Petter Wettre (born 11 August 1967) is a Norwegian jazz musician (saxophone) and composer, known from a number of album recordings, accompanied by receiving the

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 ...

two times.

Career

Wettre was born and raised in

Sandefjord Sandefjord () is a List of municipalities of Norway, municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. It is located in the Traditional districts of Norway, traditional district of Vestfold. The administrative centre of the municipality is the Sandefjord ...

. He studied music at the Toneheim Folk High School (1987), and later at the

Berklee College of Music Berklee College of Music () is a Private university, private music college in Boston, Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern Music of the United ...

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

(1992), where he studied under the guidance of international Jazz Profiles like

Dave Liebman David Liebman (born September 4, 1946) is an American saxophonist, flautist and jazz educator. He is known for his innovative lines and use of atonality. He was a frequent collaborator with pianist Richie Beirach. In June 2010, he received a ...

and

George Garzone George Garzone (born September 23, 1950) is a saxophonist and jazz educator from Boston, Massachusetts. Biography Garzone is a member of the Fringe, a jazz trio founded in 1972 that includes bassist John Lockwood and drummer Francisco Mela, wh ...

. Moving back to Norway, he immediately formed his own Quartet with engagement at the

Kongsberg Jazzfestival Kongsberg Jazz Festival or Kongsberg Jazzfestival is an international jazz festival that has been held annually in Kongsberg, Norway, since 1964. Artists Several worldwide great artists have visited Kongsberg during this festival; internation ...

in 1993, followed by a Norway Tour in 1994. Eventually, he settled 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 he distinguished himself at the Oslo Jazz Scenes with his own Trio and Quartet, and sat in with the "Storeslem" (Big Band) and "Sandefjord Big Band", toured with his own trio in ''Tribute to

Ornette Coleman Randolph Denard Ornette Coleman (March 9, 1930 – June 11, 2015) was an American jazz saxophonist, trumpeter, violinist, and composer. He is best known as a principal founder of the free jazz genre, a term derived from his 1960 album '' Free Ja ...

'' (1994), sat in with the band ''Time Out'' (1994–95), on tour with

Øystein Sevåg Øystein Sevåg (born March 19, 1957) is a Norwegian composer and keyboardist. His music touches on classical, New Age and jazz styles. Biography Øystein Sevåg is a Norway, Norwegian composer, pianist and music producer. He was born in Bærum ...

's ''Global House'' (1995–96),

Shirley Bassey Dame Shirley Veronica Bassey (; born 8 January 1937) is a Welsh singer. Known for her career longevity, powerful voice and recording the James Bond music, theme songs to three James Bond films - the only artist to officially perform more than o ...

(1995–96), played within the bands "Graffiti", "Horns for hire",

Oslo Groove Company Oslo Groove Company (active 1985-1996) was a Norwegian big band initiated and led by Jens Wendelboe (1985–87). In 1987 Lars Erik Gudim took the lead and Harald Devold led the band. They released three albums, two on their own label, Groove Re ...

and Norske Store Orkester. Breakthrough as a jazz musician came with the representation of

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of the Kingdom of ...

at the EBU concert in

Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...

in 1995. He also appears on recordings with, among Others

Torbjørn Sunde Torbjørn Sunde (born 16 February 1954) is a Norwegian jazz trombonist who has worked with Terje Rypdal, Edward Vesala, Jon Balke, Knut Værnes, Rickie Lee Jones, Randy Crawford, Dr. John, Jan Eggum, Jan Garbarek, and Mezzoforte (band), Mezzofort ...

's ''Meridians'' (1998),

Frode Alnæs Frode Alnæs (born 3 March 1959) is a Norwegian jazz guitarist and composer, known from cooperation with international artists like Morten Harket, Magne Furuholmen, Arild Andersen, Jon Balke, Ole Edvard Antonsen, Ketil Bjørnstad, Henning ...

's ''Frode'' (1996), the ''Element – Shaman'' (1999) and ''Oslo Groove Company – Anno'' (1996). On the debut album ''Pig Virus'' (1996) with his Petter Wettre Quartet he was joined by

Håvard Wiik Håvard Skarpnes Wiik (born 10 March 1975) is a Norwegian jazz pianist and composer, known from a number of recordings with bands like Atomic, and performances with musicians like Petter Wettre, Ola Kvernberg and Stian Carstensen. Career Wii ...

(piano),

Terje Gewelt Terje Gewelt (born 8 June 1960) is a Norwegian jazz musician (upright bass). Career Gewelt was born in Oslo and raised in Larvik, a small town on the southeastern coast of Norway. He started playing guitar at the age of 10, switched to elect ...

(bass) and

Per Oddvar Johansen Per Oddvar Johansen (born 1 March 1968) is a Norwegian Jazz musician (drummer), most recognized for his work with Trygve Seim, Christian Wallumrød, The Source, Solveig Slettahjell and Vigleik Storaas, but has also been awarded the Spellemann ...

(drums). Through "The Trio" (1995–2001) he has held a variety of co-operation with

Jarle Vespestad Jarle Vespestad (born 16 April 1966) is a Norwegian jazz musician (percussion), the younger brother of jazz musician Liz Tove Vespestad, and a central member of Tord Gustavsen's projects. Career Vespestad was born in Kirkenes and picked up ...

