Bjørn Kjellemyr (born 4 December 1950 in

Bamble Bamble is a List of municipalities of Norway, municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is located in the Traditional districts of Norway, traditional district of Grenland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Langesund ...

, Norway) is a jazz double bassist, known from a variety of musical contexts like Terje Rypdal & The Chasers, Joe Henderson, Bob Berg, Chet Baker, Art Farmer, Pat Metheny, Mike Stern, Dag Arnesen, Knut Riisnæs, Jon Eberson, Bugge Wesseltoft, Audun Kleive, Jon Balke, Jan Gunnar Hoff and Ketil Bjørnstad.

Career

Kjellemyr played bass in local rock bands in the

Skien Skien () is a municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Grenland, although historically it belonged to Grenmar/Skiensfjorden, while Grenland referred the Norsjø area and Bø. The administrative ...

area, while he explored the jazz with pianist

Rune Klakegg Rune Klakegg (born 19 April 1955 in Skien, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz pianist and composer, the older brother of guitarist Bjørn Klakegg, and known from a number of recordings and jazz bands including Oslo 13, Cutting Edge, Fuzzy Logic, Ou ...

and joined in

Guttorm Guttormsen Guttorm Guttormsen (born 28 June 1950) is a Norwegian Jazz musician (flute, clarinet, alto saxophone), arranger and composer. Career Guttormsen was born in Mo i Rana. After moving to Oslo (1969), he appeared with Ivar Antonsen's Band at «Fe ...

's Big band and Quartet, with performances at the Norwegian Jazz Association's anniversary concerts in 1973 and

Moldejazz Molde International Jazz Festival (MIJF) or Moldejazz (established 1961 in Molde Municipality) takes place annually in July, and is known as one of the oldest jazz festivals in Europe. It was initiated by the local Storyville Jazz Club. Since 1 ...

Festival 1974. He moved 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 ...

and studied at

Norges Musikkhøgskole The Norwegian Academy of Music (Norwegian: ''Norges musikkhøgskole'', NMH) is a university-level music conservatory located in Oslo, Norway, in the neighbourhood of Majorstuen, Frogner. It is the largest music academy in Norway and offers the c ...

(1974–78). Kjellemyr lived in Bergen from 1978 to 1980 and was employed at Musikkselskabet Philharmonic Orchestra, and was part of

Dag Arnesen Dag Syver Arnesen (born 3 May 1950) is a Norwegian jazz pianist with a series of album releases. Career Arnesen was born in Bergen, and studied classical piano under Jiri Hlinka at the Bergen Music Conservatory and got a commitment by Den ...

Trio and Sextet 1978–79, Søbstad/Arnesen Quartet 1979–80, and appeared at different festivals with such as

Jon Balke Jon Georg Balke (born 7 June 1955) is a Norwegian jazz pianist who leads the group Siwan. He is the younger brother of saxophonist Erik Balke. Career Balke started playing classical piano but switched to blues at 12, though he performs withi ...

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), ...

and

Erling Aksdal Erling Aksdal Jr. (born 18 February 1953 in Molde, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz pianist and composer, known from playing with the likes of Warne Marsh, Chet Baker, Herb Pomeroy, Bob Mover, Mick Goodrick, Ralph Moore, Lee Konitz, John Pål Inderber ...

, and has actually performed at every «Moldejazz» since 1974. He has participated in a number of different jazz groups including with

Knut Riisnæs Knut Riisnæs (13 November 1945 – 22 July 2023) was a Norwegian jazz musician (saxophone and flute), arranger, and composer, son of pianist Eline Nygaard Riisnæs and brother of classical pianist Anne Eline Riisnæs (1951–) and jazz saxopho ...

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 ...

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 ...

Jan Gunnar Hoff Jan Gunnar Hoff (born 22 October 1958) is a Norwegian jazz pianist, composer, arranger and professor, living in Bodø, known from cooperations with jazz musicians like Pat Metheny, Mike Stern, Alex Acuña, Audun Kleive, Mathias Eick, John Surman ...

Ketil Bjørnstad Ketil Bjørnstad (born 25 April 1952) is a pianist, composer and author. Initially trained as a classical pianist, Bjørnstad discovered jazz at an early age and has embraced the emergence of "European jazz". Store Norske Leksikon (in Norwegian ...

