ArtistInfo

Asbjørn Lerheim

eg, g, acg, *1977
Musician / Composer of Jazz and Rock

Norwegian guitar player and composer, situated in Oslo from age 19. Born in Ålesund, 1977, and raised in Langevåg. Started playing guitar at age 12, after some years on the flute and some not- so- hard efforts on trying to learn to play the piano. Different bands, singing in the local “ten-sing” choir”, a general inspiration from all the professional musicians from Langevåg and a familiy where the music was an integrated part of the everyday life, it was no really no other alternative than playing music. Later high school music studies in Ålesund, and listening to several concerts in Ålesund at the jazzclub, pointed out an interest towards the world of improvisation and jazz, after having played mostly blues and rock music before. After haven been chosen to join a masterclass at the Molde International Jazz Festival at age 17, with Django Bates, Arve Henriksen and Helge Sunde, he was convinced that to go on further with playing the guitar and writing music what was he wanted to do. After high school studies, he moved to Gjøvik, for one year at Viken Folkehøgskole, with further music studies. He moved to Oslo at age 19, for music studies at the University of Oslo, and later the Norwegian Academy of Music. Here he studied with musicians and teachers like Nils Olav Johansen, Jon Eberson, Torgrim Sollid, Håkon Storm- Mathisen, Sidsel Endresen and Rob Waring. Joined several bands in this period, amongst others oj trio, formed by trumpet player Ole Jørn Myklebust. This trio released the album “Breaks Even” in 2001, and did approximately 100 gigs the following years. In this period he also did gigs at several jazz clubs in Norway, and was also touring with the Norwegian Concert Institute with different musicians. He also seriously began working with his own compositions at this time, and started the still active quartet Damp with Jørgen Munkeby, Roger Arntzen and Torstein Lofthus in 2000. In 2001 Damp were picked out from one out of four bands in Europe to represent Norway under the “Avignon Jazz Contest” in France. Damp released the albums “Mostly Harmless (Songs)” in 2003, and “Hoatzin” in 2005 . He also were one of the formers of the group Subtonic, who did several tours in Norway. The group also played at the Vilnius Jazz Festival in Lithuania. Subtonic were one of the first bands being sponsored by the Norwegian oil company Statoil in collaboration with the Oslo International Jazz Festival . The band existed from 2002- 2006, and released the album “In this House” in 2003. In 2005 he got a cultural grant from the Norwegian Fund For Performing Artists, and went to Boston and New York for a month, taking lessons with Mick Goodrick, Jon Damian, Bob Moses and Ben Monder. He was also touring in Norway with New York saxophone player Jon Gordon, Håkon Mjåset Johansen and Roger Arntzen in 2006. Asbjørn Lerheim has worked as a professional musician, composer and teacher in Oslo the last 10 years, and are right now focusing on Chrome Hill and Quite Quiet Project. He is also now working as a teacher at Oslo Private Musikkskole, Fjellhaug Internasjonale Høgskole and Universitetet i Oslo.

Instruments

• Electric guitar
• Guitar
• Acoustic guitar

Genres

• Jazz
• Rock
• Pop

Plays With