Ellen Brekken (born 20 June 1985) is a Norwegian jazz musician who plays upright bass, bass guitar, and the tuba. She is also a composer.
Ellen Brekken | |
|---|---|
 Ellen Brekken performing in 2019 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | 20 June 1985 Tynset, Hedmark, Norway |
| Genres | Jazz, pop, rock, folk |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer |
| Instrument(s) | Double bass, bass guitar, tuba, backing vocals |
| Years active | 2000–present |
| Labels | Rune Grammofon, ta:lik |
Biography
editBrekken was born in Tynset, Norway. She attended the Toneheim Folk High School in 2005, and completed a bachelor's degree in Improvised Music on the jazz program at the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo from 2006 to 2010, including a period of exchange studies in Cape Town, South Africa. She is leading a 7-mans folk/jazz big band called Gruvar with co-composer Lars Jakop Rudjord and she has also led her own Ellen Brekken Quartet including Dag-Filip Roaldsnes (piano), Eskil Sæter (guitar) and Jon Audun Baar (drums).[1] Brekken also collaborates within Hedvig Mollestad Trio including with Ivar Loe Bjørnstad, releasing the albums Shoot! (2011), All of Them Witches (2013), "Enfant Terrible" (2014), Black Stabat Mater (2016) and the live album Evil in Oslo (2016) . For the album "All of them witches" they were nominated to the Norwegian "Grammy" award in the rock category.[2][3][4] She also plays in the band MAAR, which play Norwegian folk music and was nominated for Folkelarmprisen for their album "Vrangsvevd". She has been working a lot for Concerts Norway (Rikskonsertene), different theatres in Norway (Nationaltheatret, Folketeatret, Oslo Nye teater, Trøndelag teater) in addition to playing with musicians such as Espen Rud, Staffan William-Olsson, Frode Nymo, Bugge Wesseltoft, Frode Alnæs, Jens Wendelboe, Aasmund Nordstoga, Ine Hoem and she is currently a member of Caledonia jazzband and plays with artists such as, Lise Hvoslef and Kjetil Flatland. She also leads the band Du og jeg og vi 2 - 3 - 4, playing music for kids.
Discography
edit2023 Realm of Opportunities. A tonic for the troops
- Within Hedvig Mollestad Trio including with Ivar Loe Bjørnstad
- 2011: Shoot! (Rune Grammofon)[2]
- 2013: All of Them Witches (Rune Grammofon)[3][4]
- 2014: Enfant Terrible! (Rune Grammofon)
- 2016: Black Stabat Mater (Rune Grammofon)
- 2016: Evil In Oslo (Rune Grammofon)
- Within MAAR
- 2014 Vrangsvevd – MAAR – (ta:lik)
- 2015 Epleslang - MAAR - (ta:lik)
- Other
- 2012 Crazy Heart (EP) – Sigrun and the Kitchen Band (HummingBird records)
- 2013 Uten at du vet det – Sigrun Loe Sparboe (Tylden & Co AS)
- 2013 Av en sliters memoarer - Erik Lukashaugen - (Øksekar)
- 2013 The Island (EP)– Ine Hoem (Impeller recordings)
- 2014 Mapping the coincidence (EP)– Lise Hvoslef (Lise Hvoslef Records)
- 2015 Tel si ega tid - Erik Lukashaugen (Øksekar)
- 2015 Ein song til deg - Kjetil Flatland (Grappa musikkforlag)
- 2016 Finnskogvegen - Erik Lukashaugen (Øksekar)
- 2016 Just Being Part - Lise Hvoslef (Lise Hvoslef recordings)
- 2016 Syng min sorg, gråt min glede - Bjørn Anders Hermundstad (Kirkelig kulturverksted)
- 2016 Stifinner - Tone Hulbækmo (Heilo)
- 2017 Hyttetankar - Kjetil Flatland (Grappa musikkforlag)
- 2017 Out of silence - FriEnsemblet (Giraffa records)
- 2017 Tanken er fri - Trond Granlund (Trond Granlund records)
- 2017 Appily Ever After - Ava Freddy (Pretty young things)
- 2017 Hildersyn - Irene Tillung (Heilo)
- 2017 Krokodille i baksetet - Du og jeg og vi 2 - 3 - 4 (Curling Legs)
References
edit- ^ "Ellen Brekken Kvartett på Herr Nilsen" (in Norwegian). OsloJazzforum.no. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
- ^ a b Mosnes, Terje (15 September 2011). "Skuddklar med debutplate: Hedvig Mollestad Thomassens powertrioalbum "Shoot!" vil overraske mange". Music Reviews (in Norwegian). Dagbladet. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
- ^ a b Kelman, John (18 May 2013). "Hedvig Mollestad Trio: All of Them Witches (2013) Review". Music Reviews. All About Jazz. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
- ^ a b Furu, Svein Magnus (14 March 2013). "Enveisbillett til Bloksberg" (in Norwegian). Morgenbladet. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