, and is particularly known for his long collaboration with guitarist

Terje Rypdal Terje Rypdal (born 23 August 1947) is a Norwegian guitarist and composer. He has been an important member in the Norwegian jazz community, and has also given show concerts with guitarists Ronni Le Tekrø and Mads Eriksen as "N3". Career Rypd ...

. Kjellemyr has played with a series of international jazz greats like

Joe Henderson Joe Henderson (April 24, 1937 – June 30, 2001) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and very occasional flute player. In a career spanning more than four decades, Henderson played with many of the leading American players of his day an ...

Bob Berg Robert Berg (April 7, 1951 – December 5, 2002) was an American jazz saxophonist. Biography Berg was born in Brooklyn, New York. Berg started his musical education at the age of six when he began studying classical piano. He began playing ...

Chet Baker Chesney Henry "Chet" Baker Jr. (December 23, 1929 – May 13, 1988) was an American jazz trumpeter and vocalist. He is known for major innovations in cool jazz that led him to be nicknamed the "Prince of Cool". Baker earned much attention and ...

Art Farmer Arthur Stewart Farmer (August 21, 1928 – October 4, 1999) was an American jazz trumpeter and flugelhorn player. He also played flumpet, a trumpet–flugelhorn combination especially designed for him. He and his identical twin brother, doub ...

Pat Metheny Patrick Bruce Metheny ( ; born August 12, 1954) is an American jazz guitarist and composer. He was the leader of the Pat Metheny Group (1977–2010) and continues to work in various small-combo, duet, and solo settings, as well as other side pr ...

and

Mike Stern Mike Stern (born January 10, 1953) is an American jazz guitarist. After playing with Blood, Sweat & Tears, he worked with drummer Billy Cobham, then with trumpeter Miles Davis from 1981 to 1983 and again in 1985. He then began a solo career, re ...

. The bassist has contributed on a large number of recordings, among others on the ECM label. He has also played with singers/songwriters

Kari Bremnes Kari Bremnes (born 9 December 1956) is a Norwegian singer and songwriter. She got an MA in language, literature, history and theatre studies from the University of Oslo, and worked as a journalist for several years before deciding to dedicate h ...

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 ...

Anne Grete Preus Anne Grete Preus (22 May 1957 – 25 August 2019) was a Norwegian rock singer in Norway in the 1980s and 1990s, first as member of the bands Veslefrikk and Can Can and later as a solo act. She released nine solo albums and won the Spellemannprise ...

and

Karoline Krüger Karoline Krüger (born 13 February 1970) is a Norwegian singer and composer. She represented Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 1988 final in Dublin, where she finished fifth. Career Krüger's first TV appearance was at the age of 11, in ...

. Kjellemyr received the "Jazz Musician of the Year" (1990) and "Buddy Prize" (1994). He is employed at the 2005

as associate professor at the department of jazz and improvised music. With the orchestra

Metropolitan Metropolitan may refer to: Areas and governance (secular and ecclesiastical) * Metropolitan archdiocese, the jurisdiction of a metropolitan archbishop ** Metropolitan bishop or archbishop, leader of an ecclesiastical "mother see" * Metropolitan ar ...

he released two albums, ''Metropolitan'' (1999) and ''Love Is Blind'' (2004). "Metropolitan" is

Beate S. Lech Beate Slettevoll Lech (born 10 April 1974 in Volda, Møre og Romsdal, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz singer, composer and lyricist in modern jazz and related music, raised in Øvre Årdal, Sogn og Fjordane. She grew up in Volda Municipality, Møre ...

Morten Halle Morten Halle (born 7 October 1957) is a Norwegian jazz musician (saxophone), composer and music arranger. He was born in Oslo, and he is known from the city's jazz scene and from a series recordings. (in Norwegian) Career Halle participated in ...

