Odd Riisnæs

Norwegian jazz saxophonist and composer

Odd Riisnæs
Born	(1953-05-12) 12 May 1953 (age 71) Oslo, Norway
Genres	Jazz
Occupation(s)	Musician, composer
Instrument(s)	Saxophone
Labels	Curling Legs Odin Records Ponca Jazz Records

Website	www.oddriisnaes.com

Musical artist

Odd Riisnæs (born 12 May 1953) is a Norwegian jazz musician (saxophone) and composer. He was born in Oslo, Norway, the son of pianist Eline Nygaard Riisnæs and the younger brother of jazz saxophonist Knut Riisnæs. He is known from a series of releases and cooperations with the likes of Dag Arnesen, Arve Henriksen, Kjell Karlsen, Geir Lysne, Iver Kleive, Nils Petter Molvær, Jon Eberson, Terje Gewelt, Jon Balke, Audun Kleive and Oslo 13^[1]^[2]

Career

Riisnæs was in different orchestras led by Terje Lie, Paul Weeden, Ditlef Eckhoff, Richard Badendyck, Per Husby, Ole Jacob Hansen/Harald Gundhus, Dag Arnesen, Jens Wendelboe, Kjell Karlsen and Jan Harrington. In the 1980s he played with the bands "Kråbøl", Oslo 13, "Radiostorbandet", "Lille Frøen Saksofonkvartett" and Dag Arnesen quintet.^[1]

Riisnes released two albums as a leader of Odd Riisnæs Quartett, with Dag Arnesen (piano), Tom Olstad (drums) and Kåre Garnes (bass). Even more releases came with Odd Riisnæs Project and the musicians Pål Thowsen (drums), Bjørn Kjellemyr (bass) and Steinar Larsen (guitar). Riisnæs has also been associated with Norges Musikkhøgskole as a lecturer in aural training.^[1]

Utgivelser

Solo albums

As Odd Riisnæs Quartet with Dag Arnesen

1987: Speak low (Taurus Records)
1990: Thoughts (Taurus Records)

As Odd Riisnæs Project

1993: Another version (Taurus Records), with Iver Kleive (keyboards), Steinar Larsen (guitar), Terje Gewelt (Taurus Records) and Tom Olstad
1996: Your ship (1996)
2003: Another breeze (Hot Club Records, 2003), with guest artists like Sigmund Thorp and Jorunn Lovise Husan^[3]
2008: Another road (Ponca Jazz Records)

As sidemann

With Per Eriksen

2000: Beat Crazy (Curling Legs)
2007: Beat Repeat (Curling Legs)

With others

1983: Anti-Therapy (Odin Records), with Oslo 13
2004: That's All (Jazzavdelingen), with Richard Badendyck

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "Riisnæs, Odd". Biography (in Norwegian). Norsk Musikkinformasjon MIC.no. 31 January 2009. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
^ Bergh, Johs (10 February 2011). "Odd Riisnæs". Biography (in Norwegian). Store Norske Leksikon. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
^ Mosnes, Terje (13 May 2003). "Odd Riisnæs Jazzkvartett og kammer- orkester i glitrende møte". Musical reviews (in Norwegian). Dagbladet. Retrieved 30 December 2014.