(trommer),

(drums), Jon Christensen (drums) and

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 ...

(bass),

Arild Andersen 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. Career Andersen was born at Strømmen, Norway. He started his musical career as jazz g ...

(bass) and

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 ...

(bass). Lately he has had an extensive musical collaboration with the Danish Jazz musicians

Jonas Westergaard Jonas may refer to: Geography * Jonas, Netherlands, Netherlands * Jonas, Pennsylvania, United States * Jonas Ridge, North Carolina, United States Arts, entertainment, and media * Jonas Brothers, American pop rock band. ** ''Jonas'' (TV ser ...

(bass) and

Anders Mogensen Anders is a male name in Scandinavian languages and Fering North Frisian, an equivalent of the Greek Andreas ("manly") and the English Andrew. It originated from Andres via metathesis. In Sweden, Anders has been one of the most common names fo ...

(drums) respectively in trio and quartet format. Today's edition of Petter Wettre Quartet comprises Westergaard and Mogensen, respectively, bass and drums, as well as

Erlend Slettevoll Erlend Slettevoll (born 1981) is a Norwegian jazz pianist, known from cooperation with musicians like Ola Kvernberg, Petter Wettre, Heidi Skjerve, Kjetil Møster, Steinar Raknes and Espen Aalberg. Career Slettevoll is a graduate of the jazz p ...

(piano). By some Events, Slettevoll is replaced by guitarist Kim Johannesen. Jonas Westergaard had a stay in New York where he sat in with Jazz sizes like

Oliver Lake Oliver Lake (born September 14, 1942) is an American List of jazz saxophonists, jazz saxophonist, flutist, composer, poet, and visual artist. He is known mainly for alto saxophone, but he also performs on soprano saxophone, soprano and flute. D ...

and Kresten Osgood. Wettre runs the record label "Household Records" (from 2002), has given lectures '' Oslo musikkonservatorium'' and '' Agder Musikkonservatorium'', and released

Elvin Jones Elvin Ray Jones (September 9, 1927 – May 18, 2004) was an American jazz drummer of the post-bop era. Most famously a member of John Coltrane's quartet, with whom he recorded from late 1960 to late 1965, Jones appeared on such albums as ''My Fa ...

transcripts in the book ''Live at the lighthouse'' (2005). He was a nominee for the 2011

, this was his sixth nomination for this Award, an award he received for the album ''The only way to travel'' (2000) and for the album ''Fountain of Youth'' (2007). This time it was not for an album, but the duets with drummer

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 ...

, only available as audio and video files, not released on any album. Although most renown for the projects Petter Wettre Quartet and Petter Wettre Trio with numerous solid contributions to the jazz scene, he is also highly evaluated for the numerous meetings with international Jazz stars over the past few years. Giants as

Joey DeFrancesco Joey DeFrancesco (April 10, 1971August 25, 2022) was an American jazz organist, trumpeter, saxophonist, and occasional singer. He released more than 30 albums under his own name, and recorded extensively as a sideman with such leading jazz perfo ...

Kenny Wheeler Kenneth Vincent John Wheeler, Order of Canada, OC (14 January 1930 – 18 September 2014) was a Canadian composer and trumpet and flugelhorn player, based in the U.K. from the 1950s onwards. Most of his performances were rooted in jazz, but he w ...

Adam Nussbaum Adam Nussbaum (born November 29, 1955) is an American jazz drummer. Early life Nussbaum was born in New York City on November 29, 1955. He grew up in Norwalk (Connecticut), Norwalk, Connecticut, and first played the drums at the age of four. Aft ...

and

Manu Katche Manu may refer to: Religion Proto Indo European Mythology * Manu (Indo European Mythology) one of the mythical duo Manu and Yemo Ancient Mesopotamia * Manu the Great, a Chaldean god of fate Hinduism *Manu (Hinduism), Hindu progenitor of mank ...

do not decline an opportunity to cooperate with this important Norwegian profiled saxophonist. Wettre is the first choice when the French drummer

Manu Katché Manu Katché (born 27 October 1958) is a French drummer and songwriter of Ivorian descent. He has worked extensively as a session musician, notably with Sting and Peter Gabriel, and his solo albums as a bandleader are largely in the jazz fusio ...

seek a saxophone substitute for

Jan Garbarek Jan Garbarek () (born 4 March 1947) is a Norwegian jazz saxophonist, who is also active in classical music and world music. Garbarek was born in Mysen, Østfold, southeastern Norway, the only child of a former Polish prisoner of war, Czesław Gar ...

in the international ''Manu Katché Quintet''. This autumn Wettre will choose from the top shelf, when introducing himself to the

Jazz audience, with a series of live concerts at the "Viktoria Nasjonale Jazzscene". First sprinkle star comes in the form of a duo with

Jason Rebello Jason Matthew Rebello (born 29 March 1969) is a British pianist, songwriter, and record producer. Career Rebello was born in Carshalton, Surrey, England. His father's family is from India. Rebello was raised a Catholic in Wandsworth, London. H ...

