Stian Carstensen
Encyclopedia
Stian Carstensen is a multi-instrument Norwegian musician.
. He started as an accordion
player at the age of 9. He first learned from his father, and later from a classical player which he attended for 4 years. During this time he played in Norwegian TV, radio, festivals etc. He also toured in America, playing classical music. At the same time he was also into swing jazz, and his father who also played bass, played standard tunes with him.
When he was 15 he started to play electric guitar in a rock band. After a while he started to get back the interest for jazz again and formed a trio with some local artists. He lived as a freelancer a year or so and then he began to study in the conservatory in Trondheim
, jazz department with the guitar as a main instrument. During his two years of study in Trondheim (1991–93), he formed the group Farmers Market
. The group was originally a free jazz quintet, until they one day found sheet music with a Bulgarian folk tune in 11/16. This was a great experience for the band members and they practiced day and night to be able to play this asymmetrical music.
After a while Stian went to Bulgaria and visited villages there to collect and study the local folk music. The result of the tour was a live record, Speed/Balkan/Boogie, with singers & musicians from the famous "Le mysteres des voix bulgares" recorded at Molde international jazz festival in Norway. After this Stian was totally dedicated to the Bulgarian music. He toured a lot with musicians from Bulgaria, and Romania, and learned a lot from them.
Besides of being dedicated to this kind of music, he also took lessons in Composition, learned to play the 5-string banjo
in bluegrass
style, played with various jazz groups (be-bop, and experimental) with Jon Christensen
and Bendik Hofseth to mention some.
In 1997 Farmers Market made their second album, Music from the Hybrides with saxophonist Trifon Trifonov from Bulgaria. This was an extreme album with elements of many different styles and ideas from bluegrass in odd meters to metallica like versions of traditional Balkan tunes and slick commercial music mixed with Stockhausen. The album got very good reviews from many contemporary music magazines as well as rock, folk and jazz magazines in Europe.
In 1998 he was asked to write music for a Norwegian festival; Vossajazz. He wrote some music and put together a band consisting of his colleague Jarle Vespestad (one of the most talented young drummers in Norway which also play in Farmers Market), Django Bates
from England, and Ernst Reijseger
from Holland. The music was performed in April 98, with great success. The choice of musicians was made carefully, because they each had one thing in common; they were into a lot of styles at the same time. The music was composed in a contemporary spirit, but contained elements from many different styles without being artificial.
This seems to be a highlight in Carstensen's career, and he has been working a lot with that ensemble after this. Another highlight was his release of the new record Farmers Market on the German label Winter & Winter
, he toured Europe and Japan with this band in 2000. They got very good reviews both on the album and the concert in magazines like The Wire
, Rolling Stone
etc. This year Farmers Market played at the world's biggest jazz festival, the North Sea Jazz Festival
in The Hague
, Holland.
He also played with Dutch cello player Ernst Reijseger. They work as a duo playing only self-written stuff in various improvisational folk styles.
He has studied Bulgarian polyphony in Bulgaria, and rural American Afro-Celtic music in the Appalachians, on a fee from the Norwegian cultural department. He is currently on a two-year state fee to study Bulgarian traditional music. His instruments are: accordion, kaval (Bulgarian flute), bagpipes, guitar, violin, mandolin & banjo.
He played the accordionist in the circus band (and the soundtrack) of the 2005 Neil Gaiman
, Dave McKean
film MirrorMask
.
He recently recorded his solo album, with only his own compositions for Winter & Winter, it will be released in 26 countries.
Biography
Carstensen was born in EidsvollEidsvoll
is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the Romerike traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Sundet.-Name:...
. He started as an accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
player at the age of 9. He first learned from his father, and later from a classical player which he attended for 4 years. During this time he played in Norwegian TV, radio, festivals etc. He also toured in America, playing classical music. At the same time he was also into swing jazz, and his father who also played bass, played standard tunes with him.
When he was 15 he started to play electric guitar in a rock band. After a while he started to get back the interest for jazz again and formed a trio with some local artists. He lived as a freelancer a year or so and then he began to study in the conservatory in Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
, jazz department with the guitar as a main instrument. During his two years of study in Trondheim (1991–93), he formed the group Farmers Market
Farmers Market (band)
Farmers Market is a Norwegian band founded in 1991. They started out as a free jazz quintet sprung out from the conservatory in Trondheim, but now incorporates a wide variety of genres, such as jazz, rock, pop music, bluegrass, classical and—most significantly—Bulgarian folk music....
