics is a branch of physics that deals with the study of mechanical waves in gases, liquids, and solids including topics such as vibration, sound, ultrasound and infrasound. A scientist who works in the field of acoustics is an acoustician ...

(under Asbjørn Krokstad) at the Norwegian Institute of Technology (1973), followed up with studies in jazz at

Berklee 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 ...

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 ...

. In

Trondheim Trondheim ( , , ; sma, Tråante), historically Kaupangen, Nidaros and Trondhjem (), is a city and municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. As of 2020, it had a population of 205,332, was the third most populous municipality in Norway, and ...

(1971–80), he worked with the local big band Bodega Band where he (and bassist Jan Tro) wrote much original music for recordings. Later, Husby performed in groups led by Asmund Bjørken 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 bassp ...

. He was a musical director at the local theatre

Trøndelag Teater Trøndelag Teater is a large theater in the city of Trondheim, in Trøndelag county, Norway. Trøndelag Teater stages large-scale dance and musical performances. History Originally built in 1816, the theater is the oldest stage in Scandinavia ...

(1975–80). Husby led his own septet, (1975–78), quintet (1980–83), and released records with his 13-piece ''Per Husby Dedication Orchestra'' (13 tracks). From 1980 in Oslo, he was leader of the Federation of Norwegian Jazz musicians (1983–85), and co-edited the Norwegian Jazz Magazine ''Jazznytt'' (1981–84). Over 20 years, he made regular engagements as a pianist/orchestra leader on Norwegian TV Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, including 11 years as a musical director for the "memory lane" TV series ''

Da Capo Da capo (, also , ) is an Italian musical term that means "from the beginning" (literally, "from the head"). It is often abbreviated as D.C. The term is a directive to repeat the previous part of music, often used to save space, and thus is a ...

''. Husby has produced and played with

Hilde Louise Asbjørnsen Hilde Louise Asbjørnsen (born 3 June 1976 in Sykkylven, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz singer, songwriter, cabaret artist and songwriter, known from her own releases and appearances. Career After moving to Oslo in 1996 she studied Science Theatr ...

, and plays in the Quartet of tenor saxophonist Bodil Niska as well as with singer

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 ...

. He has through the years worked as an accompanist for visiting jazz soloists such as Chet Baker (heard on ''The Improviser'',

Cadence Jazz Records Cadence Jazz is an American record company and label specializing in noncommercial modern jazz. It is associated with '' Cadence Magazine''. Cadence Jazz was founded by Bob Rusch in Redwood, New York in 1980. By 2000 the label had issued mo ...

Clark Terry Clark Virgil Terry Jr. (December 14, 1920 – February 21, 2015) was an American swing and bebop trumpeter, a pioneer of the flugelhorn in jazz, and a composer and educator. He played with Charlie Barnet (1947), Count Basie (1948–51), Duke ...

Joe Henderson Joe Henderson (April 24, 1937 – June 30, 2001) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. In a career spanning more than four decades, Henderson played with many of the leading American players of his day and recorded for several prominent l ...

Pepper Adams Park Frederick "Pepper" Adams III (October 8, 1930 – September 10, 1986) was an American jazz baritone saxophonist and composer. He composed 42 pieces, was the leader on eighteen albums spanning 28 years, and participated in 600 sessions as a s ...

Kenny Wheeler Kenneth Vincent John Wheeler, OC (14 January 1930 – 18 September 2014) was a Canadian composer and trumpet and flugelhorn player, based in the U.K. from the 1950s onwards. Most of his performances were rooted in jazz, but he was also active i ...

, James Moody and

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 ...

Honors

*1985: Molderosen at the

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 re ...

*1985: Work of the year 1985, elected by the composer's organisation NOPA in for ''Poesi'' *1985:

Spellemannprisen Spellemannprisen, often referred to as the Norwegian Grammy Awards in English, is a Norwegian music award presented to Norwegian musicians. The award was established by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), an organizat ...

in the class Jazz, for the album ''Dedications'' *1989: Buddyprisen by The Norwegian jazz federation's honorary award

Discography

*Per Husby Septet, ''Peacemaker'' ( LP / CD 1976

Gemini Records Gemini Records (initiated 1984 in Oslo, Norway) is a Norwegian record label founded and run by Bjørn Petersen (b. 1939). Background The primary goal of Gemini Records was to release albums by saxophonist Bjarne Nerem. Gradually this aim broade ...

