KETIL BJØRNSTAD
Genres: Post-Fusion Contemporary, Third Stream, Jazz Related Improv, Composition, Jazz Related Rock, Pop, Art Song, Folk, Jazz Related Soundtracks, Nu Jazz • Norway

Norwegian pianist, composer and author, born April 25, 1952 in Oslo. from discogs A classically trained jazz pianist with a bent toward avant-garde improvised music, Ketil Bjørnstad is a well-known musician and writer in Europe. With his cerebral, atmospheric style that belies a palpable inner passion and an inclination toward genre-crossing compositions, Bjørnstad helped develop and popularize the "European jazz" aesthetic. He is also a writer and poet and has published over 30 works beginning with his 1972 poetry collection Alone. He began recording a year later with Apning, and issued some 24 studio outings include 1977's Selena for Phillips, 1983's Bjørnstad/Paus/Hamsun with singer Ole Paus, and lyrics by author Knut Hamsun for KKV, and 1990's The Shadow, wherein Bjørnstad set the poems of John Donne to music. After signing to ECM he issued 1993's Water Stories; it marked the beginning of a series of H2O-themed outings for the label that included 1995's read more...