Christian Wallumrød (born 26 April 1971 in
Kongsberg
Kongsberg () is a historical mining town and municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. The city is located on the river Numedalslågen at the entrance to the valley of Numedal. Kongsberg has been a centre of silver mining, arms production and fo ...
, 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. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
musician (piano, organ and
electronic keyboards
An electronic keyboard, portable keyboard, or digital keyboard is an electronic musical instrument based on keyboard instruments. Electronic keyboards include synthesizers, digital pianos, stage pianos, electronic organs and digital audio wor ...
) and composer, and is considered one of the most prominent musicians of the younger Norwegian generation, known from releases with his own ''Christian Wallumrød Ensemble'' on the German label
ECM Records
ECM (Edition of Contemporary Music) is an independent record label founded by Karl Egger, Manfred Eicher and Manfred Scheffner in Munich in 1969. While ECM is best known for jazz music, the label has released a variety of recordings, and ECM's a ...
, while regularly touring and appearing in festivals in Norway, elsewhere in Scandinavia and Europe, and in the US. He is the brother of jazz vocalist
Susanna Wallumrød
Susanna Karolina Wallumrød (born 23 June 1979) is a Norwegian vocalist, known for her low key original songs. She was born in Kongsberg, and is the sister of the drummer Fredrik Wallumrød and the pianist Christian Wallumrød; she is the cous ...
and the drummer
Fredrik Wallumrød, and cousin to the pianist
David Wallumrød.
Career
Wallumrød was educated on the Jazz Program at ''
Trondheim Musikkonservatorium'', where he cooperated with the bands ''Airamero'', ''Nutrio'' together with
Eldbjørg Raknes
Eldbjørg Raknes (born 9 February 1970 in Midsund Municipality, 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 Jo ...
and
Arve Henriksen
Arve Henriksen (born 22 March 1968) is a Norwegian trumpeter.
Career
Henriksen was born in Stranda Municipality and educated on the Jazz program at Norges Teknisk-Naturvitenskapelige Universitet, Trondheim Musikkonservatorium; he later studie ...
, as well as in a trio with drummer
Espen Rud and bassist
Johannes Eick, among others. After moving to
Oslo
Oslo ( or ; ) 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 1,064,235 in 2022 ...
he has played in a quartet with
Petter Wettre
Petter Wettre (born 11 August 1967) is a Norwegian jazz musician (saxophone) and composer, known from a number of album recordings, accompanied by receiving the Spellemannprisen two times.
Career
Wettre was born and raised in Sandefjord. H ...
, composed the commissioned work ''Eight Thirty'' for
Kongsberg Jazz Festival
Kongsberg Jazz Festival or Kongsberg Jazzfestival is an international jazz festival that has been held annually in Kongsberg, Norway, since 1964.
Artists
Several worldwide great artists have visited Kongsberg during this festival; internation ...
with
Ståle Storløkken
Ståle Storløkken (born 22 February 1969 in Dombås, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz musician (keyboards, organ and piano) and composer, known for collaborations with artists like Terje Rypdal, BigBang, Supersilent and Motorpsycho. Store Norske ...
(1994), and operated the trio ''Close Erase'' with
Ingebrigt Håker Flaten
Ingebrigt Håker Flaten (born 23 September 1971 in Oppdal Municipality, Norway) is a Norwegian double bass, bassist active in the jazz and free jazz genres. (in Norwegian) Store Norske Leksikon (in Norwegian)
Career
Flaten played electric ba ...
(bass) and
Per Oddvar Johansen
Per Oddvar Johansen (born 1 March 1968) is a Norwegian Jazz musician (drummer), most recognized for his work with Trygve Seim, Christian Wallumrød, The Source, Solveig Slettahjell and Vigleik Storaas, but has also been awarded the Spellemann ...
(drums), with four releases. He has also contributed on recordings within a wide range of musical expressions, like
Odd Børretzen
Odd Lunde Børretzen (21 November 1926 – 3 November 2012) was a Norwegians, Norwegian author, illustrator, translator, and one of the most significant text writers, folk singers and artists in Norway.
Biography
Børretzen was born in ...
&
Lars Martin Myhre
Lars Martin Myhre (10 August 1956 – 28 December 2024) was a Norwegian composer, guitarist, pianist, singer and record producer residing in Sandefjord. He was best known for his collaboration with Odd Børretzen, (in Norwegian) but for more than ...
(''Noen ganger er det all right'', 1995),
Jon Eberson
Jon Arild Eberson (born 6 January 1953) is a Norwegian jazz guitarist and composer, the son of jazz guitarist Leif Eberson (1925–1970), and the father of keyboardist Marte Maaland Eberson. He was a member of the bands Moose Loose (1973–77), ...
