Frode Alnæs (born 3 March 1959) is a Norwegian
jazz guitarist
Jazz guitarists are guitarists who play jazz using an approach to chords, melodies, and improvised solo lines that is called jazz guitar playing. The guitar has fulfilled the roles of accompanist (rhythm guitar) and soloist in small and large ens ...
and composer, known from cooperation with international artists like
Morten Harket
Morten Harket (; born 14 September 1959) is a Norwegian singer who is the lead vocalist of the synth-pop band A-ha.
A-ha has released 11 studio albums as of 2024, and topped the charts internationally after their breakthrough hit "Take On Me" i ...
,
Magne Furuholmen,
Arild Andersen,
Jon Balke,
Ole Edvard Antonsen,
Ketil Bjørnstad,
Henning Sommerro,
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential musicians in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Gen ...
,
Dee Dee Bridgewater
Dee Dee Bridgewater (née Denise Garrett, May 27, 1950) is an American jazz singer and actress. She is a three-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, as well as a Tony Award-winning stage actress. For 23 years, she was the host of National ...
,
Ian Hunter,
Bjørn Alterhaug,
Sissel Kyrkjebø
Sissel Kyrkjebø (; born 24 June 1969), also known abroad as Sissel, is a Norwegian soprano. She is considered one of the world's top crossover sopranos. Her musical style ranges from pop recordings and folk songs to classical vocals and operati ...
,
Gustav Lorentzen, and
Jan Erik Vold, and appearances in bands like
Dance with a Stranger
''Dance with a Stranger'' is a 1985 British film directed by Mike Newell (director), Mike Newell. Telling the story of Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be hanged in Britain (1955), the film won critical acclaim, and aided the careers of two of its ...
,
Masqualero,
Jazzpønkensemblet, and
Sidsel Endresen Quartet.
[ ]Store Norske Leksikon
The ''Great Norwegian Encyclopedia'' (, abbreviated ''SNL'') is a Norwegian-language online encyclopedia. It has several subdivisions, including the Norsk biografisk leksikon.
The online encyclopedia is among the most-read Norwegian publishe ...
[ic]
Career
Alnæs was born in
Kristiansund
Kristiansund (, ; historically spelled Christianssund and earlier named Fosna) is a List of municipalities of Norway, municipality on the western coast of Norway in the Nordmøre district of Møre og Romsdal counties of Norway, county. The admin ...
. After completing high school in Kristiansund, he attended the Nordmøre Music Folk High School in
Surnadal
is a List of municipalities of Norway, municipality in Møre og Romsdal Counties of Norway, county, Norway. It is part of the Nordmøre Districts of Norway, region. The administrative centre is the village of Skei, Møre og Romsdal, Skei. Other ...
1978–79, followed by studies in
Trondheim
Trondheim ( , , ; ), historically Kaupangen, Nidaros, and Trondhjem (), is a city and municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. As of 2022, it had a population of 212,660. Trondheim is the third most populous municipality in Norway, and is ...
(1979–82), together with
Tore Brunborg and
Nils Petter Molvær. He was among the first to graduate from the Jazz program at the
Trondheim Musikkonservatorium in 1982, where he received top marks in guitar playing. In 1987 Alnæs composed the music to rock opera ''Klæppfesk''.
Alnæs was band leader at
Moldejazz (1992 and 1994) and at
Vossajazz 1993, and appeared with
Arild Andersen and
Rune Arnesen as a trio at
Kongsberg Jazz Festival 1995. In 1996 he attended the Vossajazz with ''Fliflet/Hamre Energiforsyning'', and with The Brazz Bros at Moldejazz (1997).
Honors
*
Spellemannprisen
The Spellemannprisen (also referred to as the Norwegian Grammy Awards) is a Norwegian music award ceremony presented by International Federation of the Phonographic Industry#Local associations, IFPI Norge and :no:FONO, FONO. It was first awarded i ...
(1987) in the class Pop, for the album ''
Dance with a Stranger
''Dance with a Stranger'' is a 1985 British film directed by Mike Newell (director), Mike Newell. Telling the story of Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be hanged in Britain (1955), the film won critical acclaim, and aided the careers of two of its ...
''
*Spellemannprisen (1989) in the class Pop, for the album ''Dance with a Stranger''
*Spellemannprisen (1994) as This year's ''
Spellemann'', with Dance with a Stranger
*''Kreditkassens kulturpris''
*''Fylkeskulturprisen i Møre og Romsdal''
*''COOP Norges Musikkpris'' 2001
*''Orkidéprisen'' 2002
*''Kristiansund-prisen'' 2002
*''Fortidsminneforeningens Bevaringspris'' 2002, for Dødeladen og Tollboden i Kristiansund
*''Årets Medmenneske'' (Røde Kors) 2001
*''Årets Gromgutt i Møre og Romsdal''
Discography
Solo albums
*1996: ''Frode'' (
Universal)
*2013: ''Envy The Man'' (Big Box)
*2016: ''Kanestrøm'' (Øra Fonogram)
Collaborations
;With
Dance with a Stranger
''Dance with a Stranger'' is a 1985 British film directed by Mike Newell (director), Mike Newell. Telling the story of Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be hanged in Britain (1955), the film won critical acclaim, and aided the careers of two of its ...
