Tour de Force with Ole Edvard Antonsen

Posted on January 25, 2015 by Per Ole Hagen

Ole Edvard Antonsen has been the leading classical trumpeter in Norway for many years. We have some other great trumpeters, too, but none as versatile as Antonsen. In 1992 he released Tour de Force after having released a CD with French classical trumpet concertos. Tour de Force was something totally different, it sold 150.000 copies and won him a Spellemannpris (Norwegian Grammy). Last night he played songs from Tour de Force and two following CDs live at the National Opera.

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Junipher Greene and Friendship

Posted on January 25, 2015 by Per Ole Hagen

I have written about Junipher Greene in another post on this blog. Last night they held their yearly concert at Rockefeller in Oslo, starting their 50 year anniversary as a band. As support they had the new bands, Friendship, aptly named after Junipher Greene’s historical debut album, Friendship from 1971.

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The Norwegian Spellemann Winners 2014

Posted on January 18, 2015 by Per Ole Hagen

Tonight Spellemannprisen – the Norwegian Grammy – was held in Stavanger, and broadcast on NRK1. Here are photos and videos of the winners. A big congratulation to all of them.

(Picture above: Spellemann of the Year, Nico & Vinz. Photo: Kim Erlandsen, NRK P3)

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In Memory of Per Eirik Johansen

Posted on January 17, 2015 by Per Ole Hagen

In Norway we don’t have many legendary music business people, but we have a few. Per Eirik Johansen was one of them, but one year ago, on January 15, he died of a heart attack while sleeping, only 54 years old. On Thursday this week his family and several of the artists he worked with held a memorial concert for Per Eirik, celebrating his great influence on the Norwegian popular music scene at the Rockefeller Music Hall in Oslo. (Picture above: Sondre Lerche and Jarle Bernhoft)