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Bugge Wesseltoft

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Bugge Wesseltoft is a Norwegian jazz pianist, composer and producer, born in 1964, the son of the jazz guitarist Erik Wesseltoft. In 1989 he worked with Knut Riisnæs's quartet and shortly afterwards, at the request of Arild Andersen, he made music for the festival Vossajazz, which appeared on the album Sagn in 1990. He also worked with Jan Garbarek on Molde Canticle, released on I Took Up the Runes from 1990. In this way, in the early 1990s, he influenced the Norwegian jazz scene, which was then moving from the Nordic jazz tradition, known from the label ECM, to what has come to be called future jazz or nu jazz.

Music and breakthrough

He released music on his own label Jazzland and worked with, among others, Terje Rypdal, Jon Eberson, Billy Cobham and the singer Sidsel Endresen. In 1995 he founded the band New Conception of Jazz. Their first album received a Spellemannprisen in 1996. Among later releases were It's Snowing on My Piano in 1997, Sharing in 1998, Moving in 2001 and The Cool Side of the Pillow in 2003. On Sharing he used club DJs and scratchers on a large scale, which surprised many listeners. His track Existence can be heard in the film Extension du domaine de la lutte.

Influence

Wesseltoft chose electronic music and does not want to be tied to genre boundaries. He draws hip-hop and other modern dance music into his idea of contemporary jazz. In this way he belongs among the musicians who brought jazz closer to the club in the 1990s.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to a track from New Conception of Jazz or Sharing. Notice the electronic beats and the piano, and hear how a club rhythm and a jazz melody form a single whole.

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

The chapters, maps and magazine stories of School of Rock are currently available in Dutch only.

Categories: Artists