Atle Jonas Hammer (11 March 1932 – 22 October 2017) was a Norwegian engineer and jazz musician (

trumpet The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz musical ensemble, ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest Register (music), register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitche ...

Flugelhorn The flugelhorn (), also spelled fluegelhorn, flugel horn, or flügelhorn, is a brass instrument that resembles the trumpet and cornet, but has a wider, more conical bore. Like trumpets and cornets, most flugelhorns are pitched in B♭, though ...

), central on the jazz scene in

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 ...

and known from several international cooperation.Death date is as per Jan Granlie
Atle Hammer er død
(in Norwegian), from salt-peanuts.eu, October 22, 2017.

Biography

Hammer, raised at Røa, Oslo, is the son of a civil engineer Eivind Hammer and grandchild of Hans Gudbrand Hammer. He was trained as a civil engineer in the United States, and later worked at

Norwegian State Railways Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to: *Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe *Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway *Demographics of Norway *Norwegian language, including the two ...

and

Jernbaneverket Jernbaneverket () was a government agency responsible for owning, maintaining, operating and developing the Norwegian railway network, including the track, stations, classification yards, traffic management and timetables. Safety oversight wa ...

. He established himself as a leading trumpeter in Norway in the 1950s, and led his own sextet releasing the album ''Seven Eleven'' (1954), with Erik Amundsen (bass). He also played with Kjell Karlsen's Orchestra, The Norwegian Big Band, Mikkel Flagstad's Quintet, and performed on Egil Kapstad's «Syner», among others, and collaborated with such jazz musicians as Laila Dalseth,

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 ...

, George Russell,

Red Holloway James Wesley "Red" Holloway (May 31, 1927 – February 25, 2012) was an American jazz saxophonist. Biography Born in Helena, Arkansas,Daniel E. Slotnik"Red Holloway, Swinger of the Sax, Dies at 84" ''The New York Times'', February 28, 2012 ...

Bjarne Nerem Bjarne Arnulf Nerem (31 July 1923 in Oslo, Norway – 1 April 1991 in Oslo), was a Norwegian jazz musician (tenor saxophone, alto saxophone and clarinet) among the foremost soloists in Norwegian jazz. He was in the tradition of Lester Young, ...

and James Moody. From 1980-85 he led his own quintet with among others Terje Venaas (bass), Eivin Sannes (piano) and

Tom Olstad Tom Olstad (born 13 April 1953 in Gjøvik, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz drummer who has performed on many recordings. Career Olstad has lived in Oslo since 1973, when he started his musical studies at Østlandets Musikkonservatorium and Unive ...

(drums), and this was followed by a quintet with Harald Bergersen (saxophone), Erling Aksdal (piano, 1985–89). During the 1980s and 1990s he played in bands with Thorgeir Stubø, Per Husby Quintet, Magni Wentzel Quintet, and in Big Bands like the one led by Harald Gundhus/ Ole Jacob Hansen and Erling Wicklund's «Storeslem». Later he has led his own quartet with Rune Nicolaysen (saxophone), Freddy Hoel Nilsen (piano), Carl Morten Iversen (bass) and as a quintet including with Lars Erik Norum (drums). He has also been a member of the ska band The Phantoms.

Honors

*1986: The Reenskaug Award *2010: Asker Jazz Clubs Honor Award

Discography

;Atle Hammer Sextett *1954: ''Seven Eleven'' *1992: ''Arizona Blue'' (

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 broad ...

), with Egil «Bop» Johansen, Egil Kapstad, Jon Gordon,

and Terje Venaas ;With Egil Kapstad Choir & Orchestra *1968: ''Norsk Jazzforum Presents: Syner - Egil Kapstad Choir & Orchestra - Live at the Munch Museum, Oslo'' ;With The Norwegian Big Band conducted by Kjell Karlsen *1976: ''Day In, Night Out - The Norwegian Big Band'' ;With Egil Monn Iversen's Big Band *1985: ''Live At Gildevangen'' (Camp Records), featuring Sylfest Strutle ;With The Norwegian Radio Big Band *1988: ''The Norwegian Radio Big Band Meets

Bob Florence Bob Florence (May 20, 1932 – May 15, 2008) was an American pianist, composer, arranger, and big band leader. Career A child prodigy, Florence began piano lessons before he was five years old and at seven gave his first recital. Although hi ...

'' (

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 ...

) *1988: ''The Norwegian Radio Big Band Meets Bill Holman'' (Taurus Records) ;With Harald Bergersen *1988: ''Joy Spring'' (Gemini Records)

References

External links

Biography
at

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 ...

Biography
at Jazzbasen
Discography
at Jazzbasen {{DEFAULTSORT:Hammer, Atle 1932 births 2017 deaths Norwegian civil engineers Norwegian jazz composers Norwegian jazz trumpeters Norwegian male trumpeters 20th-century Norwegian trumpeters 21st-century Norwegian trumpeters Jazz musicians from Oslo Ska musicians Gemini Records artists Norwegian male jazz composers 20th-century Norwegian male musicians 21st-century Norwegian male musicians