About artist
Ketil Bjørnstad was born in 1952 in Oslo. A pianist, composer and writer, a great master of mood. Although in his incredibly rich heritage (about 50 CDs) we can encounter absolutely modern elements (the use of electronics and sampling, dance rhythms, duets with electric guitar), almost every of his albums has numerous moments of calm and poetic reverie. Poetry (Björnstad has also been successful in the literary world) accompanied the artist in more than one undertaking, while the mood of his composition was carefully used in film music tracks.
He made his stage debut as a 16-year-old, performing the Bela Bartok piano concert with the Philharmonic in Oslo. A few years later, Ketil, listening to Miles Davis' composition "In A Silent Way", wanted to create his own compositions. In the 1970s he met many painters, poets and jazz musicians gathered around a thriving music venue in Oslo - Club 7. It was this artistic environment that helped him develop his own style.
The artist admits the influence of classical music composers: Bach, Ravel, Prokofiew, Stravinsky, jazz instrumentalists: Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk, and folk music. Of the performers of classical music, Ketil records and performs, among others with mezzo-soprano Randi Stene, cellists Lars Andersem and David Darling, and violist Vora Taksdal. Recently, he has recorded albums with the most interesting Norwegian jazz musicians of the young generation: Nils Petter Molvaer, Svante Henryson, Eivind Aarset, Bjorn Kjellemyr and Per Lindvall.
It is worth noting that the artist's records recorded for prestigious ECM and Emarcy / Universal record labels, in addition to undoubted artistic value, are distinguished by outstanding care for the crystal quality of sound detail and spatiality of sound. The director of these recordings is another outstanding Norwegian - Jan Erik Kongshaug, who has been recording albums of such renowned artists as Keith Jarrett and Jan Garbarek for many years.
The artist has released dozens of original albums (recorded primarily for the previously mentioned ECM label) and almost 20 books.
Ketil's music has been used many times in films, including in our country ("Loneliness on the Web").
The name Ketil Bjørnstad always appears alongside such outstanding pianists and masters of mood as Ludovico Einaudi and Leszek Możdżer.
