Frode Gjerstad (born 24 March 1948) is a Norwegian jazz musician with

alto saxophone The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgians, Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in the key of E♭ ( ...

as principal instrument, but he also plays other saxophones, clarinet, and flute. He has collaborated with

Paal Nilssen-Love Paal Nilssen-Love (born 24 December 1974) is a Norwegian drummer and composer in the jazz, free jazz and free improvisation genres. (in Norwegian) Early life Nilssen-Love was born in Molde, Norway. His parents ran a jazz club in Stavanger, and h ...

, Borah Bergman,

Peter Brötzmann Peter Brötzmann (6 March 1941 – 22 June 2023) was a German jazz saxophonist and clarinetist regarded as a central and pioneering figure in European free jazz. Throughout his career, he released over fifty albums as a bandleader. Amongst his m ...

Evan Parker Evan Shaw Parker (born 5 April 1944) is a British tenor and soprano saxophone player who plays free improvisation. Recording and performing prolifically with many collaborators, Parker was a pivotal figure in the development of European free ja ...

, Derek Bailey,

Bjørn Kjellemyr Bjørn Kjellemyr (born 4 December 1950 in Bamble, 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, K ...

Terje Isungset Terje Isungset (born 4 May 1964) is a Norwegian drummer. From his background in jazz and traditional Scandinavian music, he has designed musical instruments from non-traditional materials, including ice. Career Isungset was raised in Geilo ...

, William Parker,

Sabir Mateen Sabir Mateen (born April 16, 1951) is an American musician and composer from Philadelphia. His musical style is primarily avant-garde jazz. He plays tenor and alto saxophone, B♭ and alto clarinet, and flute. As a young man, Mateen was origi ...

, John Stevens,

Johnny Dyani Johnny Mbizo Dyani (30 November 1945 – 24 October 1986) was a South African jazz double bassist, vocalist and pianist, who, in addition to being a key member of The Blue Notes, played with such international musicians as Don Cherry, Steve L ...

Kent Carter Kent Carter (born June 14, 1939 in Hanover, New Hampshire) is an American jazz bassist. His father, Alan Carter, founded the Vermont Symphony Orchestra. He is also the grandson of American artist, Rockwell Kent. He worked in Steve Lacy (saxophoni ...

, and since 1979 has contributed to more than 50 recordings. (in Norwegian)

Career

Gjerstad played in the trio Detail together with the British

drummer A drummer is a percussionist who creates music using drums. Most contemporary western music ensemble, bands that play Rock music, rock, Pop music, pop, jazz, or Contemporary R&B, R&B music include a drummer for purposes including timekeepi ...

John Stevens, in the period 1981–1994, and they released fourteen albums. Other members of the band were the

pianist A pianist ( , ) is a musician who plays the piano. A pianist's repertoire may include music from a diverse variety of styles, such as traditional classical music, jazz piano, jazz, blues piano, blues, and popular music, including rock music, ...

Eivin One Pedersen (1981–82) and the mega

bassist A bassist (also known as a bass player or bass guitarist) is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass (upright bass, contrabass, wood bass), bass guitar (electric bass, acoustic bass), keyboard bass (synth bass) or a low br ...

's Johnny Dyani (1981–1986) or Kent Carter (1987–1994). In 1985, he initiated "Circulasione Totale Orchestra", a band with varying lineups, where young musicians, mostly from Stavanger, could get a chance. To the

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 ...

1989 he composed the commissioned work ''Dancemble'' which was performed by a 13-man version of the band. The band was active until 1995 and produced three recordings. In 1998, the band reemerged and released the album ''Borealis''. He also collaborated with numerous musicians in various small groups, which has resulted in several albums, tours and festival recordings in Norway, United States and

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

. The most long-lasting partnership in recent years is the current issue of Gjerstad Trio where he plays with drummer Paal Nilssen-Love and bassist

Øyvind Storesund Øyvind Storesund (born 9 March 1975 in Bø i Telemark, Norway) is a Norwegian Rock and jazz musician (upright bass) known from playing in the Norwegian bands Cloroform and Kaizers Orchestra. Career Storesund replaced the former bassist Jon S ...

. They debuted at

Nattjazz Bergen International Jazz Festival or Nattjazz, is one of the largest jazz festivals of Norway. The festival has a musical profile with an emphasis on ethnic and jazz, contemporary jazz. It is held annually in late May, coinciding with Festspil ...

Bergen Bergen (, ) is a city and municipalities of Norway, municipality in Vestland county on the Western Norway, west coast of Norway. Bergen is the list of towns and cities in Norway, second-largest city in Norway after the capital Oslo. By May 20 ...

1999 and have released five albums.

