Svein Olav Herstad (born 7 July 1969 in

Odda Odda () is a list of former municipalities of Norway, former municipality in the old Hordaland counties of Norway, county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1913 until its dissolution in 2020 when it was merged into Ullensvang Municipality i ...

, Norway) is a

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. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

pianist, known from his own bands and several recordings with musicians like

Sonny Simmons Huey "Sonny" Simmons (August 4, 1933 – April 6, 2021) was an American jazz musician. Biography Simmons was born on August 4, 1933, in Sicily Island, Louisiana. He grew up in Oakland, California, where he began playing the English horn. (Along ...

Jan Erik Kongshaug Jan Erik Kongshaug (4 July 1944 – 5 November 2019) was a Norwegian sound engineer, jazz guitarist, and composer. Career Kongshaug was born in Trondheim, the son of guitarist John Kongshaug. Store Norske Leksikon (in Norwegian) During his ch ...

Nils-Olav Johansen Nils-Olav Johansen (born 12 April 1966 in Bjugn Municipality, Norway) is a major Norwegian entertainer and jazz musician (guitar and vocals), known from several recordings and as orchestra leader. He is with Jarle Vespestad (drums) and Stian ...

Harald Johnsen Harald Gill Johnsen (19 March 1970 – 24 July 2011) was a Norwegian jazz double bassist, known for his contributions in bands like Køhn/Johansen Sextet and Tord Gustavsen Trio, and a series of recordings with such as Sonny Simmons, Sigurd ...

, 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 ...

Career

Herstad studied music at Musikkskolen in

Haugesund Haugesund () is a municipalities of Norway, municipality and List of towns and cities in Norway, town on the North Sea in Rogaland county, Norway. As of December 2023, the municipality of Haugesund has a population of 37,855. The vast majority of ...

, and is a graduate from the Jazz program at Trondheim Musikkonsevatorium, (1990–93). He started the band Svein Olav Herstad trio during his studies in

Trondheim Trondheim ( , , ; ), historically Kaupangen, Nidaros, and Trondhjem (), is a city and municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. As of 2022, it had a population of 212,660. Trondheim is the third most populous municipality in Norway, and is ...

. With different lineups the band has released a series of albums, performing Herstad's own compositions. After moving 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 ...

(1996–2001) he played within

's quartet on two albums (1998, 2003). Living in

from 2001, he has been engaged with the festival

Sildajazz Sildajazz is a jazz festival, which is held annually on the second weekend of August, in Haugesund, Norway. The inaugural festival was in 1987 with four bands, and has since grown to involve around 70 bands and close to 400 Norwegian and foreign mu ...

, as well as being a part of the Christina Bjordal Band.

Discography

Solo piano

* 2010: ''Free the Nightingale'' ( Ponca Jazz)

Svein Olav Herstad Trio (including Magne Thormodsæter and
Håkon Mjåset Johansen Håkon Mjåset Johansen (born 1 August 1975 in Trondheim, Norway) is a Norwegians, Norwegian jazz musician, jazz drummer and composer, known from playing with the Trondheim Jazz Orchestra featuring Chick Corea at Moldejazz 2000, cooperations wit ...
)

* 2006: ''Suite for Simmons'' (

Jazzaway Jazzaway is a Norwegian record label founded by saxophonist Jon Klette in Oslo, Norway. He is also the main composer/leader in the band Jazzmob. Their CD ''Pathfinder'' (2003) was the first release from the label. The label includes artists ...

), featuring

live from Festiviteten Hall,

(2005), performing a commission in six parts * 2007: ''Inventio'' (

Jazzaway Records Jazzaway is a Norwegian record label founded by saxophonist Jon Klette in Oslo, Norway. He is also the main composer/leader in the band Jazzmob. Their CD ''Pathfinder'' (2003) was the first release from the label. The label includes artists ...

) * 2017: ''The Ballad Book'' (

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 ...

)

As leader

* 1993: ''Dig'' (Ponca Jazz), within a trio including

and Torbjørn Engan * 1997: ''Sommerregn'' (Ponca Jazz ), within a trio including Harald Johnsen and

Collaborative works

Within

trio including Harald Johnsen & Per Oddvar Johansen * 1998: ''The Other World'' ( ACT) * 2003: ''All These Years'' (

Hot Club Gypsy jazz (also known as sinti jazz, gypsy swing, jazz manouche or hot club-style jazz) is a musical idiom inspired by the Romani people, Romani jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt, Jean "Django" Reinhardt (1910–1953), in conjunction with the Fr ...

) Within Christina Bjordal Band * 2003: ''Where Dreams Begin'' (

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 ...

Universal Universal is the adjective for universe. Universal may also refer to: Companies * NBCUniversal, a media and entertainment company that is a subsidiary of Comcast ** Universal Animation Studios, an American Animation studio, and a subsidiary of N ...

) With Organ Jam * 2013: ''Organics'' (Normann)

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Herstad, Svein Olav 20th-century Norwegian pianists 21st-century Norwegian pianists Norwegian jazz pianists Norwegian jazz composers Ponca Jazz Records artists Jazzaway Records artists Norwegian University of Science and Technology alumni Musicians from Odda 1969 births Living people