Kjell Karlsen
Kjell Karlsen | |
---|---|
Birth name | Kjell Oddvar Karlsen |
Born | Sarpsborg, Norway | 29 July 1931
Died | 5 May 2020 | (aged 88)
Occupation(s) | Band leader, arranger, composer, musician |
Instrument(s) | Piano, organ |
Kjell Oddvar Karlsen (29 July 1931 – 5 May 2020) was a Norwegian band leader, composer, arranger, jazz pianist and organist, and a Nestor of Norwegian music and show business, with a career spanning more than 60 years.[1] He was the father of the singer Webe Karlsen.
Career
Karlsen was born in Sarpsborg. Inspired by the Nat King Cole jazz ensembles from the time of World War II, he started his own orchestra at the age of 16 in 1947, The Syncopators Band, in Sarpsborg, and he soon became a central figure in the local jazz scene. In the period 1953–59, he had a series of bands with local musicians, many to be influential on the Norwegian and some on the World jazz scenes, like the jazz singer Karin Krog (1955–56), the saxophone players Totti Bergh (1955–59), Bjørn Johansen (1956–58) and Harald Bergersen (1959), and drummer Ole Jacob Hansen (1959), most of whom later would play central roles in the renowned Kjell Karlsens Big Band that he started together with saxophone player Mikkel Flagstad (1959–64). In addition to the ones listed above, K.K.B.B. featured musicians like trombonist Frode Thingnæs, bassist Erik Amundsen and the singers Grynet Molvig, Laila Dalseth, Odd Børre and Kirsti Sparboe among others. Karlsen also worked as a pianist and was an accompanist for a number of Norwegian and International Jazz soloists. He attended the first International Jazz Festival in Molde 1961.[2]
When he had to close down the K.K.B.B. in 1964, he got more into popular music, even though he put together big bands for occasions, and was the orchestra leader for the recording Jazzway to Norway (1984), as directed by NOPA for the presentation of New Norwegian Big Band Compositions. He also started the Kjell Karlsens Orchestra and because of the great demand he started an additional band Bent Sølves in 1967. Karlsen was early engaged in the
Karlsen founded the record label Viking Music in 1962, and among the signed bands and artists were
In the summer of 2011, Karlsen was 80 years old and was celebrated with an anniversary gala at
Karlsen died on May 5, 2020.[5]
Composer to the Melodi Grand Prix
Year | Title | Artist | Lyrics | Positioning in the Norwegian final | Positioning in the international final |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1962 | Kom sol, kom regn | Inger Jacobsen | Ivar Andersen | No. 1 | No. 10 |
1969 | Lena | Odd Børre | Kjell Karlsen | Nr. 2 |
Releases
- I selskap med K. K. Orkester vol 1, 3 and 3 (1968–71).
- K. K. Big Band Bonanza (Tylden, 2001)
- Edvard Grieg in jazz mood (Universal Music, 2009). Vokalbesetning: Pitsj, Heidi Ruud Ellingsen, Kåre Conradi, Torun Eriksen, Carsten Loly and Bjørn Johan Muri.[6]
Awards
- Gammleng-prisen1995 in the class Veterans.
Filmography (as composer)
- 1962: Sønner av Norge kjøper bil
- 1963: Freske fraspark
- 1964: Marenco
- 1974: Ante (TV series)
References
- ^ "Biography Kjell Karlsen - Store Norske Leksikon".
- ^ a b "Biography Karlsen, Kjell - MIC.no". Archived from the original on 2016-01-16.
- ^ The cover of the album Norsk rocks gyldne år (1981) with The Beatniks
- ^ "Kjell Karlsen 80 års jubileumsgalla med storband og kor - Oslo Konserthus". Archived from the original on 2014-04-29.
- ^ Orkesterleder Kjell Karlsen er død (in Norwegian)
- ^ "Biography Bjørn Johan Muri - Artistpartner.no". Archived from the original on 2012-03-04.
External links
- Biography Kjell Karlsen - Store Norske Leksikon
- Biografi and images from the Norwegian Music Information
- Kjell Karlsen discography at Discogs
- Kjell Karlsen at IMDb