Frode Berg

Frode Berg (born 24 October 1971 in Oslo, Norway) is a central Norwegian bassist, known from the scenes of classical and contemporary music, jazz, pop and rock. As jazz musician known primarily from his performances within Helge Lien Trio with Knut Aalefjær as the third party.^[1] On the scenes of classical and contemporary music primarily known as an orchestral bassist in the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra (from 2010) and the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra (2011). He grew up as the son of a seamen priest, in Australia, Belgium, France and England, before returning to Norway 11 years old.^[2][3][4][5] He is known from playing with such as John Parricelli, Peter Erskine and Martin Robertson.^[6]

Career

In adolescence (1984–90) Berg was living in Lier and received lessons in piano and trumpet. He joined a Rock band when at school and in college years he played in the bands Ti'nok, Trio April and Jazz House, or with established musicians such as Einar Iversen, Harald Gundhus, Odd Riisnæs, Christian Reim and others. He also participated in the local band ... and we hate Johnny playing at Kongsberg Jazz Festival 1990. He started at the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo the same year. Eventually Berg had something of a revelation when he listened to the music of Mahavishnu Orchestra with Jonas Hellborg on bass and Danny Gottlieb on drums.^[2] Later he played a lot with the latter, along with guitarist Knut Værnes.^[3][4][5]

Berg studied classical bass at the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo (1990–94) under the guidance of Professor Knut Guettler, and has since been a sought bassist in both classical and jazz contexts. He has had a powerful influence on the Norwegian Music Scene since 1992. His first big international job was with disco queen Donna Summer (1993), and in 2003 he released his first album under his own name, Dig It!. On this recording he has chosen musichans from the top shelf of Norwegian Jazz musicians like Petter Wettre on the saxophone has many solo releases and tours in Norway and internationally has made himself well known. Roy Powell on piano originally from England, has for years played with Sigurd Køhn, and on his last solo album, he brought along the likes of Arild Andersen (bass). Powell recently released a critically acclaimed album Solace on Nagel Heyer-label. Andreas Bye, through his work with Noora, Jon Eberson and national bands around the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo made his mark in the burgeoning young musician in Oslo. Bye is now Bugge Wesseltoft's permanent drummer on his touring around the world.^[7]

Berg has received great attention for his performances within Helge Lien Trio (seven albums),^[1] and is well known in Norway for his cooperation with international greats like Sir Paul McCartney, Bobby Shew, Andy Sheppard, Frank Gambale and Dee Dee Bridgewater, performing with Luciano Pavarotti, and has otherwise participated in about 50 different albums, including Anno 96 with Oslo Groove Company, 8:97 with Knut Værnes, Spiral Circle (DIW, 2002) nominated for the Spellemannprisen in 2002, Hello Troll (2008) receiving the Spellemannprisen in 2008, and Finger Magic with Erik Smith Trio.^[4][5][8]

Honors

• Spellemannprisen 2008 in the class Jazz, for Hello Troll within Helge Lien Trio

Discography

Solo albums

• 2003: Dig It! (Nagel Heyer Records)

Collaborative work

With Knut Værnes & Kim Ofstad

• 1995: Jacques Tati (Curling Legs)

With Oslo Groove Company

• 1996: Anno 1996 (Groove Records)

With Jens Wendelboe's Crazy Energy Jazz Quartet

• 1997: Get Crazy! (Crazy Music)
• 1997: Crazy Energy Jazz Quartet (Crazy Music)

With Knut Værnes & Danny Gottlieb

• 1997: «8:97» (Curling Legs)^[9]
• 1999: Super Duper (Curling Legs)

With Gisle Torvik

• 1999: Naken Uten Gitar, including with Sigmund Groven, Petter Wettre, Endre Christiansen & Torstein Lofthus

With Erik Smith Trio

• 2005: Finger Magic (Gats Production)

With Helge Lien Trio

• 2001: What are you doing the rest of your life? (Curling Legs)^[3]
• 2002: Spiral Circle (DIW)^[3]
• 2003: Asymmetrics (DIW)^[3]
• 2005: Helge Lien Trio – Live (Curling Legs)^[3]
• 2006: To the little radio(DIW)^[3]
• 2008: Hello Troll ((Ozella)
• 2011: Natsukashii ((Ozella)

With Frank Brodahl's Trumpet Jungle

• 2003: Frank Brodahl's Trumpet Jungle (Trumpet Junge Records)

With 'Eidsvoll Storband'

• 2003: Eidsvoll Storband (Trumpet Junge Records), with Sondre Brattland

With Even Skatrud Andersen

• 2005: Eveneven (Schmell)^[10]

The trio with Camilla Susann Haug

• 2005: Noen Ganger Blått (Kirkelig kulturverksted)

The trio with Silje Nergaard

• 2009: A Thousand True Stories (Sony Music)

References