Thomas Strønen

Thomas Strønen (born 7 December 1972 in Oslo, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz musician (drums) and composer, known from more than 60 albums, and cooperations with internationally acclaimed musicians worldwide, including Iain Ballamy, Arve Henriksen, Mats Eilertsen, Ashley Slater, Eivind Aarset, Christian Fennesz, Nils Petter Molvaer, Bobo Stenson, John Taylor, Tore Brunborg, Morten Qvenild, Ingebrigt Håker Flaten, Sidsel Endresen, Bugge Wesseltoft, Tomasz Stanko, Koichi Makigami, Ernst Reijseger, Nils-Olav Johansen, and Stian Carstensen.

Strønen is educated on the Jazz Program at Trondheim Musikkonservatorium (1995–99). He has participated in the bands Pohlitz (solo project), Humcrush with Ståle Storløkken, with sometimes Sidsel Endresen, Food with Iain Ballamy and sometimes Christian Fennesz and the Swedish-Norwegian band Parish with Bobo Stenson, Meadow with the British pianist John Taylor and Tore Brunborg. Furthermore, he plays with Maria Kannegaard Trio, Reflections in Cosmo (feat. Ståle Storløkken, Kjetil Møster, Hans Magnus "Snah" Ryan), Time Is A Blind Guide (feat. Kit Downes, Ole Morten Vågan, Lucy Railton and Nils Økland), Trinity and Turanga. He has also made several commissioned works, and produced and arranged works for a variety of artists. Strønen is also an Associate Professor at Norges Musikkhøgskole.

Strønen is recording for the great German label ECM and also for Rune Grammofon. As a composer, Strønen has contributed to the release of over forty recordings as well as Several commissioned works for festivals (including the Bath and Cheltenham Jazz Festival and Ultima Contemporary Music Festival) and radio (DR, BBC, Deutsche Rundfunk, NRK, BBC, Swedish Radio, and others).

• Gildeskål-stevnet 1999, with the poet Tristan Vindthorn, performed at Ørnes July 1999, by the musicians Håvard Lund, Håvard Bendiksen and Ole Marius Sandberg
• Cheltenham Jazzfestival 1999, with Iain Ballamy, performed by the band Food
• Bath Jazzfestival 2000, with Iain Ballamy, Arve Henriksen, performed by the band Food
• Dølajazz 2000, with Tomasz Stanko, Christian Wallumrød, Håkon Kornstad, Johan Bertling
• Music for the percussion ensemble 'Bad Valley Drums' (30 minutes of music) in 2001, 2002 and 2003
• Music for the 'Ultima Festival', 2003 (for 6 percussionists)
• Music for Parish 2004' recording for ECM (6 compositions)
• Music for solo percussion and sampler for Nattjazz, (30 minutes of music) in 2004.
• Music for solo percussion and sampler for 'Edinburgh Jazz Festival', (30 minutes of music) in 2004.

– Exquisite Pain (Utsøgt Smerte) – Sophie Calle. Music for theatre in København, Århus and Odense.
– Time is a blind guide – Commission for Conexions 2013, NRK/ BBC. (National Jazzscene) – Badnajazz 2013. Commission for 25 drummers, saxophone (Tore Brunborg), elektronics and video.
– Winner of composition contest "Klangen av Kilden" (sound for Kilden)- sounds for the concert house Kilden (Kristiansand).
– Commission for drum ensemble and saxophone (8 drummers), 60min, 5. Oktober 2012.
– Urban X. Music for dance- performance (30min) for The Norwegian Opera, 2011.
– Commission for 7 drummers, Cosmopolite and Victoria in 2010, 74 min.
– Commission (Food) for Cheltenham Jazzfestival, 2010.
– Film- music for TV2, Sneglehuset, 2009.
– Commission, strings and drums – celebration of Edvard Grieg's 100-year jubilee in UK, 55 min. (2007)

Solo

Under his name

• Pohlitz (Rune Grammofon, 2006), Solo: Thomas Strønen (beatable items, live-electronics)
• Time is a Blind Guide (ECM, 2015), Thomas Strønen: drums, percussion; Kit Downes: piano; Håkon Aase: violin; Lucy Railton: cello; Ole Morten Vågan: double bass; Sic Øyunn Kjenstad: percussion; Steinar Mossige: percussion.

