Robert Uno Normann (27 June 1916 – 20 May 1998) was a Norwegian guitarist and considered a jazz guitar pioneer.

Career

Normann was an autodidact performer on the accordion and tenor saxophone, and eventually on the guitar as his main instrument. He was one of the

swing Swing or swinging may refer to: Apparatus * Swing (seat), a hanging seat that swings back and forth * Pendulum, an object that swings * Russian swing, a swing-like circus apparatus * Sex swing, a type of harness for sexual intercourse * Swing rid ...

era's most sought guitar soloists in Norway, and was also a pioneer of electric guitar. His first electric guitar was enabled in 1939 by constructing a pickup of copper wire, magnets and pitch, stolen from public phones, Normann told in an interview with

Jon Larsen Jon Larsen (born 7 January 1959) is a gypsy jazz guitarist, record producer, painter, and amateur scientific researcher. He is the founder of the group Hot Club de Norvège. In 2007 he received the Buddy Award for his lifelong contribution to ...

. ;Background Normann began his musical career as a wandering street and backyard musician at age 12. He was a professional musician in 1937. On

Oslo Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) 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 ...

jazz scene he performed in several swing jazz groups. He played with Freddy Valier in 1938,

String Swing String or strings may refer to: *String (structure), a long flexible structure made from threads twisted together, which is used to tie, bind, or hang other objects Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Strings'' (1991 film), a Canadian anim ...

in 1939–42, Gunnar Due in 1939–41, and simultaneously led his own quartet. In this period he also played tenor saxophone and was with the Pete Brown Big Band from 1945 and various random jazz groups. He played concerts with his own solo section and could be heard at the revue theaters "Edderkoppen" and

Chat Noir Chat Noir ( French for 'black cat') is a cabaret and revue theatre in Oslo, Norway. It was established in 1912 by Bokken Lasson. The current director is Tom Sterri. Establishment Chat Noir was established as a cabaret in 1912 by singer Bokken La ...

for several years. He also played with

Frank Ottersen Frank or Franks may refer to: People * Frank (given name) * Frank (surname) * Franks (surname) * Franks, a medieval Germanic people * Frank, a term in the Muslim world for all western Europeans, particularly during the Crusades - see Farang ...

, and later

Willy Andresen Willy Andresen (18 October 1921 – 17 June 2016) was a Norwegian jazz pianist. He was born in Oslo, and was appointed at the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation from 1959 to 1991. He often backed singer Erik Bye during his performances i ...

. He got several career offers from international artists, including from

Benny Goodman Benjamin David Goodman (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was an American clarinetist and bandleader known as the "King of Swing". From 1936 until the mid-1940s, Goodman led one of the most popular swing big bands in the United States. His conce ...

and

Barney Kessel Barney Kessel (October 17, 1923 – May 6, 2004) was an American jazz guitarist born in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Known in particular for his knowledge of chords and inversions and chord-based melodies, he was a member of many prominent jazz groups a ...

, that he turned down. In 1988 the jazz recordings of Normann were for the first time collected and reissued on the label

Hot Club Records Hot Club Records is a jazz record label established 1982, by guitarist Jon Larsen in Oslo, Norway.Dregni, Michael (2008) ''Gypsy Jazz: In Search of Django Reinhardt and the Soul of Gypsy Swing'', OUP USA, , p. 229 The label has released over 350 ...

(produced by

, who also wrote biographical articles about Normann). After his death, the old recordings were taken over by his family (Normann Records). ;Style of Play Normanns play can mislead people into thinking that

Django Reinhardt Jean Reinhardt (23 January 1910 – 16 May 1953), known by his Romani nickname Django ( or ), was a Romani-French jazz guitarist and composer. He was one of the first major jazz talents to emerge in Europe and has been hailed as one of its most ...

was the inspiration, but by his own account he never listened recordings with the French guitarist, but to American musicians

Teddy Wilson Theodore Shaw Wilson (November 24, 1912 – July 31, 1986) was an American jazz pianist. Described by critic Scott Yanow as "the definitive swing pianist", Wilson had a sophisticated, elegant style. His work was featured on the records of many ...

and Leon Chu Berry, and various accordionists. From 1955, he was less active in the jazz context, for example because of significant alcohol problems. ;Television recordings Normann was one of the first that started with trick recordings in

Les Paul Lester William Polsfuss (June 9, 1915 – August 12, 2009), known as Les Paul, was an American jazz guitarist, jazz, country guitarist, country, and blues guitarist, songwriter, luthier, and inventor. He was one of the pioneers of the solid body ...

style. In his repertoire you find concertos for accordion, arranged and performed on guitar. Normann was presented for the Norwegian audience through break programs produced for

NRK NRK, an abbreviation of the Norwegian ''Norsk Rikskringkasting AS'', generally expressed in English as the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, is the Norwegian government-owned radio and television public broadcasting company, and the largest ...

in 1971 and 1974. As a studio musician Normann is currently registered with the participation of close to 1300 productions, and in the period from 1968 to 1982 he was responsible for several musical productions for

Riksteatret Riksteatret (English: National Traveling Theater) is a Norwegian touring theatre. It was established by law in 1948. Its first performance was in Kirkenes in 1949, with Sigurd Christiansen's play ''En reise i natten''. The theatre plays on about 2 ...

