Kjell Bartholdsen (2 October 1938 in

Hammerfest Hammerfest (; sme, Hámmerfeasta ) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. Hammerfest is the northernmost town in the world with more than 10,000 inhabitants. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Hammerfe ...

– 6 November 2009) was a Norwegian jazz musician (saxophone), that lived in

Bodø Bodø (; smj, Bådåddjo, sv, Bodö) is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Salten. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Bodø (which is also the capital of Nordland cou ...

from 1968.

Career

Bartholdsen was a

piano tuner Piano tuning is the act of adjusting the tension of the strings of an acoustic piano so that the musical intervals between strings are in tune. The meaning of the term 'in tune', in the context of piano tuning, is not simply a particular fixed ...

by profession, and he was also a central person on the northern Norwegian jazz scene. His instruments were

tenor saxophone The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor and the alto are the two most commonly used saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B (while ...

, and clarinet (in his early career). He played at

Moldejazz Molde International Jazz Festival (MIJF) or Moldejazz (established 1961 in Molde) 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 1964 it has r ...

in 1974,

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 contemporary jazz. It is held annually in late May, coinciding with Festspillen ...

in 1975,

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 1976,

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 b ...

in 1978 as well as several times in the Festival of North Norway and with Concerts Norway. He had to retire in 1988 after a stroke, and had also suffered from bad eyesight during his career. He died in November 2009.

Honors

*1989:

Stubøprisen Stubøprisen (an Award initiated in 1989, in memory of the late guitar virtuoso and Northern Norway Enthusiast Thorgeir Stubø) is the highest honor given to a Northern Norwegian jazz musician. The award is given every second year to a person who m ...

Discography

Solo albums

*2008: ''Arctic Bird'' (Turn Left Prod)

Collaborative works

*2001: ''Jazz From North Norway'' (Gemini Records), Distant Reports with various artists

References

1938 births 2009 deaths Norwegian jazz saxophonists Musicians from Hammerfest Musicians from Bodø 20th-century saxophonists {{Norway-musician-stub