Nils-Olav Johansen (born 12 April 1966 in Bjugn Municipality, Norway) is a major Norwegian entertainer and jazz musician (guitar and vocals), known from several recordings and as orchestra leader. He is with Jarle Vespestad (drums) and Stian Carstensen (many instruments), central members of the Balkan-jazz orchestra Farmers Market.
Johansen is from Sør-Trøndelag, where he eventually moved to Heimdal. His father was a sailor, and he had an early contact with Hawaiian music. This influence, from the floating string sound, has followed him throughout his musical career.
Career He was a graduate of jazz studies at Trøndelag Conservatory of Music 1986–88. In Trondheim, he joined several groups that arose out of student life at NTNU, such as Close Enough (1987–88) and the Pentateuch (from 1989, later called Blix Band). Since 1992, he has been a regular member of three major orchestras: Farmers Market, Frode Fjellheims Jazz Joik Ensemble and "Storytellers", and has also had guest appearances with numerous other bands, such as "Veslefrekk", "Embla", Trondheim Jazz Orchestra and with Ståle Storløkken. Since 1991 he has contributed to dozens of recordings, with among others Farmers Market, Blix Band, "TINGeLING" (Tinkerbell), "Dingobats", Transjoik (here also as a composer and producer), "Køhn/Johansen Sextet", Trondheim Jazz Orchestra, "The Core".
He has led his own trio with Harald Johnsen (bass) and Sverre Gjørvad (percussion). Johansen has been a guest professor at the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus, at the request of Django Bates. Recognized for his distinctive vocals and guitar playing, with elements from Finnish and Eastern European folk music.
Johansen has been, along with Stian Carstensen, one of the profiles in the band Farmers Market. It impresses him with virtuosity and humor. He made notable by its collaboration with Sigurd Køhn in Køhn/Johansen Sextet, a collaboration that ended in 2004, when the tsunami struck Thailand, where Køhn was on vacation. In 2005, he became a permanent member of the Anglo-Norwegian band Food.
In spring 2012, Johansen vent to India and the Jazz Utsav-festival with his own quartet put together for the occasion. It is a band consisting of the drummer Thomas Strønen, bassist Ole Morten Vågan and saxophonist Knut Riisnæs in addition to Johansen. Rikskonsertene
Discography
Solo albums My Deal (2007, Jazzaway), with: Andreas Bye, Mats Eilertsen and Reidar Skår)
Collaborative works With Køhn/Johansen Sextet Woman's Got to Have It (1999, Real), with Sigurd Køhn, Roy Powell, Harald Johnsen, Erlend Gjerde & Jarle Vespestad Angels (1999, Real), with Sigurd Køhn, Roy Powell, Harald Johnsen, Ole Johan Myklebust, Jørgen Munkeby and Jarle Vespestad + Even Skatrud Andersen, Hallgrim Berg, Heine Totland, Torbjørn A. Raae, and others)
With Farmers Market (Stian Carstensen, Trifon Trifonov, Finn Guttormsen & Jarle Vespestad) Speed/Balkan/Boogie (1995, Kirkelig Kulturverksted) Musikk fra Hybridene (Music From The Hybrides) (1997, Kirkelig Kulturverksted) 2000: Farmers Market (Winter & Winter) 2008: Surfin' USSR (Ipecac/Tuba) (in Norwegian) 2012: Slav to the Rhythm (Division)
With Frode Fjellheims Jazz Joik Ensemble 1994: Saajve dans Under the name Transjoik 2004: Uja nami 2005: Bewafá
With Storytellers 1994: Enjoy Storytellers (Curling Legs)
With Blix Band 1989: Big Bambus (1989/2001) 1996: På en lyserød sky 1997: Pinseria (1997/2010) 1998: Texas
With Håvard Lund 1995: Letters
With Niels Præstholm & Embla Nordic Project in København 1997: Imagic
With Eldbjørg Raknes' TINGeLING 1997: TINGeLING 2002: So much depends upon a red wheel barrow, commissioned to Vossajazz (Platearbeiderne) 2006: I live suddenly (My Recordings)
With Jon Balke 1998: Saturation
With Solveig Slettahjell 2001: Slow motion orchestra
With Christina Bjordal 2003: Where dreams begin 2009: Warrior of light
Within Børre Dalhaug's "Bigbandblast" 2004: Bigbandblast! (Real Records)
With Eirik Hegdal 2004: Within Trondheim Jazz Orchestra
With The Core 2005: The Core
With Trondheim Jazz Orchestra 2008: Wood and water 2009: What if
References
External links Farmers Market Website