. He has composed music to multiple folk texts, among others by

Alf Prøysen Alf Prøysen () (23 July 1914 – 23 November 1970) was a Norwegian author, poet, playwright, songwriter and musician. Prøysen was one of the most important Norwegian cultural personalities in the second half of the 20th century. He worke ...

, and has also composed music for film and theater and small pieces of music inspired by

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a majo ...

and traditional Norwegian folk music. ;Retirement Normann retired as an active musician in 1982, and devoted his time to small scale farming and inventions. Inspired by the re-release of his recordings by

, produced by guitarist

, Normann entered the studio again in 1992, for the last time with the music he called "Syv stubbær for én gitar og trommer" (Seven pieces for the guitar and drums). His latest bass player Håkon Nilsen was deceased, and Normann replaced him by placing a microphone oktavboks of the three lowest guitar strings. The one time so wital giant withdrew gradually from the outside world, and lived his last years in isolation in Kvastebyen, Skjeberg, Østfold, hence the characteristic "the jazz version of Greta Garbo" by Knut Borge. ;The organization "Friends of Robert Normanns» Robert Normanns Venner was founded in 1999 with the purpose to collect and disseminate information about Normanns artistic work. The Association was previously located in

Sarpsborg Sarpsborg ( or ), historically Borg, is a city and municipality in Viken county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Sarpsborg. Sarpsborg is part of the fifth largest urban area in Norway when paired with neigh ...

Østfold Østfold is a traditional region, a former county and a current electoral district in southeastern Norway. It borders Akershus and southwestern Sweden (Västra Götaland County and Värmland), while Buskerud and Vestfold are on the other sid ...

, but is currently under Normann Records, operated by Normann family with Wenche Normann as manager.

Plays on Riksteatret

*1968 Venner og elskere *1975 Fugleelskerne *1976 Frieriet *1976 Gjete kongens harer *1976 En sommernattsdrøm *1976 Tobakkens uheldige virkninger *1976 Bjørnen *1976 Jeppe på Bjerget *1976 Østenfor sol og vestenfor måne *1977 Victoria *1977 Troll kan temmes *1977 Revisoren *1978 Kameliadamen *1978 Tor med hammer'n *1978 Geografi og kjærlighet *1979 Det hendte i Riga *1979 Landet hvor alt er annerledes *1982 Balladen om Robin Hood

Discography

Solo recordings

;Recordings with different early jazz groups are released on the label Jazz Hot & Swing – Jazz in Norway 1920–1940 *2001: ''Sigarett stomp – Jazz in Norway 1940–1950'' *1988: ''Robert Normann vol. 1 – String Swing (1938–1941)'' *1988: ''Robert Normann vol. 2 – Sigarett Stomp'' ;Later radio recordings of small groups and his own solos *1990: ''Robert Normann vol. 3 – Tricky Fingers (1959–89)'' *1988: ''Robert Normann vol. 4 – Perpetuum mobile and other rare recordings 1959–1974'' *1996: ''The Best of Robert Normann (1941–1989)''

Collaborations

;With

Inger Jacobsen Inger Johanne Jacobsen (13 October 1923 in Christiania – 21 July 1996 in Oslo) was a Norwegian singer and actress, known internationally for her participation in the 1962 Eurovision Song Contest. Career Jacobsen made her first recordings d ...

with Robert Normanns Kvartet *1956: ''På En Bar I Rio'' Single (Columbia Records) ;With

* – ''Alf Prøysen'' Single (Philips) ;With Sigbjørn Bernhoft Osa *1963: ''Plays Norwegian Dances 1'' Single (RCA Victor)

References

External links

*
Robert Normann Biography
by Johs Bergh on

Store Norske Leksikon The ''Great Norwegian Encyclopedia'' ( no, Store Norske Leksikon, abbreviated ''SNL''), is a Norwegian-language online encyclopedia. The online encyclopedia is among the most-read Norwegian published sites, with more than two million unique vis ...

Robert Normanns VennerExtended biography with photo
on Norsk Musikkinformasjon
Robert Uno Normann Biography
by

{{DEFAULTSORT:Normann, Robert Norwegian jazz guitarists Norwegian jazz composers Spellemannprisen winners Musicians from Sarpsborg 1916 births 1998 deaths Hot Club Records artists 20th-century guitarists 20th-century jazz composers