Bergen Big Band

Bergen Big Band
260px Bergen Big Band during a memorial concert for their late band leader Olav Dale November 2, 2014. (Photo by Knut Andersen)
Background information
Origin	Bergen, Norway
Genres	Jazz Big band
Years active	1991–present
Labels	ECM Records, Grappa Music
Members	Olav Dale Jan Kåre Hystad Ole Jacob Hystad Zoltan Vincze Michael Barnes Martin Winter Svein Henrik Giske Are Ovesen Reid Gilje Øyvind Hage Sindre Dalhaug Pål Roseth Kjell Erik Husom Ole Thomsen Dag Arnesen Magne Thormodsæter Frank Jakobsen

Bergen Big Band (BBB) is a Norwegian big band established 1991 as a continuation of Knut Kristiansen's Bergen Band. BBB is known from cooperations with musicians like Phil Woods, Paquito D'Rivera, Joe Henderson, Maria Schneider, Diana Krall, Sissel Kyrkjebø, Andy Sheppard, Martial Solal, Mathias Rüegg, Gianluigi Trovesi, Mathias Eick, Ole Kock Hansen, Etta Cameron, Karin Krog, John Surman, Dino Saluzzi, Gustavo Bergalli, Berit Opheim, Jan Magne Førde, The Core, Ab und Zu, Vidar Johansen, Paolo Vinaccia, Ståle Storløkken, Palle Mikkelborg and Terje Rypdal among others.

Biography

File:Karin Krog med BBB.jpg

Karin Krog with BBB in 2014.

Olav Dale was musical leader of the band the entire period 1991-2014. In 1995, BBB, Nattjazz and Vossajazz made an agreement to make an annual project with the band over a three-year period. The collaboration has continued thereafter. In 1999, the West Norwegian Jazz Center toock over as administrative leaders of the band.

In 2005 they released the studio album Seagull, with Karin Krog conducted by John Surman. In 2007 they released the album Meditations on Coltrane, from a concert at Nattjazz featuring The Core, the same year. Crime Scene (2010) recorded at Nattjazz 2910, featuring Terje Rypdal, Palle Mikkelborg, Ståle Storløkken and Paolo Vinaccia, at the ECM label.

November 2, 2004 the band was joined by Karin Krog and John Surman, for a memorial concert for the bands late leader Olav Dale at USF, Verftet in Bergen.

Current members (2011)

Woodwinds

• Olav Dale
• Jan Kåre Hystad
• Ole Jakob Hystad
• Zoltan Vincze
• Michael Barnes

Trumpets

• Martin Winter
• Svein Henrik Giske
• Are Ovesen
• Reid Gilje

Trombones

• Øyvind Hage
• Sindre Dalhaug
• Pål Roseth
• Kjell Erik Husom

Rhythm section

• Ole Thomsen gitar/ guitar
• Dag Arnesen piano
• Magne Thormodsæter bass
• Frank Jakobsen trommer/ drums

Honors

• 2015: The very first Olav Dale's Memorial Award

Discography

Albums

• 2003: Adventures In European New Jazz And Improvised Music (Europe Jazz Oddysey), with Mathias Rüegg "Art & Fun" on compilation with various artists
• 2005: Seagull (Grappa Music), feat. Karin Krog condcted by John Surman recorded at the Nattjazz Festival, Bergen 2004
• 2007: Meditations on Coltrane (Grappa Music), with The Core
• 2008: Som den gyldne sol frembryter (Grappa Music)
• 2010: Crime Scene (ECM Records), with Terje Rypdal recorded at the Nattjazz Festival, Bergen 2009
• 2014: Another Sky (Grappa Music), with John Surman
• 2016: Kuria Suite (Grappa Music), with Knut Kristiansen

Contributors

	Seagull	Meditations on Coltrane	Crime Scene
Pål Roseth - trombone	Contributed	Contributed	Contributed
Sindre Dalhaug - trombone	Contributed	Contributed	Contributed
Øyvind Hage - trombone	Contributed	Contributed	Contributed
Kjell Erik Husom - bass trombone	Contributed	Contributed	Contributed
Michael Barnes - baritone saxophone, bass clarinet	Contributed	Contributed	Contributed
Zoltan Vincze - tenor saxophone	Contributed	Contributed	Contributed
Olav Dale - flute, alto flute, piccolo, bass clarinet, alto saxophone	Contributed	Contributed	Contributed
Jan Kåre Hystad - alto flute, clarinet, bass clarinet	Contributed	Did not contribute	Contributed
Ole Jacob Hystad - clarinet, tenor saxophone	Contributed	Contributed	Contributed
Øystein Søbstad - alt saxophone, alto flute, flute	Contributed	Contributed	Did not contribute
Kjetil Møster - tenor saxophone	Did not contribute	Contributed	Did not contribute
John Surman - baritone saxophone, soprano saxophone	Contributed	Did not contribute	Did not contribute
Palle Mikkelborg - trumpet	Did not contribute	Did not contribute	Contributed
Martin Winter - trumpet, flugelhorn	Contributed	Contributed	Contributed
Svein Henrik Giske - trumpet, flugelhorn	Contributed	Contributed	Contributed
Reid Gilje - trumpet, flugelhorn	Contributed	Contributed	Did not contribute
Are Ovesen - trumpet, flugelhorn	Contributed	Contributed	Contributed
Karin Krog - vocals	Contributed	Did not contribute	Did not contribute
Magne Thormodsæter - double bass, electric bass	Contributed	Contributed	Contributed
Steinar Raknes - double bass	Did not contribute	Contributed	Did not contribute
Terje Rypdal - guitar	Did not contribute	Did not contribute	Contributed
Ole Thomsen - guitar	Contributed	Contributed	Contributed
Paolo Vinaccia - drums, sampler	Did not contribute	Did not contribute	Contributed
Frank Jakobsen - drums, percussion	Contributed	Contributed	Contributed
Stein Inge Brækhus - percussion	Contributed	Contributed	Did not contribute
Ivar Kolve - vibraphone	Did not contribute	Did not contribute	Contributed
Ståle Storløkken - hammond B-3 organ	Did not contribute	Did not contribute	Contributed
Dag Arnesen - piano, electric piano	Contributed	Contributed	Did not contribute
Erlend Slettevoll - piano	Did not contribute	Contributed	Did not contribute
Helge Lilletvedt - electric piano	Did not contribute	Contributed	Contributed

External links

• Knut Kristiansen + Bergen Big Band Jazzklubben NRK.no