Erik Johannessen (musician)


Erik Johannessen and composer, who has played in bands like Jaga Jazzist, Trondheim Jazz Orchestra, Loud Jazz Band, Lord Kelvin, Funky Hot Grits, Ensemble Denada and Magic Pocket.

Career

Johannessen grew up at Lambertseter and was educated in jazz at Trondheim Musikkonservatorium and the University of Oslo. He mainly plays jazz and pop music and works with music in many context. He has toured extensively in Europe and the rest of the world with Jaga Jazzist and Ensemble Denada, in Poland with Loud Jazz Band, and in Norway with other bands.
He has played with Joshua Redman and Trondheim Jazzorkester, Eirik Hegdal, Terje Rypdal, Jon Balke, Erlend Skomsvoll, Maria Kannegaard, and his own band, Magic Pocket. He has also released albums with Lord Kelvin and Magic Pocket. He received the Sparebank1 Midtnorges JazZtipendiat 2009/10 with Magic Pocket and was awarded the Spellemannprisen 2010 in open class for the album One-Armed Bandit with Jaga Jazzist.
He has conducted, arranged, and composed for bands such as Kjellerbandet, Midtnorsk Ungdomstorband, Follo Big Band, Orkdal Storband, Kristiansund Storband, Vollen Big Band, Travelin' Storband and Sintefstorbandet. He has worked with Dum Dum Boys, Maria Mena, Martin Hagfors, and Jens Carelius.
Johannessen's first solo album Inkblots is free improvisation accompanied by bassist Jon Rune Power from the Frode Gjerstad Trio and Magic Pocket drummer Erik Nylander.

Honors

As leader

Inkblots

As sideman

With Jonas Alaska
With Svigermors Drøm
With Dum Dum Boys
With Martin Hagfors
With Thom Hell
With Jaga Jazzist
With Lord Kelvin
With the Loud Jazz Band
With Magic Pocket & Morten Qvenild
With Raga Rockers
With Susanne Sundfør
With Trondheim Jazz Orchestra
With others