Arild Andersen

This article is about the Norwegian bass player. For the Norwegian cyclist, see Arild Andersen (cyclist).

Arild Andersen (born 27 October 1945) is a Norwegian jazz musician bassist, known as the most famous Norwegian bass player in the international jazz scene.^[1][2]

Arild Andersen
Andersen performing at the North Sea Jazz Festival at Rotterdam in 2007
Background information
Born	(1945-10-27) 27 October 1945 (age 79) Strømmen, Akershus, Norway
Genres	Jazz
Occupation(s)	Musician, composer
Instrument(s)	Upright bass, bass guitar
Years active	1960s–present
Labels	ECM
Website	www.arildandersen.com

Career

Andersen was born at Strømmen, Norway. He started his musical career as jazz guitarist in the Riverside Swing Group in Lillestrøm (1961–63), started playing double bass in 1964, and soon became part of the core jazz bands in Oslo. He was a member of Roy Hellvin Trio, was in the backing band at Kongsberg Jazz Festival in 1967 and 1968, was elected Best Bassist by Jazznytt in 1967, and started as bass player in the Jan Garbarek Quartet (1967–1973), including Terje Rypdal and Jon Christensen.^[3] After completing his technical education in 1968, he became a professional musician and collaborated with Karin Krog, George Russell, and Don Cherry (Berlin 1968), and with visiting American musicians Phil Woods, Dexter Gordon, Bill Frisell, Hampton Hawes, Johnny Griffin, Sonny Rollins, Sheila Jordan, and Chick Corea.^[3] During the same period he worked with Ferenc Snétberger and Tomasz Stańko.^[1]

In the early 1970s, Andersen collaborated with Norwegian musicians Magni Wentzel, Jon Eberson, Ketil Bjørnstad, and Terje Rypdal, before leaving for an eventful visit to the U.S. in the winter of 1973–1974, and has since 1974 led his own bands, at first a quartet (1974–79).^[3] He worked with the Radka Toneff Quintet (1975–81) and has recorded more than a dozen albums as band leader for ECM Records, founded the critically acclaimed band Masqualero, and appeared as side man on a series of recordings.^[3] In January 2009, he was named "Musicien Europeen 2008" by the French Academie du Jazz,^[4] In 2010, Andersen received the Ella Award at the Oslo Jazzfestival.^[1]

In 2022, he recorded a trio album with the American drummer Bob Moses and Slovenian guitarist Samo Salamon entitled Pure and Simple.

Reception

In a review, All About Jazz critic John Kelman said, "Live at Belleville is Andersen's most exciting release to date. Even more, balanced with its lyrical and, at times, near-orchestral tendencies, it's the best disc of Andersen's long and varied career."^[5]

Honors

• 1969: Buddyprisen^[3]
• 1975: "Bassist of the Year" voted by the European Jazz Federation
• 1983: Spellemannprisen for Masqualero, within the band "Masqualero"
• 1984: Gammleng Award in the class Jazz
• 1986: Spellemannprisen for Bande a Part, within the band "Masqualero"
• 1991: Spellemannprisen for Re-Enter, within the band "Masqualero"
• 2008: "Musicien Europeen 2008" by the French "Academie du Jazz"
• 2010: "Ella Award" at the Oslo Jazzfestival^[1]

Discography

As leader/co-leader

• 1975: Clouds in My Head (ECM)
• 1977: Shimri (ECM)
• 1978: Sheila (SteepleChase) with Sheila Jordan
• 1978: Green Shading into Blue (ECM)
• 1981: Lifelines (ECM)
• 1981: Molde Concert (ECM), with John Taylor, Bill Frisell & Alphonse Mouzon
• 1990: Sagn (Kirkelig Kulturverksted), commissioned work for Vossajazz 1990
• 1991: Secret Obsession (Nabel) with Uli Beckerhoff, John Abercrombie, John Marshall
• 1993: Arv (Kirkelig Kulturverksted)
• 1994: If You Look Far Enough (ECM), with Ralph Towner & Nana Vasconcelos
• 1995: Kristin Lavransdatter (Kirkelig Kulturverksted)
• 1997: Hyperborean (ECM)
• 1998: Sommerbrisen (Kirkelig Kulturverksted), with Frode Alnæs & Stian Carstensen
• 2003: Julegløggen (Kirkelig Kulturverksted), with Frode Alnæs & Stian Carstensen
• 2004: The Triangle (ECM), with Vassilis Tsabropoulos & John Marshall
• 2005: Electra (ECM)^[6]
• 2007: In House (Dyad Records), with John Etheridge & John Marshall
• 2006: Høstsløv (Kirkelig Kulturverksted), with Frode Alnæs & Stian Carstensen
• 2008: Live at Belleville (ECM), with Paolo Vinaccia & Tommy Smith
• 2012: Celebration (ECM), with the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra
• 2014: Mira (ECM), with Paolo Vinaccia & Tommy Smith
• 2016: The Rose Window (Deutsche Media Productions), with Helge Lien and Gard Nilssen live at Theater Gütersloh
• 2018: In House Science (ECM), with Paolo Vinaccia & Tommy Smith
• 2021: Affirmation (ECM)^[7]
• 2022: Across Mountains (O-tone Music), with Markus Stockhausen & Vangelis Katsoulis