Pål Thowsen Pål Thowsen (born 15 July 1955) is a Norwegian jazz drummer. He has released several solo albums and received two Spellemannprisen awards. Career Thowsen was born in Lillestrøm, and started his career in the early 1970s as a musician in Ari ...

and

Rob Waring Rob Waring (born December 3, 1956, in Yonkers, New York) is an American-Norwegian Contemporary music composer and performer (drums and vibraphone), commonly associated with symphony orchestras and jazz ensembles. Career Waring studied with Ro ...

in addition to Kjellemyr. He is an improviser who is comfortable with different musical environments basis. From 1998 he appeared in concerts and recordings with lutenist

Rolf Lislevand Rolf Lislevand (30 December 1961), is a Norwegian performer of Early music specialising on lute, vihuela, baroque guitar and theorbo. Biography Lislevand was born in Oslo. From 1980 to 1984, he studied classical guitar at the Norwegian Academy ...

and his improv/baroque ensembles. Latest recording on ECM with this ensemble in 2008 "Diminuito".

Honors

*1990: "Jazz Musician of the Year", by The Association of Norwegian jazz musicians *1994:

Buddyprisen Buddyprisen (established 1956 in Oslo, Norway) is an award, given annually by the Norwegian Jazz Forum to a Norwegian jazz musician that has "been an excellent performer and significantly involved in Norwegian jazz by other means". The award was ...

, by the Norwegian Jazz Forum

Discography (in selection)

;With Knut Riisnæs Quartet *1982: ''Flukt'' (

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 Dag Arnesen & Jon Christensen ;With

*''

The Improviser ''The Improviser'' is a live album by trumpeter Chet Baker which was recorded in Norway in 1983 and first released on the Cadence Jazz label.Terje Rypdal Terje Rypdal (born 23 August 1947) is a Norwegian guitarist and composer. He has been an important member in the Norwegian jazz community, and has also given show concerts with guitarists Ronni Le Tekrø and Mads Eriksen as "N3". Career Rypd ...

*1985: '' Chaser'' (

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 ...

), with Terje Rypdal & The Chasers *1987: ''

Blue Blue is one of the three primary colours in the RYB color model, RYB colour model (traditional colour theory), as well as in the RGB color model, RGB (additive) colour model. It lies between Violet (color), violet and cyan on the optical spe ...

'' (ECM Records), with Terje Rypdal & The Chasers *1989: '' The Singles Collection'' (ECM Records), with Terje Rypdal & The Chasers *1993: ''

Q.E.D. Q.E.D. or QED is an initialism of the List of Latin phrases (full), Latin phrase , meaning "that which was to be demonstrated". Literally, it states "what was to be shown". Traditionally, the abbreviation is placed at the end of Mathematical proof ...

'' (ECM Records) *1995: ''

If Mountains Could Sing ''If Mountains Could Sing'' is an album by Norwegian jazz guitarist Terje Rypdal, recorded in January and June 1994 and released on ECM the following year. The trio features rhythm section Bjørn Kjellemyr and Audun Kleive backed by a string trio ...

'' (ECM Records) *2006: '' Vossabrygg'' (ECM Records), commissioned work at

Vossajazz Vossajazz or Vossa Jazz (established 19 December 1973) is an international jazz festival in Voss, Norway, which takes place annually during the week before Easter, and which also includes concerts throughout the year. The festival has been led by ...

2003 ;With

*1985: ''Stories'' (

CBS Records CBS Records may refer to: * CBS Records, a former name of Sony Music, a global music company * CBS/Sony, a former name of Sony Music Entertainment Japan, a Japanese music company division of Sony * CBS Records International, a label for Columbia Re ...

), Jon Eberson Band *1987: ''Stash'' (Odin Records), Trio with

*1990: ''Blow!'' (Odin Records), with

& Finn Sletten *1992: ''2'' (

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 Morten Halle & Finn Sletten *1993: ''Live At Rockefeller'' (Odin Records), with

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 ...

*1997: ''Thirteen Rounds'' (Curling Legs), with "Jazzpunkensemblet" ;With

Knut Kristiansen Knut Johan Bratland Kristiansen (born 14 April 1946) is a Norwegian composer and jazz musician (piano), known from Bergen jazz life primarily for his many interpretations of the music of Thelonious Monk as orchestra leader his own bands with va ...

*1987: ''Monk Memorial'' ;With

Ab und Zu Ab und Zu (established 1987) is a Norwegian jazz band, originally named "Anne Marie Giørtz Quintet" (1982–1987), and presenting music written by Ole Henrik Giørtz. Biography The quintet comprised the siblings Anne-Marie Giørtz (vocals) a ...