's
Jazzpunkensemblet
Jazzpunkensemblet (established 1983 in Oslo, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz ensemble orchestra led by the famous musicians Jon Eberson on guitar and Nils Petter Molvær on trumpet, and known for a clean style duel between two rhythm sections, and the ...
(''Thirteen Rounds'', 1997),
Jacob Young
Jacob Wayne Young (born September 10, 1979) is an American actor and producer. He is a five-time Daytime Emmy Award nominee, winning once in 2002 for his role as Lucky Spencer in the soap opera ''General Hospital'' (2000–2003). He is best kno ...
(''Glow'', 1999), with
Arve Henriksen
Arve Henriksen (born 22 March 1968) is a Norwegian trumpeter.
Career
Henriksen was born in Stranda Municipality and educated on the Jazz program at Norges Teknisk-Naturvitenskapelige Universitet, Trondheim Musikkonservatorium; he later studie ...
,
Jan Bang
Jan Bang (born 21 August 1968) is a Norwegian musician and record producer who has worked with Morten Harket, Sidsel Endresen, David Sylvian, Nils Petter Molvær, Arild Andersen, Bugge Wesseltoft, Arve Henriksen, and Erik Honoré. (in Norweg ...
and
Erik Honoré
Erik Honoré (born 11 December 1966) is a Norwegian writer, musician, record producer and sound engineer. As a musician, he has collaborated with Jan Bang, David Sylvian, Brian Eno/ Peter Schwalm, Jon Hassell, Nils Petter Molvær, Arve Henriks ...
(''Birth wish'', 2000), and last but not the leased
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 went ...
's
Generator X
''Generator Rex'' is an American animated superhero television series created by Man of Action for Cartoon Network, with John Fang of Cartoon Network Studios as supervising producer. It is based on the comic '' M. Rex'', created by Aaron Sowd, ...
(''Generator X'', 2000)
Wallumrød has continued the cooperation with Henriksen, in a trio with
Hans-Kristian Kjos Sørensen
Hans-Kristian Kjos Sørensen is a Norwegian percussion and cimbalom player.
Career
Born in Oslo, Hans-Kristian Kjos Sørensen started to play music at the age of seven and grew up playing percussion, piano and tuba. He studied percussion at the ...
with the albums ''No birch'' (1997) and ''Birth wish'' (2001), and in his own ''Christian Wallumrød Ensemble'' with
Per Oddvar Johansen
Per Oddvar Johansen (born 1 March 1968) is a Norwegian Jazz musician (drummer), most recognized for his work with Trygve Seim, Christian Wallumrød, The Source, Solveig Slettahjell and Vigleik Storaas, but has also been awarded the Spellemann ...
(trommer) releasing ''Sofienberg variations'' (2003) and ''A year from easter'' (2005), all on the German label
ECM
ECM may refer to the following:
Economics and commerce
* Engineering change management
* Equity capital markets
* Error correction model, an econometric model
* European Common Market
Mathematics
* Lenstra's Elliptic curve method for factor ...
.
In the autumn 2006 he toured with his own Christian Wallumrød Sextet, consisting of the personnel from his Christian Wallumrød Ensamble reinforced with string trio
Tanja Orning (cello),
Gjermund Larsen (violin) and
Giovanna Pessi (harp). Other prominent partnership include
Ketil Gutvik
Ketil Gutvik (born 4 July 1972 in Ålesund, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz musician (guitar) known on the Oslo's jazz scene since 1992.
Career
Gutvik is a graduate of "The Trondheim Kommunale Musikkskole" (1987–92) and the Norwegian Academy of ...
,
Sidsel Endresen
Sidsel Endresen (born 19 June 1952) is a Norwegian singer, composer, and actress. She was part of the Jon Eberson group. Since 1987, Endresen has pursued a successful solo career, recording for ECM.
Career
Endresen was one of the most prom ...
and
Jan Bang
Jan Bang (born 21 August 1968) is a Norwegian musician and record producer who has worked with Morten Harket, Sidsel Endresen, David Sylvian, Nils Petter Molvær, Arild Andersen, Bugge Wesseltoft, Arve Henriksen, and Erik Honoré. (in Norweg ...
, resulting in a series of album releases.
[ On his latest albums ''Fabula Suite Lugano'' (2009) and ''Outstairs'' (2013) with Christian Wallumrød Ensamble, he leads a virtuoso ensemble at low speed. It is a beautiful but unsettling experience. We get a mixture of catchy songs with recognizable melodies and simple harmonies, combined with idea-based compositions where the musicians' improvising abilities are expressed.]