As sideman

With Don Cherry

• 1968: Eternal Rhythm (MPS)

With Terje Rypdal

• 1971: Terje Rypdal (ECM)

With Bobo Stenson

• 1971: Underwear (ECM)

With Jan Garbarek

• 1969: Esoteric Circle (Flying Dutchman)
• 1970: Afric Pepperbird (ECM)
• 1971: Sart (ECM)
• 1972: Triptykon (ECM)

With Roswell Rudd

• 1974: Flexible Flyer (Arista Freedom)

With George Russell

• 1971: The Essence of George Russell (Sonet)
• 1982: Trip to Prillarguri (Soul Note)
• 1983: Listen to the Silence (Soul Note)

With Pål Thowsen, Jon Christensen & Terje Rypdal

• 1977: No Time for Time (Zarepta)

With Sheila Jordan

• 1978: Sheila (SteepleChase)

With David Darling

• 1981: Cycles (ECM)

With Bill Frisell

• 1982: In Line (ECM)

Within Masqualero

• 1983: Masqualero (Odin)
• 1986: Bande a Part (ECM)
• 1988: Aero (ECM)
• 1991: Re-Enter (ECM)

With Vassilis Tsabropoulos

• 1999: Achirana (ECM)

With Markus Stockhausen

• 2000: Kartā (ECM)
• 2002: Joyosa (Enja)
• 2008: Electric Treasures (Aktivraum)

With Carsten Dahl

• 2002: The Sign (Stunt)
• 2003: Moon Water (Stunt)
• 2006: Short Fairytales (EmArcy)
• 2012: Space Is the Place (Storyville)
• 2013: Under the Rainbow (Storyville)

With Ferenc Snétberger & Paolo Vinaccia

• 2004: Nomad (Enja)

With Andy Sheppard

• 2008: Movements in Colour (ECM)

With Chris Dundas

• 2014: Oslo Odyssey (BLM)

With Ketil Bjørnstad

• 1973: Åpning (Philips)
• 1976: Finnes Du Noensteds Ikveld (Kirkelig Kulturverksted)
• 1990: The Shadow (Kirkelig Kulturverksted), feat. Randi Stene, poems by John Donne (1562–1626)
• 1990: Odyssey (Kirkelig Kulturverksted)
• 2004: Grace (Universal), feat. Anneli Drecker
• 2007: Devotions (Universal)
• 2013: La Notte (ECM)

With Yelena Eckemoff

• 2013: Glass Song (L&H Production)
• 2015: Lions (L&H Production)
• 2015: Everblue (L&H Production)
• 2018: Desert (L&H Production)
• 2020: Nocturnal Animals (L&H Production)

With Samo Salamon & Bob Moses

• 2022: Pure and Simple (Samo Records)

See also

• Norway portal
• Jazz portal
• Music portal

• List of jazz bassists

References

1. "Arild Andersen Biography". Listen to Norway. 2010-09-29. Archived from the original on 2014-10-22. Retrieved 2013-10-07.
2. Cook, Richard (2005). Richard Cook's Jazz Encyclopedia. London: Penguin Books. p. 13. ISBN 0-141-00646-3.
3. Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Who's Who of Jazz (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. pp. 12/13. ISBN 0-85112-580-8.
4. "Norwegian jazz musician honoured". The Norway Post. Vårt Land. 19 January 2009. Retrieved 19 January 2009.
5. "All About Jazz Review of Live at Belleville". allaboutjazz.com. 18 November 2008. Retrieved 2010-10-29.
6. Kelman, John (2005-10-03). "Arild Andersen Group: Electra (2005) Track Review". All About Jazz. Retrieved 2012-12-12.
7. Fordham, John (December 2023 – January 2024). "Arild Andersen: Affirmation". Jazzwise. No. 291. p. 34.

External links

• Official website
• Arild Andersen on ECM Records
• Arild Andersen discography at Discogs

Awards
Preceded by Jan Garbarek	Recipient of the Buddyprisen 1969	Succeeded by Frode Thingnæs
Preceded by Karin Krog	Recipient of the Jazz Gammleng-prisen 1984	Succeeded by Egil Kapstad