Arild Andersen

Arild Andersen is a double bassist who can truly be called a legend in European jazz. His career started already in 1967. Together with Jan Garbark, Terje Rypdal and Jon Christensen, he released one of the first ECM albums, Afric Pepperbird. Over the following years he played with Stan Getz, Sonny Rollins, Don Cherry, Chick Corea, Dexter Gordon, George Russell, Paul Bley, Pete Metheny, Bill Frisell, Tommy Smith and many others. In the 1980s he formed his legendary group Masqualero with Jon Balk, Nils-Petter Molvær, Jon Christensen and Tore Brunborg, which toured all over the world. Masqualero appeared as a quartet (Arild, Nils-Petter, Torre and Jon) in the early 1990s in Prague, Přerov and Bratislava. Arild has released 22 albums under his own name on ECM.

Pianist and composer Helge Lien has given plenty of evidence in the last ten years that a new Norwegian pianist of a very high caliber has entered the jazz scene. Listeners could meet him in various constellations, from solo piano, duo, to sideman, but also the leader of a trio. He performed solo in Prague in 2000 at the 5th annual International Jazz Piano Festival.

Marius Neset is a saxophonist and composer who has become one of the most discussed additions to the European jazz scene. He dazzles audiences across Europe with exemplary technique, energetic creativity, imagination and virtuosity on the tenor and soprano saxophones. He performed with his group as part of JMW in 2017.

Håkon Mjåset Johansen, drummer and composer, he has collaborated with a number of important jazz musicians such as Chick Corea and Jan Garbarek. He performs as a sideman in many bands: With the Håvard Wiik Trio he performed with Ole Morten Vågan and at the Oslo Jazz Festival 2006 he played with Jon Gordon in a quartet with Roger Arntzen and Asbjørn Lerheim. He was also a regular member of the Håvard Stubø Quartet.