John Kellman of the All About Jazz
''All About Jazz'' is a website established by Michael Ricci in 1995. A volunteer staff publishes news, album reviews, articles, videos, and listings of concerts and other events having to do with jazz. Ricci maintains a related site, ''Jazz Near ...
magazine recognized Christian Wallumrød Ensemble's appearance at TD Ottawa Jazz Festival
The Ottawa Jazz Festival is a music festival held annually in Ottawa, Canada. It showcases a wide range of jazz genres, including swing, jive, fusion jazz, hot jazz, boogie as well as diverse cultures and traditions. The festival claims to brin ...
June 2013, as no. 8 of his "Best Live Shows of 2013".
Honors
*2001: Kongsberg Jazz Award
Kongsberg Jazz Festival or Kongsberg Jazzfestival is an international jazz festival that has been held annually in Kongsberg, Norway, since 1964.
Artists
Several worldwide great artists have visited Kongsberg during this festival; internation ...
Discography
Solo albums
*2015: ''Pianokammer'' ( Hubro Music)
*2021: ''Speaksome'' (Hubro Music)
As Band Leader
;With ''Christian Wallumrød Trio''
*1998: ''No Birch'' (ECM
ECM may refer to the following:
Economics and commerce
* Engineering change management
* Equity capital markets
* Error correction model, an econometric model
* European Common Market
Mathematics
* Lenstra's Elliptic curve method for factor ...
)
;With ''Christian Wallumrød Ensemble''
*2001: ''Sofienberg Variations'' (ECM
ECM may refer to the following:
Economics and commerce
* Engineering change management
* Equity capital markets
* Error correction model, an econometric model
* European Common Market
Mathematics
* Lenstra's Elliptic curve method for factor ...
)
*2004: ''A Year From Easter'' (ECM
ECM may refer to the following:
Economics and commerce
* Engineering change management
* Equity capital markets
* Error correction model, an econometric model
* European Common Market
Mathematics
* Lenstra's Elliptic curve method for factor ...
)
*2007: ''The Zoo Is Far'' (ECM
ECM may refer to the following:
Economics and commerce
* Engineering change management
* Equity capital markets
* Error correction model, an econometric model
* European Common Market
Mathematics
* Lenstra's Elliptic curve method for factor ...
)
*2009: ''Fabula Suite Lugano'' (ECM
ECM may refer to the following:
Economics and commerce
* Engineering change management
* Equity capital markets
* Error correction model, an econometric model
* European Common Market
Mathematics
* Lenstra's Elliptic curve method for factor ...
)
*2013: ''Outstairs'' (ECM
ECM may refer to the following:
Economics and commerce
* Engineering change management
* Equity capital markets
* Error correction model, an econometric model
* European Common Market
Mathematics
* Lenstra's Elliptic curve method for factor ...
)[
*2016: ''Kurzsam And Fulger'' ( Hubro Music)
]
Collaborations
;With Close Erase
*1996: ''Close Erase'' ( NorCD)
*1999: ''No. 2'' (NorCD)
*2001: ''Dance This'' (Blå Production)
*2006: ''Sport Rocks'' (Jazzaway
Jazzaway is a Norwegian record label founded by saxophonist Jon Klette in Oslo, Norway. He is also the main composer/leader in the band Jazzmob. Their CD ''Pathfinder'' (2003) was the first release from the label.
The label includes artists ...
)
;With 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 went ...
s Generator X
*2000: ''Generator X'' ( Jazzland)
*2004: ''Ohmagoddabl'' (Jazzland)
*2012: ''Attack '' (POLselection)
;With Karl Seglem
Karl Seglem (born 8 July 1961) is a Norwegian Jazz musician (saxophone and bukkehorn), composer and producer, known from a series of combined jazz and traditional music releases, as well as leading his own record label NorCD from 1991.
Care ...
*2004: ''Nye Nord'' ( NorCD)
*2004: ''New North'' (NorCD)
;With others
*1994: ''Airamero'' (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 Od ...
), with Airamero
*1995: ''Noen Ganger Er Det All Right'' (Tylden), with Odd Børretzen
Odd Lunde Børretzen (21 November 1926 – 3 November 2012) was a Norwegians, Norwegian author, illustrator, translator, and one of the most significant text writers, folk singers and artists in Norway.
Biography
Børretzen was born in ...
and Lars Martin Myhre
Lars Martin Myhre (10 August 1956 – 28 December 2024) was a Norwegian composer, guitarist, pianist, singer and record producer residing in Sandefjord. He was best known for his collaboration with Odd Børretzen, (in Norwegian) but for more than ...
