Harald Johnsen facts for kids

Harald Gill Johnsen (born March 19, 1970 – died July 24, 2011) was a talented Norwegian jazz musician. He was famous for playing the upright bass. Harald played in well-known bands like Køhn/Johansen Sextet and Tord Gustavsen Trio. He also recorded music with many other great artists.

His Music Journey

Harald Johnsen playing with Tord Gustavsen Trio in Oslo in 2007.

Harald Johnsen studied jazz music at the Trondheim Musikkonservatorium in Norway from 1989 to 1992. He was a very important part of many jazz groups.

He played with the Trygve Seim led Trondheim Art Orchestra. He was also a member of the Nils-Olav Johansen Trio and the Svein Olav Herstad Trio. Harald also played in the Jan Erik Kongshaug Quartet and the Køhn/Johansen Sextet.

In 1994, Harald joined a band called "Hvorfor Ikke?". From 1995, he played with the Erik Wesseltoft Quartet. He also worked on albums like You'll always need friends (1997) with The Alf Kjellman Project. He also played on Choice (1998) with Monica Borgen.

Harald also played with Ditlef Eckhoff and released an album called Impressions of Antibes in 1997. In his later years, he became very successful with the Tord Gustavsen Trio. This group became known all over the world.

Harald recorded many albums. He played with Ditlef Eckhoff and Eric Reed on Impressions of Antibes. He also played on the album Merry Christmas (1999) with Einar Iversen and Ditlef Eckhoff. Around the year 2000, he joined the Silje Nergaard Band and the Tord Gustavsen Trio. These bands helped him become famous internationally. He also recorded with Karl Sundby in 2004.

Harald had a long musical partnership with guitarist and composer Frode Barth. They started playing together in 1984. Their trio, TAPE, which included drummer Tom Erling Lie, won the Norwegian Youth Festival in 1988. They also released an album called Blue Spheres in 2007.

Sadly, Harald became ill, which made it hard for him to play music. He passed away on July 24, 2011, when he was 41 years old.

Albums Harald Played On

With Tord Gustavsen Trio

• 2002: Changing Places
• 2004: The Ground
• 2006: Being There

With Svein Olav Herstad Trio

• 1993: Dig
• 1997: Sommerregn
• 2006: Suite for Simmons (with Sonny Simmons)

With Silje Nergaard Band

• 2000: Port of call
• 2001: At first light
• 2003: Nightwatch

With Ditlef Eckhoff

• 1997: Impressions of Antibes

With The Alf Kjellman Project

• 1997: You'll Always Need Friends

With Monica Borgen

• 1998: Choice

With Jan Erik Kongshaug

• 1998: The Other World
• 2003: All These Years

With Køhn/Johansen Sextet

• 1999: Woman's Got to Have It
• 2003: Angels

With Einar Iversen & Ditlef Eckhoff

• 1999: Merry Christmas

With Erik Wesseltoft Quintet

• 2004: Con Amor

With Trond Bjertnes & Frode Barth

• 1993: Egentlig
• 1997: JEG

Duo with Frode Barth

• 2007: Blue spheres

With other projects

• 1988: Hummer og kanari, Frode A. Danielsen
• 1996: Østkantblues, Karl Sundby / Erik Wesseltoft
• 1999: Together, Inge Stangvik / Eivind Sannes