Frode Gjerstad

Frode Gjerstad (born 24 March 1948 in Stavanger, Norway) is a Norwegian Jazz musician with alto saxophone as principal instrument, but also plays other saxophones, clarinet and flute. He has collaborated with a number of Norwegian and international musicians like Paal Nilssen-Love, Borah Bergman, Peter Brötzmann, Evan Parker, Derek Bailey, Bjørn Kjellemyr, Terje Isungset, William Parker, Sabir Mateen, John Stevens, Johnny Dyani, Kent Carter, and since 1979 made huge contributions to more than 50 recordings.

Gjerstad played in the trio Detail together with the British drummer John Stevens, in the period 1981–1994, and they released fourteen albums. Other members of the band were the pianist Eivin One Pedersen (1981–82) and the mega bassist's Johnny Dyani (1981–1986) or Kent Carter (1987–1994).

In 1985, he initiated "Circulasione Totale Orchestra", a band with varying lineups, where young musicians, mostly from Stavanger, could get a chance. To the Moldejazz 1989 he composed the commissioned work Dancemble which was performed by a 13-man version of the band. The band was active until 1995 and produced three recordings. In 1998, the band reemerged and released the album Borealis.

He also collaborated with numerous musicians in various small groups, which has resulted in several albums, tours and festival recordings in Norway, United States and Europe. The most long-lasting partnership in recent years is the current issue of Gjerstad Trio where he plays with drummer Paal Nilssen-Love and bassist Øyvind Storesund. They debuted at Nattjazz in Bergen 1999 and have released five albums.

• 1996: Jazz Musician of the Year by "Foreningen norske jazzmusikere"
• 2008: "Buddyprisen"
• 2010: "Stavanger kommunes kulturpris"

Solo albums

• 1998: Ism (Circulasione Totale)

As front man

• 1998: Borealis (Cadence)

• 2001: Hello Goodbye (Emanem)

• 2002: Shadows and Light (FMR)

• 2003: Soria Moria (FMR)

• 2003: The Welsh Chapel (Cadence)

• 2003: Nearly A D (Emanem)

• 2003: Demystify (FMR)
• 2005: One Foot Moving (Utech)

• 2003: Tou (FMR)

• 2004: May Day (FMR)

• 2004: No Definitive (FMR)
• 2011: Tipples (FMR) with David Watson
• 2013: Live Tipple (FMR) with David Watson

• 2003: Born To Collapse (Circulasione Totale)

• 2005: Good Question (FMR)

• 2005: Keep On Playing (FMR)

• 2005: The Shortest Night (FMR)

• 2006: We Are As Organic As Cars (Nolabel)

• 2006: Behind the White Fences (Nolabel)

• 2006: The Walk (FMR)

• 2006: The Cello Quartet (FMR), including with Amit Sen, Paal Nilssen-Love - The Cello Quartet
• 2010: Sugar Maple (FMR), including with Michael Zerang
• 2011: Tistel (FMR)

• 2007: Day Before One (Tyyfus)
• 2010: Gromka (Not Two)
• 2012: Side By Side (CIMP)

• 2008: On Reade Street (FMR)

• 2009: Bergen (FMR)

• 2012: Different Times (Loose Torque)

• 2013: Deichman (Conrad Sound)

• 2013: Mirrors Edges (FMR)

Collaborations

• 1983: Backwards and Forwards / Forwards And Backwards (Impetus Records), with Johnny Dyani and John Stevens

• 1996: Seeing New York From The Ear (Cadence)

• 1996: Sunshine (Impetus)

• 1999: Invisible Touch (Cadence )

• 2003: Rivers in Time (FMR)

• 2004: Everything Is Divisible By 1 (Nolabel)

• 2004: Red Edge (CD) Breathmint, Carbon Records, Little Mafia Records, Sunship Records, Gameboy Records BM 96, CR092, LM035, SUN38, GB55 2004

• 2009: Reknes (Circulasione Totale), including with Ingebrigt Håker Flaten + Paal Nilssen-Love
• 2012: Kampen (NoBusiness), including with Ingebrigt Håker Flaten, Paal Nilssen-Love
• 2012: Dragon (PNL), including with Paal Nilssen-Love
• 2014: Silver Cornet (Nessa), including with Ingebrigt Håken Flaten, and Frank Rosaly

• 2009: Han & Frode (Cadence)

• 2010: Sound Gathering (Not Two )

• 2011: VC/DC (Hispid)

• 2014: Life On Sandpaper (FMR)

• 2014: Sult (FMR)
• 2015: Distant Groove (FMR), including with Nick Stephens, Fred Lonberg-Holm