*1993: ''Den akustiske skygge'' ;With

*1989: ''Renascent'' (Odin Records), Trio with

Svein Christiansen Svein "Chrico" Christiansen (6 August 1941 – 25 November 2015) was a Norwegian jazz musician (drums), known from a number of recordings, and central on the Oslo Jazz scene. Career Christiansen started early to play drums in various ban ...

*1990: ''The day after'' (Taurus), Quintet with Wenche Gausdal, Odd Riisnæs and Svein Christiansen ;With

*1991: ''Syklus'' (Odin Records) *1995: ''Moving'' (Curling Legs) *1996: ''Crosslands'' (Curling Legs) ;With

*1993: ''Water Stories'' (ECM Records) *2004: ''Seafarer's Song'' (

Universal Music Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as Universal Music Group or Universal Music) is a Dutch– American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum ...

Norway,

EmArcy EmArcy Records is a jazz record label founded in 1954 by Bob Shad for the American Mercury Records. The name is a phonetic spelling of "MRC", the initials for Mercury Record Company. During the 1950s and 1960s, musicians such as Max Roach, Cli ...

) *2010: ''Hvalenes sang'' (

Grappa Music Grappa Musikkforlag (established 1983 in Norway) is a Norwegian music company initiated and directed by Helge Westbye. It is one of the oldest and biggest independent record companies in Norway today. The company represents prominent Norwegian a ...

) ;With

Berit Opheim Berit Opheim Versto (born 18 June 1967 in Voss, Norway) is a Norwegian singer, known for her interpretations of folk music. Career Opheim studied at Bergen Musikkonservatorium (1987–90) and Norges Musikkhøgskole (1990–92), and has worke ...

*1998: ''Fryd'' (Curling Legs), with Einar Mjølsnes,

Per Jørgensen Per Jørgensen (born 9 September 1952) is a Norwegian multi-instrumentalist with trumpet as his main instrument, also known for his vocal contributions, in collaboration with Dag Arnesen, Knut Kristiansen, Alex Riel, Jon Christensen, Jon Balke, ...

& Sigbjørn Apeland *2005: ''Ein Song Frå Dei Utsunge Stunder'' ( Vossajazz Records), with "BNB" (

Nils Økland Nils Andreas Økland (10 June 1882 – 1969) was a Norwegian Esperantist and teacher in Stord (Hordaland), Norway. He spent some years in his youth on the island Utsira, where his father was a school teacher. Nils Økland was married to Ha ...

) ;With

*1999: ''Metropolitan'' (

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...

) *2004: ''Love Is Blind'' (Curling Legs), with strings ;With

Oslo 13 1300 Oslo (active from 1979 in Oslo, Norway) was a Norwegian jazz band originally called Oslo 13 (1979–93), founded and operated the first two years by Bror Hagemann and continuated by Jon Balke. In 1994 the band got a joint leadership with Tr ...

*2001: ''Live In The North'' (Curling Legs) ;With Kristin Skaare *2008: ''Var'' (Grammofon) ;With

Tore Johansen Tore Johansen (born 23 December 1977) is a Norwegian jazz trumpeter and the younger brother of drummer Roger Johansen. He has worked with Chick Corea, Karin Krog, Kenny Wheeler, Steve Swallow, Lars Jansson, Hal Galper, Siri Gellein, and Jan Gunn ...

*2008: ''Giving'' (Inner Ear) *2009: ''Jazz Mass'' (Inner Ear) ;With Geir Lysne Ensemble *2009: ''The Grieg Code'' (ACT) ;With "Northern Arc" *2012: ''Northern Arc'' (Curling Legs) ;With Chamber projects *1992: ''Borealis'' (Aurora), with "Borealis" *2006: ''Nuove musiche'', with

*2009: ''Diminuito'', with

References

External links

Bjørn Kjellemyr Biografi
on

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 ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kjellemyr, Bjorn 1950 births Living people 21st-century Norwegian guitarists 20th-century Norwegian male musicians 21st-century Norwegian male musicians 20th-century Norwegian bass guitarists 21st-century Norwegian bass guitarists 20th-century Norwegian upright-bassists 21st-century Norwegian upright-bassists Norwegian male double-bassists Norwegian male jazz composers Norwegian jazz composers Norwegian male bass guitarists Norwegian jazz upright-bassists People from Bamble Jazzpunkensemblet members ECM Records artists