With Parish

• Rica (Challenge, 2003), live with Bobo Stenson (piano), Fredrik Ljungkvist (clarinet, tenor saxophone) and Mats Eilertsen (double-bass)
• Parish (ECM, 2006), with Bobo Stenson (piano), Fredrik Ljungkvist (clarinet, tenor saxophone) and Mats Eilertsen (double-bass)

With Food

• Food (Feral Records, 2000), Quartet: Iain Ballamy (saxophones), Arve Henriksen (trumpet, vocals, electronics), Mats Eilertsen (double-bass) and Thomas Strønen (drums, electronics)
• Organic and GM Food (Feral Records, 2001), Quartet
• Veggie (Rune Grammofon, 2002), Quartet
• Last supper (Rune Grammofon, 2004), Quartet
• Molecular Gastronomy (Rune Grammofon, 2007), Duo: Iain Ballamy and Thomas Strønen, feat. Maria Kannegaard and Ashley Slater
• Quiet Inlet (ECM, 2010), Duo feat. Christian Fennesz, Eivind Aarset, Prakash Sontakke and Nils Petter Molvær
• Mercurial Balm (ECM, 2012), Duo feat. Christian Fennesz, Eivind Aarset, Prakash Sontakke & Nils Petter Molvær
• This Is Not a Miracle (ECM, 2015), Trio: Iain Ballamy (saxophones, electronics), Christian Fennesz (guitar, electronics)

With Humcrush

• Humcrush (Rune Grammofon, 2004), Duo: Ståle Storløkken (keyboards) & Thomas Strønen (drums, electronics)
• Hornswoggle (Rune Grammofon, 2006), Duo
• Rest at Worlds end (Rune Grammofon, 2008), Duo
• Ha! (Rune Grammofon, 2011), Duo feat. Sidsel Endresen

With Maria Kannegaard Trio

• Breaking the surface (ACT, 2000), Trio: Maria Kannegaard (piano), Mats Eilertsen (double bass) & Thomas Strønen (drums)
• Quiet Joy (Jazzland Records/Universal Music, 2005), Trio: Maria Kannegaard (piano), Ole Morten Vågan (double bass) & Thomas Strønen (drums)
• Camel Walk (Jazzland Records, 2008), Trio

With Meadow

• Blissful Ignorance (Hecca Records/Musikkoperatørene, 2009), Trio: John Taylor (piano), Tore Brunborg (saxophones) & Thomas Strønen (drums)

With Needlepoint

• 2010: The Woods Are Not What They Seem (BJK Music)
• 2012: Outside The Screen (BJK Music)

With others

• Atmosfear (Turnleft Prod., 1997), with Bergmund Waal Skaslien
• Soundoff (Turnleft Prod., 2000), with Bergmund Waal Skaslien
• Ståhls Blå (Dragon Records, 2001), with Ståhls blå
• Big Bambus (Bergland Prod., 2001), with Big Bambus
• At first light (Universal Music, 2001), with Silje Nergaard
• Love Seriously Damages Health (Bergland Prod., (2001), with Siri Gjære
• Help is on its way (Ayler Records, 2003), with Bayashi
• African Flower (Haug Records, 2003), with Haug/Zanussi/Strønen
• Rica (Challenge Music, 2004), with Parish
• Absence in mind (Jazzaway Records, 2004), with Anders Aarum Trio
• Skomsork (Park Grammofon, 2004), with Skomsork
• …………… (Caber Music, 2004), with Phil Bancroft Quartet
• Turanga (AIM Records, 2004), with Mats Eilertsen
• Schlachtplatte (Mooserobie, 2004), with Ståhls blå
• Sparkling (Jazzaway Records, 2004), with Trinity
• Rock! (Jazzaway Records, 2004), with Bayashi
• Time goes by (Universal Music, 2004), with Nora Brockstedt
• Soil (Ayler Records, 2004), with Fredrik Nordstrøm
• Flux (AIM Records, 2006), with Mats Eilertsen
• Monsters and puppets (Gigafon, 2011), With Maria Kannegaard (rhodes, electronics) & Thomas Strønen (drums, electronics) Duo
• Voxpheria (Gigafon Records, 2012), with Tone Åse & Thomas Strønen Duo

• "Thomas Strønen: Pohlitz (2006) - RuneGrammofon.com". 
• "Thomas Stronen: Parish (2006) - AllAboutJazz.com".  (John Kelman, 2006)
• "Food Quiet Inlet Review – Music".  BBC.co.uk
• "FOOD – Quiet Inlet".  ECMrecords.com
• Fordham, John (15 April 2010). "Thomas Stronen/Iain Ballamy/Food: Quiet Inlet – Guardian Music". The Guardian. London.  Guardian.co.uk
• Kelman, John (22 November 2004). "Thomas Stronen: Humcrush (2004)". All About Jazz. Retrieved 2014-10-31. 
• Mosnes, Terje (17 August 2011). "Humcrush: A "Ha!"-opplevelse! – Kultur" (in Norwegian). Dagbladet. Retrieved 2014-10-31. 
• "Maria Kannegaard Trio – på Cosmopolite.no".  (in Norwegian)
• "Review Maria Kannegaard Trio: Camel Walk (2008)- AllAboutJazz.com".  (John Kelman, 2008)
• "Meadow – John Taylor, Tore Brunborg, Thomas Stronen - EditionRecords.com". 
• "Review: Monsters and puppets – Jazznytt JazzINorge.no".  (in Norwegian)