, 2003). With

Knut Riisnæs Knut Riisnæs (born 13 November 1945) is a Norwegian jazz musician (saxophone and flute), arranger, and composer, son of pianist Eline Nygaard Riisnæs and brother of classical pianist Anne Eline Riisnæs (1951–) and jazz saxophonist Odd Riis ...

/ Bjørn Johansen/ Harald Bergersen saxophone Bernt Anker Steen trumpet,

Carl Morten Iversen Carl Morten Iversen (born 1 May 1948) is a Norwegian jazz musician (upright bass), and the son of jazz violinist Arild Iversen (1920–65). He is known from numerous recordings and has long been central to the Oslo Jazz scene. Career Iversen ...

bass and Svein-Erik Gaardvik drums *'' The Improviser'' (

, 1983). With Chet Baker,

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 ...

Espen Rud Espen Rud (born 29 January 1948 in Asker, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz musician (drums), composer, and music arranger, and the son of Norwegian author Nils Johan Rud (1908–93). He is known from numerous recordings and in collaboration with Kar ...

Ole Jacob Hansen Ole Jacob Hansen (16 April 1940 in Oslo, Norway – 6 March 2000) was a Norwegian jazz musician (drums), known from a number recordings and international cooperation. Career Hansen established himself on the Oslo jazz scene first in Tore San ...

and

Terje Venaas Terje Venaas (born 30 March 1947 in Molde, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz musician (upright bass), known from dozens of recordings and a number of international cooperation. Career Venaas started playing music within several local bands in the ...

*The Per Husby Dedication Orchestra, ''Dedications'' (

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 ...

, 1985) won Spellemannprisen 1985, *The Per Husby Dedication Orchestra, ''Your eyes'' ( NOPA Records, 1987). *''Notes for nature'' (

Odin Records Odin Records is a 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 Oslo, so Odin ...

, 1990) – including jazz adaptions of his music for the prize-winning TV documentary

NRK NRK, an abbreviation of the Norwegian ''Norsk Rikskringkasting Aksjeselskap, AS'', generally expressed in English as the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, is the Norwegian government-owned radio and television public broadcasting company, and ...

-programme ''2048'' (1988) *''If you could see me now'' (

, 1996). Recorded in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

with Frank Wess, Grady Tate, Jim Pugh, Jay Leonhart, Bucky Pizzarelli, Chris Potter, Howard Johnson a.o. * Anne Lande and Husby, ''Sakte sanger'' ( Park Grammofon, 2006) with music by

Alf Prøysen Alf Prøysen () (23 July 1914 – 23 November 1970) was a Norwegian author, poet, playwright, songwriter and musician. Prøysen was one of the most important Norwegian cultural personalities in the second half of the 20th century. He worke ...

Inger Hagerup Inger Hagerup (née Halsør; 12 April 1905, in Bergen – 6 February 1985, in Fredrikstad) was a Norwegian writer, playwright and poet. She is considered one of the greatest Norwegian poets of the 20th century. Life and career Inger Johanne Ha ...

Antonio Carlos Jobim Antonio is a masculine given name of Etruscan origin deriving from the root name Antonius. It is a common name among Romance language-speaking populations as well as the Balkans and Lusophone Africa. It has been among the top 400 most popular male ...

and others * Anne Lande and Husby, ''Helt Nær'' ( Park Grammofon, 2009).

Works

* ''Poesi'' (1985) * ''Two pieces for brass quintet'' (1987) * ''Stråler mellom fjell'' (2000) * ''Inverness wedding'' (2001) * ''Mythos'' (2002) * ''Vårsong''/''For ein dag'' (2002) * ''Half a nice day'' (2002)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Husby, Per 1944 births Living people 20th-century Norwegian pianists 21st-century Norwegian pianists Norwegian jazz pianists Norwegian jazz composers Male jazz composers Norwegian translators Spellemannprisen winners Norwegian civil engineers Hot Club Records artists Gemini Records artists Musicians from Oslo Norwegian male pianists 20th-century Norwegian male musicians 21st-century Norwegian male musicians Bodega Band members