, which Wettre tuned in with while sitting in with the

Quartett. Labello is a permanent member of this quartet and known for collaboration with Star musicians like

Sting Stimulator of interferon genes (STING), also known as transmembrane protein 173 (TMEM173) and MPYS/MITA/ERIS is a regulator protein that in humans is encoded by the STING1 gene. STING plays an important role in innate immunity. STING induces typ ...

Peter Gabriel Peter Brian Gabriel (born 13 February 1950) is an English singer, songwriter, musician, and human rights activist. He came to prominence as the original frontman of the rock band Genesis. He left the band in 1975 and launched a solo career wit ...

and

. Wettre and Labello were united in musical unfolding again on stage on 18 October 2012 in

Honors

* 2000:

in the class Jazz * 2000:

Kongsberg Jazz Award Kongsberg Jazz Festival or Kongsberg Jazzfestival is an international jazz festival that has been held annually in Kongsberg, Norway, since 1964. Artists Several worldwide great artists have visited Kongsberg during this festival; internation ...

* 2007: Spellemannprisen in the class Jazz

Discography

Solo albums

* 1996: ''Pig virus'' (

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 ...

), quartet including

and

* 1998: ''Meet the Locals'' (

Resonant Resonance is a phenomenon that occurs when an object or system is subjected to an external force or vibration whose frequency matches a resonant frequency (or resonance frequency) of the system, defined as a frequency that generates a maximu ...

), trio including

and

* 2000: ''In Color'' (Resonant), with

David Liebman David Liebman (born September 4, 1946) is an American saxophonist, flautist and jazz educator. He is known for his innovative lines and use of atonality. He was a frequent collaborator with pianist Richie Beirach. In June 2010, he received a ...

, including with Ingebrigt Håker Flaten and Jarle Vespestad * 2000: ''The Only Way to Travel'' (Bergland), with

, awarded

2000 in the class Jazz * 2001: ''The Mystery Unfolds'' (Bergland), trio including Ingebrigt Håker Flaten and Jarle Vespestad * 2002: ''Household Name'' (

Household A household consists of one or more persons who live in the same dwelling. It may be of a single family or another type of person group. The household is the basic unit of analysis in many social, microeconomic and government models, and is im ...

), quartet including Wiik, Zanussi, Mogensen and Palle Pesonen * 2003: ''Live at

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...

Jazzhouse'' (Household), trio including Anders Christensen and Anders Mogensen * 2004: ''Tour De Force'' (Household), with David Liebman, including with Ingebrigt Håker Flaten and Jarle Vespestad * 2004: ''Hallmark Moments'' (Household) * 2006: ''State of the Art'' (Household), with Kvintetten * 2006: ''Paramount'' (Household), solo * 2007: ''Fountain of Youth'' (Household) – was Awarded

in the class Jazz * 2008: ''Appetite for Structure'' (Household) * 2008: ''Fountain of Youth Live! '' (Household), with The Norwegian Radio Orchestra * 2011: ''The Only Way To Travel 2'' (Household Records) * 2012: ''The Social Media Tapes'' (Household Records) * 2014: ''Playing Up to My Standards'' (Household), with Bjørn Vidar Solli,

Frode Berg Frode Berg (born 24 October 1971) is a Norwegian bassist known for his works in classical and contemporary music, jazz, pop, and rock. As a jazz musician, he is known primarily for his performances with Helge Lien Trio In classical and contempo ...

and Adam Pache

Collaborations

* 1999: ''Shaman'' (Bergland), within 'Element', including with Gisle W. Johansen, Vidar Johansen,

, Ingebrigt Håker Flaten and

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 ...

* 2004: ''Dig It!'' (Nagel Heyer), with

, featuring Petter Wettre, Roy Powell and Andreas Bye * 2005: ''Denada'' ( ACT), with Helge Sunde & ''Norske Store Orkester'', featuring

Olga Konkova Olga Konkova (Russian: Ольга Конкова; born 25 August 1969 in Moscow) is a Norwegian–Russian jazz pianist known from several recordings and collaboration with jazz musicians such as Adam Nussbaum, Gary Husband and Karin Krog. Care ...

and

Marilyn Mazur Marilyn Mazur (born January 18, 1955) is an American-born Danish percussionist. Since 1975, she has worked as a percussionist with various groups, among them Six Winds with Alex Riel. Mazur is primarily an autodidact, but she has a degree in ...

* 2010: ''The Red Album'' (Siddhartha Spiritual Music), with

Global House Band

References

;Bibliography * ''Live at the lighthouse'' (2005) – Elvin Jones transkripts ;Notes

External links

Biografi Petter Wettre – Store Norske Leksikon
(in Norwegian) * {{DEFAULTSORT:Wettre, Petter Petter Wettre Quartet members 1967 births 20th-century Norwegian saxophonists 21st-century Norwegian saxophonists Avant-garde jazz musicians Berklee College of Music alumni Curling Legs artists Household Records artists Living people Musicians from Sandefjord Norwegian jazz composers Norwegian jazz saxophonists Oslo Groove Company members Resonant Music artists Spellemannprisen winners