* En anglais uniquement
Norwegian bassist
Arild Andersen has demonstrated fine skills and stylistic versatility. He's performed admirably in free, jazz-rock, and quasi-new age situations since the '60s.
Andersen studied bass and the Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization with
George Russell, and also played with him during the '60s and '70s. He also studied with Karel Netolicka.
Andersen began playing at various festivals in Norway during the late '60s. He was tapped by
Don Cherry for his first appearance outside Norway at the Berliner Jazztage in 1968.
Andersen worked with
Jan Garbarek from 1969 to 1973, and played with
Russell,
Sonny Rollins,
Karin Krog,
Sam Rivers, and
Paul Bley at various festivals. He also worked with
Bley,
Rivers,
Joe Farrell,
Dave Friedman,
Barry Altschul,
Steve Kuhn, and
Sheila Jordan in New York during the early '70s.
Andersen backed vocalist
Radka Toneff, and led quartets that featured
Knut Riisnaes,
Jon Balke,
Paal Thowsen,
Juhani Aaltonen, and
Lars Jansson in the '70s and early '80s. During the '80s, he performed and recorded with
Alphonse Mouzon,
John Taylor, and
Bill Frisell.
Andersen led the quintet
Masqualero, with
Jon Christensen,
Balke,
Tore Brunborg, and trumpeter
Nils Peter Molvaer. They toured England and Europe, while recording during the '80s.
Andersen began recording as a leader for
ECM in the early '90s and has released such albums as 1990's Sagn, 1997's Hyperborean, 2001's
Karta, 2004's The Triangle, 2005's
Electra, 2008's
Live at Belleville, 2012's
Celebration, and 2013's
Under the Rainbow. In 2014,
Andersen paired with drummer
Paolo Vinaccia and saxophonist
Tommy Smith for the trio album
Mira, followed two years later by the live album
The Rose Window. In 2018, he rejoined drummer
Vinaccia and saxophonist
Smith for the trio effort
In-House Science. ~ Ron Wynn