*1997: ''Thirteen Rounds'' (Curling Legs
__NOTOC__
Curling Legs Productions A/S (established 1992 in Oslo, Norway) is a Norwegian record label with a catalogue encompassing all styles of jazz and improvised music. It was started by Knut Værnes and Morten Halle to release their own m ...
), with Jon Eberson
Jon Arild Eberson (born 6 January 1953) is a Norwegian jazz guitarist and composer, the son of jazz guitarist Leif Eberson (1925–1970), and the father of keyboardist Marte Maaland Eberson. He was a member of the bands Moose Loose (1973–77), ...
's ''Jazzpunkensemble''
*1997: ''Fra Himmelen'' (NorCD), with Elin Rosseland and Johannes Eick
*2000: ''Birth Wish'' (Pan M Records), with Arve Henriksen
Arve Henriksen (born 22 March 1968) is a Norwegian trumpeter.
Career
Henriksen was born in Stranda Municipality and educated on the Jazz program at Norges Teknisk-Naturvitenskapelige Universitet, Trondheim Musikkonservatorium; he later studie ...
, Jan Bang
Jan Bang (born 21 August 1968) is a Norwegian musician and record producer who has worked with Morten Harket, Sidsel Endresen, David Sylvian, Nils Petter Molvær, Arild Andersen, Bugge Wesseltoft, Arve Henriksen, and Erik Honoré. (in Norweg ...
and Erik Honoré
Erik Honoré (born 11 December 1966) is a Norwegian writer, musician, record producer and sound engineer. As a musician, he has collaborated with Jan Bang, David Sylvian, Brian Eno/ Peter Schwalm, Jon Hassell, Nils Petter Molvær, Arve Henriks ...
*2001: ''Glow'' (Curling Legs
__NOTOC__
Curling Legs Productions A/S (established 1992 in Oslo, Norway) is a Norwegian record label with a catalogue encompassing all styles of jazz and improvised music. It was started by Knut Værnes and Morten Halle to release their own m ...
), with Jacob Young
Jacob Wayne Young (born September 10, 1979) is an American actor and producer. He is a five-time Daytime Emmy Award nominee, winning once in 2002 for his role as Lucky Spencer in the soap opera ''General Hospital'' (2000–2003). He is best kno ...
*2002: ''Objects Of Desire'' (Albedo), Oslo Sinfonietta Oslo Sinfonietta is a Norwegian contemporary classical orchestra. It was founded by composer Asbjørn Schaatun in 1986. The current artistic director is Christian Eggen.
Oslo Sinfonietta grew out of contemporary music circles at the Norwegian Aca ...
conducted by Christian Eggen and music composed by Eivind Buene, featuring Christian Wallumrød and Torben Snekkestad
*2004: ''Merriwinkle'' (Jazzland), with Sidsel Endresen
Sidsel Endresen (born 19 June 1952) is a Norwegian singer, composer, and actress. She was part of the Jon Eberson group. Since 1987, Endresen has pursued a successful solo career, recording for ECM.
Career
Endresen was one of the most prom ...
and Helge Sten
Deathprod is the musical pseudonym used by Norwegian artist Helge Sten for his ambient music project. He is married to Norwegian singer Susanna Wallumrød.
Biography
Sten began creating music under this name starting in 1991, culminating with a ...
*2006: ''Dans Les Arbres'' (ECM
ECM may refer to the following:
Economics and commerce
* Engineering change management
* Equity capital markets
* Error correction model, an econometric model
* European Common Market
Mathematics
* Lenstra's Elliptic curve method for factor ...
), with Xavier Charles, Ivar Grydeland
Ivar Grydeland (born 1 October 1976) is a Norwegian jazz musician (guitar) and composer raised in Kongsberg.
Career
Grydeland was born in Trondheim, Norway, and studied jazz guitar at the Norwegian Academy of Music (1996–2000, and 2001–2 ...
and Ingar Zach
Ingar Zach (born 29 June 1971 in Oslo, Norway) is a Norwegian percussionist and businessman, known from several recordings.
Career
In the 1990s, Zach played within Chateau Neuf Spelemannslag and 'Harnihomba', while studying music at the Univ ...
References
External links
*
Biografi
from ''Norsk Musikkinformasjon'' (in Norwegian)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wallumrod, Christian
20th-century Norwegian pianists
21st-century Norwegian pianists
Norwegian jazz pianists
Norwegian jazz composers
ECM Records artists
Hubro Music artists
Norwegian University of Science and Technology alumni
Musicians from Kongsberg
1971 births
Living people
Trondheim Jazz Orchestra members
Close Erase members
Jazzpunkensemblet members
TINGeLING members