Wibutee (initiated 1998 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 ...

, originally a trio named Triangle 1996–98) is a

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 ...

band from Norway, mixing influences from current electronic (dance) music,

jazz rock Jazz fusion (also known as fusion and progressive jazz) is a music genre that developed in the late 1960s when musicians combined jazz harmony and jazz improvisation, improvisation with rock music, funk, and rhythm and blues. Electric guitars, ...

and

improvisation Improvisation is the activity of making or doing something not planned beforehand, using whatever can be found. Improvisation in the performing arts is a very spontaneous performance without specific or scripted preparation. The skills of impr ...

Biography

Wibutee was originally formed as the jazz trio Triangle in

, Norway in 1996 by

Håkon Kornstad Håkon Games Kornstad (born 5 April 1977 in Oslo, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz musician (tenor saxophone, bass saxophone, flute and live looping) and classically trained singer (tenor), known from bands such as Wibutee and Kornstad Trio, and col ...

Wetle Holte Wetle Holte (born 4 September 1973) is a Norwegian drummer and composer known for his collaborations with Silje Neergård, Kirsti Huke, Eivind Aarset, Wibutee, Bugge Wesseltoft, Anja Garbarek, and others. Life and career Holte was born in Ski ...

and

Per Zanussi Per Zanussi (born 1977) is an Italian–Norwegian jazz musician (upright bass) and composer, known from several bands and releases such as with Hamid Drake, Louis Moholo, Paal Nilssen-Love, Bobby Bradford, Sabir Mateen, Franklin Kiermyer, Stephe ...

, then jazz students at the Trondheim Musikkonservatorium. They were later joined by

Erlend Skomsvoll Erlend Fredrik Skomsvoll (born 12 May 1969) is a Norwegian jazz musician (piano, keyboards, accordion, and tuba), band leader, composer and arranger, known from his own band Skomsork and the band Wibutee with Live Maria Roggen, Madrugada, and K ...

and

Live Maria Roggen Live Maria Roggen (born 22 March 1970) is a Norwegian jazz singer, songwriter and composer. Roggen was born in Oslo and educated at Foss High School (violin and vocals). She studied sociology and Musicology intermediate at the University of Osl ...

, playing their first notable concert as a group at the

Nattjazz Bergen International Jazz Festival or Nattjazz, is one of the largest jazz festivals of Norway. The festival has a musical profile with an emphasis on ethnic and contemporary jazz. It is held annually in late May, coinciding with Festspillene ...

festival in

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 ...

, May 1998. Signed to

Bugge Wesseltoft Jens Christian Bugge Wesseltoft (born 1 February 1964) is a Norwegian jazz pianist, composer, and producer, son of jazz guitarist Erik Wesseltoft. Career In 1989, Wesseltoft collaborated with the Knut Riisnæs Quartet and was soon after ...

's new label Jazzland, they released their first album in 1999, produced by Wesseltoft. From 2000 to 2001, Wibutee was also joined by ex-

The September When The September When is a Norwegian rock band. History The band was formed in Stavanger in 1987, by vocalist Morten Abel, guitarist Tor Øyvind Syvertsen and keyboardist Helge Hummervoll, all former members of the band Mods. They signed a record ...

bass player Gulleiv Wee on

electronics The field of electronics is a branch of physics and electrical engineering that deals with the emission, behaviour and effects of electrons using electronic devices. Electronics uses active devices to control electron flow by amplification ...

. Roggen and Skomsvoll left the band in 2000. Pioneer in Norwegian

electronica Electronica is both a broad group of electronic-based music styles intended for listening rather than strictly for dancing and a music scene that started in the early 1990s in the United Kingdom. In the United States, the term is mostly used to r ...

, Rune «Sternklang» Brøndbo joined the group in 2001, just before the release of their second album ''Eight Domestic Challenges''. The pure instrumental album was produced by the band itself. The constellation continued through 2004, releasing ''Playmachine'' in June 2004. Per Zanussi left Wibutee in October 2004. The bass chair was then taken by Marius Reksjø, finally by

Tor Egil Kreken Tor Egil Kreken (born 30 March 1977 in Norway) is a Norwegian musician (bass, banjo, guitars). Biography Kreken plays within the bands Eivind Aarset Trio (bass), Faircastle Four (guitar, banjo), Shining (bass), The Holstein United Bluegrass B ...

. Wibutee was working towards a more melodic concept than before, but still with Kornstad's easily recognisable tenor saxophone in front. In early 2006 Wibutee launched their own label Sonne Disk with their following album ''Sweet Mental''.

Current members

;Standard lineup: *

(saxophone, flutes, flutonet,

melodica The melodica is a handheld free-reed instrument similar to a pump organ or harmonica. It features a musical keyboard on top, and is played by blowing air through a mouthpiece that fits into a hole in the side of the instrument. The keyboard usual ...

, vocals, programming) * Rune «Sternklang» Brøndbo (

, guitar, keyboards, programming) *

(drums, programming) ;On stage: *

is added playing electric bass, guitars and

banjo The banjo is a stringed instrument with a thin membrane stretched over a frame or cavity to form a resonator. The membrane is typically circular, and usually made of plastic, or occasionally animal skin. Early forms of the instrument were fashi ...

Discography

*1998: ''Newborn Thing'' ( Jazzland), feat.

*2001: ''Eight Domestic Challenges'' (Jazzland) *2004: ''Playmachine'' (Jazzland) *2006: ''Sweet Mental'' (Sonne)

References

External links

Official Website

Sonne Disk website

YouTube channel
Norwegian jazz ensembles Jazzland Recordings (1997) artists Musical groups established in 1996 1996 establishments in Norway Musical groups from Trondheim {{Jazz-band-stub