Per Oddvar Johansen

Career

Johansen got his start playing in rock bands in Oslo before studying at the Trondheim Music Conservatory's Jazz Program from 1989 to 1992. While there, he worked with groups like the Bodega Band, Airamero, Trio Midt-Norge, Piggy Bop, the Vigleik Storaas Trio, and the Trondheim Kunstorkester. He also began a lasting partnership with Trygve Seim, notably in The Source, and played drums for Tre Små Kinesere in 1992. After moving back to Bærum in 1992, he kept up most of these projects and played with Torbjørn Sunde, Jan Erik Kongshaug, the quartet TINGeLING, tubaist Lars Andreas Haug, Solveig Slettahjell's Slow Motion Orchestra, Kjersti Stubø, Petter Wettre, Jacob Young, 1300 Oslo, Zanussi Five, the Kjetil Møster/Per Zanussi Trio, singer Eldbjørg Raknes, and guitarist Hans Mathisen. In 1994 he toured with trumpeter Kenny Wheeler, and the following year he performed with the rock band Motorpsycho at the Kongsberg Jazz Festival. At Moldejazz in 2006, he shared the stage with Joshua Redman, Arild Andersen, and Bugge Wesseltoft. Johansen and Petter Wettre won the Spellemannprisen in 2000 in the jazz category for The Only Way to Travel, and he also earned that prize twice as a member of the Vigleik Storaas Trio. Since 1995, he has made four albums with Ingebrigt Håker Flaten and Christian Wallumrød in the trio Close Erase. He has also taught drumming at the University of Oslo and Norges Musikkhøgskole.