Honors

*1996: Jazz Musician of the Year by "Foreningen norske jazzmusikere" *2008: "

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 ...

" *2010: "Stavanger kommunes kulturpris"

Discography

Solo albums

*1998: ''Ism'' (Circulasione Totale)

As front man

;Frode Gjerstad and the Circulasione Totale Orchestra *1998: ''Borealis'' (

Cadence In Classical music, Western musical theory, a cadence () is the end of a Phrase (music), phrase in which the melody or harmony creates a sense of full or partial resolution (music), resolution, especially in music of the 16th century onwards.Don ...

) ;With John Stevens, Derek Bailey *2001: ''Hello Goodbye'' ( Emanem) ;With

*2002: ''Shadows and Light'' ( FMR) ;With

*2003: ''Soria Moria'' (FMR) ;With

John Edwards Johnny Reid Edwards (born June 10, 1953) is an American lawyer and former politician who represented North Carolina in the United States Senate from 1999 to 2005. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the vice presidential nominee under ...

& Mark Sanders *2003: ''The Welsh Chapel'' (Cadence) ;With Derek Bailey *2003: ''Nearly A D'' (Emanem) ;With Steve Hubback *2003: ''Demystify'' (FMR) *2005: ''One Foot Moving'' (Utech) ;With

Lasse Marhaug Lasse Marhaug (born 10 September 1974) is a Norwegian musician who primarily works in the field of noise music but frequently drifts into other areas such as improvisation, jazz, rock and extreme metal. Marhaug has also been involved in creating ...

*2003: ''Tou'' (FMR) ;With Paul Hession *2004: ''May Day'' (FMR) ;With

Kevin Norton Kevin Norton (born January 21, 1956) is an American percussionist and composer active in the New York City jazz and contemporary music scenes. He has performed and recorded with a diverse group of musicians, including Anthony Braxton, Paul Dunmal ...

*2004: ''No Definitive'' (FMR) *2011: ''Tipples'' (FMR) with David Watson *2013: ''Live Tipple'' (FMR) with David Watson ;With

Anders Hana Anders Hana (born 7 August 1982 in Stavanger, Norway) is a Norwegian musician (guitar), composer and marine biologist, known as a veteran of the bands ''Noxagt'', ''Ultralyd'' and ''Moha!'', and a series of wildlife projects in northern Norway. ...

Morten Olsen Morten Per Olsen (; born 14 August 1949) is a Danish former Association football, football manager and former player. He was the head coach of the Denmark national football team, Denmark national team for 15 years from 2000 until 2015, guiding ...

Per Zanussi Per Zanussi (born 1977) is an Italian–Norwegian jazz musician (upright bass) and composer, known from several bands and releases such as with Hamid Drake, Louis Moholo, Paal Nilssen-Love, Bobby Bradford, Sabir Mateen, Franklin Kiermyer, Step ...

*2003: ''Born To Collapse'' (Circulasione Totale) ;With

*2005: ''Good Question'' (FMR) ;With John Stevens *2005: ''Keep On Playing'' (FMR) ;With

Nils Henrik Asheim Nils Henrik Asheim (born 20 January 1960 in Oslo, Norway) is a Norwegian composer and organist, living in Stavanger. (in Norwegian) Asheim is educated at Norges Musikkhøgskole and the Sweelinck Conservatory in Amsterdam. His production compr ...

*2005: ''The Shortest Night'' (FMR) ;With Jeffrey Hayden Shurdut - The Organic Plastic Band *2006: ''We Are As Organic As Cars'' (Nolabel) ;With Daniel Carter, Jeffrey Hayden Shurdut *2006: ''Behind the White Fences'' (Nolabel) ;With Eivind One Pedersen,

*2006: ''The Walk'' (FMR) ;With

Fred Lonberg-Holm Fred Lonberg-Holm (born 1 October 1962) is an American cellist based in Chicago. He moved from New York City to Chicago in 1995. He refers to himself as the anti-cellist. Lonberg-Holm is most identified with playing free improvisation and free j ...

*2006: ''The Cello Quartet'' (FMR), including with Amit Sen,

- The Cello Quartet *2010: ''Sugar Maple'' (FMR), including with

Michael Zerang Michael Zerang (born November 16, 1958) is an American jazz percussionist and drummer. Career Zerang's parents both emigrated to the United States from the Middle East; his father is Iranian and his mother Iraqi.Paal Nilssen-Love Paal Nilssen-Love (born 24 December 1974) is a Norwegian drummer and composer in the jazz, free jazz and free improvisation genres. (in Norwegian) Early life Nilssen-Love was born in Molde, Norway. His parents ran a jazz club in Stavanger, and h ...

