The Beginning - and the End Ketil Bjørnstad

• 1 The Beginning 01:45
• 2 This is It 03:36
• 3 Something You Said 02:43
• 4 Sandmann-Lied 01:59
• 5 Prelude in a Flat 05:01
• 6 Enchanting Tunes 02:56
• 7 Summer Night 05:35
• 8 The Other Coastline 04:11
• 9 Uphill 05:59
• 10 Hymn to the Unknown 04:20
• 11 Testament 04:27
• 12 Back to the Past 04:08
• 13 A Sudden Memory 03:20
• 14 Drawings 02:45
• 15 Heather 03:20
• 16 The Anniversary 04:52
• 17 The Night is Darkening Round Me 03:19
• 18 Solaris, Revisited 02:34
• 19 The End 02:46
• Total Runtime 01:09:36

Info for The Beginning - and the End

On November 22nd we conclude the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Ketil Bjørnstads musicianship with another new album; The Beginning - And The End.

Bjørnstad was only 16 years old when he debuted as a pianist. That happened on January 10th 1969 with the Norwegian Philharmonic Orchestra in the awe inspiring assembly hall of the University in Oslo. – Maybe that is why I booked Rainbow Studio here in Oslo on that exact date this year, because I wanted to return to my origins, Bjørnstad says.

2019 has been a celebration of Bjørnstads musicianship, with a reissue of his album Rainbow Sessions, the release of the gorgeous CD box The World I Used To Know, and with to sold out shows in the prestigious Oslo Opera House. Luckily, there is more before his 50th anniversary comes to and end. The Beginning - And The End is the title of the final release to come from Bjørnstad this year. The album has previously been exclusive to the box set of The World I Used To Know.

Ketil Bjørnstad, piano

Ketil Bjørnstad
described as “a cultural prodigy” by The Guardian’s John Fordham, started out as a classical pianist, making his debut with the Oslo Philharmonic, playing Bartók. Encounters with jazz of the late 1960s, especially Miles and Coltrane, changed his priorities and he was fascinated also by the new Norwegian improvising scene that ECM was documenting. Soon he switched streams and began playing with the jazz men. Simultaneously he has maintained a career as a respected writer with many books to his credit – novels, poems, essays and more.

Ketil Bjørnstad’s recent ECM releases have included “Life In Leipzig” with Terje Rypdal, the song cycle “The Light” with Randi Stene and Lars Anders Tomter, and “Remembrance” with Tore Brunborg and Jon Christensen.

Bjørnstad’s recordings have been incorporated in the soundtracks of numerous films, including several by Jean-Luc Godard: “Notre Musique”, “The Old Place”, “Histoire(s) du Cinéma”, “Forever Mozart” and “Eloge de L’amour”.

After playing double-bass with the Oslo Philharmonic Orcherstra and the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra, Svante Henryson (born in Stockholm in 1963) effected an about-turn in his career and joined Yngwie Malmsteen’s band as bass guitarist in 1989. This led to much session work and collaborations in the pop world, and Henryson has appeared on recordings of Stevie Wonder, Ryan Adams and Elvis Costello, amongst others.

Self-taught as cellist, he has collaborated with many jazz musicians including Jon Balke, Nils Petter Molvaer, Trygve Seim, Arve Henriksen, Marilyn Mazur and Arild Andersen. In classical contexts he often works with Anne Sofie von Otter and has directed her tours of North America, Europe and Asia. As a composer he has written music for ensembles of all sizes – from symphony orchestra to chamber groups.

This album contains no booklet.