*1987: ''Dance with a Stranger'' (Norsk Plateproduksjon)
*1989: ''To/Fool's Paradise '' (Norsk Plateproduksjon/RCA)
*1991: ''Atmosphere'' (Norsk Plateproduksjon)
*1994: ''Look What You've Done!'' (Norsk Plateproduksjon)
*1994: ''Unplugged Hits'' (Norsk Plateproduksjon), live
*1995: ''The Best of Dance with a Stranger'' (Mercury)
*1998: ''Happy Sounds'' (Mercury)
*2007: ''Everyone Needs a Friend... The Very Best Of'' (Mercury)
;With
Masqualero
*1988: ''Aero'' (
ECM)
;With
Arild Andersen
*1990: ''Sagn'' (ECM)
;With
Ketil Bjørnstad
*1990: ''
Odyssey
The ''Odyssey'' (; ) is one of two major epics of ancient Greek literature attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest surviving works of literature and remains popular with modern audiences. Like the ''Iliad'', the ''Odyssey'' is divi ...
'' (
Kirkelig Kulturverksted)
*1990: ''
The Shadow
The Shadow is a fictional character created by American magazine publishers Street & Smith and writer Walter B. Gibson. Originally created to be a mysterious radio show narrator and developed into a distinct literary character in 1931 by Gibs ...
'' (Kirkelig Kulturverksted)
;With
Morten Harket
Morten Harket (; born 14 September 1959) is a Norwegian singer who is the lead vocalist of the synth-pop band A-ha.
A-ha has released 11 studio albums as of 2024, and topped the charts internationally after their breakthrough hit "Take On Me" i ...
*1995: ''Wild Seed'' (
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and the main namesake subsidiary of Warner Bro ...
)
*2007: ''Movies'' Single (
Polydor
Polydor Limited, also known as Polydor Records, is a British record label that operates as part of Universal Music Group. It has a close relationship with Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M Records label, which distributes Polydor's releases in ...
)
*2008: ''Letter From Egypt'' (Polydor)
;With
Ole Edvard Antonsen
*1997: ''Read My Lips'' (EMI)
;With
Arild Andersen &
Stian Carstensen
*1998: ''Sommerbrisen'' (Kirkelig Kulturverksted)
*2003: ''Julegløggen'' (Kirkelig Kulturverksted)
*2006: ''Høstsløv'' (Kirkelig Kulturverksted)
;With
Jan Erik Vold
*2005: ''Vold synger svadaåret inn'' (
Hot Club)
;With other projects
*1983: ''Lone Attic'' (
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...
), with
Jens Wendelboe
*1984: ''Keep Nose in Front'' (Hot Club), with ''AHA''
*1984: ''Silhouette'' (RCA Victor), with Silhouette
*1986: ''Dansere I Natten'', with
Bjørn Eidsvåg
*1986: ''Folk Er Rare!'', with
Maj Britt Andersen
*1988: ''Interlude'' (Norwegian Composers), with
Alfred Janson
*1988: ''Constellations'' (
Odin
Odin (; from ) is a widely revered god in Norse mythology and Germanic paganism. Most surviving information on Odin comes from Norse mythology, but he figures prominently in the recorded history of Northern Europe. This includes the Roman Em ...
), with
Bjørn Alterhaug
*1988: ''Fullmåne''), with
Anne Grete Preus
*1988: ''Vertigo'', with
Bjørn Eidsvåg
*1989: ''Heartache Caravan'', with
Dee Dee Bridgewater
Dee Dee Bridgewater (née Denise Garrett, May 27, 1950) is an American jazz singer and actress. She is a three-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, as well as a Tony Award-winning stage actress. For 23 years, she was the host of National ...
*1991: ''Te Sola Rinn'', with
Lynni Treekrem
*1991: ''Black Rock on Ice''
*1992: ''Nesten Ikke Tilstede'', with
Jan Eggum
Jan Eggum (born 8 December 1951) is a Norwegian singer-songwriter. He has been characterized as a "face for the melancholy", and the themes in his songs often revolve around broken hearts, loneliness, and sorrow. Sometimes, his lyrics include s ...
*1992: ''Æ, Rosalita''
*1994: ''Beat'' (Norsk Plateproduksjon), with Tall Trees
*1995: ''Spor Av Ungdom'' (Valley)
*1995: ''Strong Love Affair'' (
Qwest), with
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential musicians in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Gen ...
*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 Jazzpunkensemble
*1997: ''Towards the Sea'' (Brazz), with
The Brazz Brothers
*1997: ''Hermetic'' (
Rune Grammofon
Rune Grammofon is a Norwegian record label founded in 1998 by Rune Kristoffersen. Rune Grammofon's reputation for lovingly issued experimental electronic music, jazz, and improvised music by Norwegian artists has grown over the years with its a ...
), with
Deathprod
*1997: ''Towards the Sea'' (Brazz), with
The Brazz Brothers
*2000: ''4G'' (Curling Legs), with
4G (
Knut Værnes,
Knut Reiersrud,
Bjørn Klakegg)
*2004: ''Veldig Respektable Menn'' (Tylden & Co), with ''
De Musikalske Dvergene''
*2008: ''Breeze'' (Brazz), with
Jan Magne Førde
*2008: ''Donna Bacalao''
*2009: ''Make Her Believe'' Maxi-Single (PennyLane), with the
XO Project
*2010: ''Julefest I Vest'', with "Vassendgutane" and friends
*2011: ''Celebrating 30th anniversary'' (Brazz), with The Brazz Brothers
Literature
*''Frode Alnæs – mannen som er en gitar'' (2009) by Stig Nilsson, Schibsted Forlag.
References
External links
*
Dance with a Stranger Official Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alnaes, Frode
1959 births
Living people
20th-century Norwegian guitarists
21st-century Norwegian guitarists
20th-century Norwegian male musicians
21st-century Norwegian male musicians
Norwegian male jazz musicians
Norwegian jazz guitarists
Norwegian male composers
Norwegian University of Science and Technology alumni
Musicians from Kristiansund
Dance with a Stranger (band) members
Masqualero members