*2007: ''Day Before One'' (Tyyfus) *2010: ''Gromka'' (Not Two) *2012: ''Side By Side'' (CIMP) ;With William Parker &

Hamid Drake Hamid Drake (born August 3, 1955) is an American jazz drummer and percussionist. By the close of the 1990s, Hamid Drake was widely regarded as one of the best percussionists in jazz and improvised music. Incorporating Afro-Cuban, Indian, and Af ...

*2008: ''On Reade Street'' (FMR) ;With

/ Mark Sanders *2009: ''Bergen'' (FMR) ;With Nick Stephens *2012: ''Different Times'' (Loose Torque) ;With Skaset _

Tafjord Tafjord is a village in Fjord Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The village is very isolated and (other than by boat) the only way into the valley is by road from the village of Sylte. The road is composed almost entirely of two ...

_ Mølstad _ Moe *2013: ''Deichman'' (Conrad Sound) ;With

Luis Conte Luis Conte (born 16 November 1954) is a Cuban percussionist best known for his performances in the bands of artists including James Taylor, Madonna, Pat Metheny Group, Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, Phil Collins, Rod Stewart and Shakira. He began ...

*2013: ''Mirrors Edges'' (FMR)

Collaborations

;Within Detail *1983: ''Backwards and Forwards / Forwards And Backwards'' (Impetus Records), with

and John Stevens ;In trio with

Rashid Bakr Rashid Bakr may refer to: * Rashid Bakr (musician) (born 1943), American free jazz drummer * Rashid Bakr (politician) El Rashid El Tahir Bakr (24 June 1933 – 11 March 1988) was born in the Karkoj Blue Nile region of Sudan. In 1958 he gr ...

and William Parker *1996: ''Seeing New York From The Ear'' (Cadence) ;With John Stevens *1996: ''Sunshine'' (Impetus) ;With

*1999: ''Invisible Touch'' (Cadence ) ;With Borah Bergman *2003: ''Rivers in Time'' (FMR) ;With Jeffrey Shurdut *2004: ''Everything Is Divisible By 1'' (Nolabel) ;With

*2004: ''Red Edge'' (CD) Breathmint, Carbon Records, Little Mafia Records, Sunship Records, Gameboy Records 2004 ;With

Bobby Bradford Bobby Lee Bradford (born July 19, 1934) is an American jazz trumpeter, cornetist, bandleader, and composer. In addition to his solo work, Bradford is noted for his work with John Carter, Vinny Golia and Ornette Coleman. In October 2009, Brad ...

*2009: ''Reknes'' (Circulasione Totale), including 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 ...

*2012: ''Kampen'' ( NoBusiness), including with Ingebrigt Håker Flaten, Paal Nilssen-Love *2012: ''Dragon'' (PNL), including with

*2014: ''Silver Cornet'' (

Nessa Nessa Diab, known mononymous person, mononymously as Nessa, is an American radio personality, radio and TV personality and television presenter, television host. Early life and education Nessa was born to Egyptians, Egyptian parents. She has t ...

), including with Ingebrigt Håken Flaten, and Frank Rosaly ;With Bennink *2009: ''Han & Frode'' (Cadence) ;With

feat.

Steve Swell Steve Swell (born December 6, 1954 in Newark, New Jersey) is an American free jazz trombonist, composer, and educator. Music career Swell studied at Jersey City State Teachers College before moving to New York City in 1975 where he began his m ...

*2010: ''Sound Gathering'' (Not Two ) ;With Motland / Lonberg-Holm /

Solberg Solberg is a surname of Norwegian origin (Sol meaning Sun and Berg meaning Mountain), and may refer to: * Asbjørn Solberg (1893–1977), Norwegian politician from Østfold; served three terms in the ''Storting'' * Dorvan Solberg (b. 1934), America ...

*2011: ''VC/DC'' (Hispid) ;With

*2014: ''Life On Sandpaper'' (FMR) ;With

Louis Moholo Louis Tebogo Moholo (10 March 1940 – 13 June 2025) was a South African jazz drummer. He was a member of several notable bands, including The Blue Notes, the Brotherhood of Breath and Assagai. Biography Born in Cape Town, Moholo formed The ...

*2014: ''Sult'' (FMR) *2015: ''Distant Groove'' (FMR), including with Nick Stephens, Fred Lonberg-Holm

References

External links

*
Frode Gjerstad Biography - Norsk Jazzarkiv
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gjerstad, Frode 20th-century Norwegian saxophonists 21st-century Norwegian saxophonists Norwegian jazz saxophonists Norwegian jazz composers Musicians from Stavanger 1948 births Living people Utech Records artists Cadence Jazz Records artists Emanem Records artists FMR Records artists