. The group was originally a free jazz quintet, until they one day found sheet music with a Bulgarian folk tune in 11/16. This was a great experience for the band members and they practiced day and night to be able to play this asymmetrical music.
After a while Stian went to Bulgaria and visited villages there to collect and study the local folk music. The result of the tour was a live record, Speed/Balkan/Boogie, with singers & musicians from the famous "Le mysteres des voix bulgares" recorded at Molde international jazz festival in Norway. After this Stian was totally dedicated to the Bulgarian music. He toured a lot with musicians from Bulgaria, and Romania, and learned a lot from them.
Besides of being dedicated to this kind of music, he also took lessons in Composition, learned to play the 5-string banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
in bluegrass
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
style, played with various jazz groups (be-bop, and experimental) with Jon Christensen
Jon Christensen
Jon Christensen is a Norwegian jazz percussionist.In the late 1960s he played alongside Jan Garbarek on several recordings by the composer George Russell....
and Bendik Hofseth to mention some.
In 1997 Farmers Market made their second album, Music from the Hybrides with saxophonist Trifon Trifonov from Bulgaria. This was an extreme album with elements of many different styles and ideas from bluegrass in odd meters to metallica like versions of traditional Balkan tunes and slick commercial music mixed with Stockhausen. The album got very good reviews from many contemporary music magazines as well as rock, folk and jazz magazines in Europe.
In 1998 he was asked to write music for a Norwegian festival; Vossajazz. He wrote some music and put together a band consisting of his colleague Jarle Vespestad (one of the most talented young drummers in Norway which also play in Farmers Market), Django Bates
Django Bates
Django Bates , is a composer, multi-instrumentalist and band leader. He plays the piano, keyboards and the tenor horn. He currently lives in Copenhagen where he is a professor at the Rhythmic Music Conservatory and leader of the StoRMChaser orchestra.-Career:Django Bates was born in Beckenham,...
from England, and Ernst Reijseger
Ernst Reijseger
ERNST REIJSEGER Cellist and composer Ernst Reijseger plays the cello from the age of seven and began as a performing cellist and improviser in 1969. From that time on he developed his own musical vocabulary...
from Holland. The music was performed in April 98, with great success. The choice of musicians was made carefully, because they each had one thing in common; they were into a lot of styles at the same time. The music was composed in a contemporary spirit, but contained elements from many different styles without being artificial.
This seems to be a highlight in Carstensen's career, and he has been working a lot with that ensemble after this. Another highlight was his release of the new record Farmers Market on the German label Winter & Winter
Winter & Winter
Winter & Winter is a Munich-based record label that specializes in jazz and improvised music. Stefan Winter, also the founder of the now-defunct JMT Records, is the founder and executive producer of Winter & Winter...
, he toured Europe and Japan with this band in 2000. They got very good reviews both on the album and the concert in magazines like The Wire
The Wire (magazine)
The Wire is a British avant garde music magazine, founded in 1982 by jazz promoter Anthony Wood and journalist Chrissie Murray. The magazine initially concentrated on contemporary jazz and improvised music, but branched out in the early 1990s to various types of experimental music...
, Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
etc. This year Farmers Market played at the world's biggest jazz festival, the North Sea Jazz Festival
North Sea Jazz Festival
The North Sea Jazz Festival is an annual jazz festival held each second weekend of July in the Netherlands at the Ahoy venue. It used to be in The Hague but since 2006 it has been held in Rotterdam...
in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, Holland.
He also played with Dutch cello player Ernst Reijseger. They work as a duo playing only self-written stuff in various improvisational folk styles.
He has studied Bulgarian polyphony in Bulgaria, and rural American Afro-Celtic music in the Appalachians, on a fee from the Norwegian cultural department. He is currently on a two-year state fee to study Bulgarian traditional music. His instruments are: accordion, kaval (Bulgarian flute), bagpipes, guitar, violin, mandolin & banjo.
He played the accordionist in the circus band (and the soundtrack) of the 2005 Neil Gaiman
Neil Gaiman
Neil Richard Gaiman born 10 November 1960)is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, graphic novels, audio theatre and films. His notable works include the comic book series The Sandman and novels Stardust, American Gods, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book...
, Dave McKean
Dave McKean
David McKean is an English illustrator, photographer, comic book artist, graphic designer, filmmaker and musician....
film MirrorMask
MirrorMask
Mirrormask is a 2005 fantasy film from Jim Henson Pictures, Samuel Goldwyn Films, and Destination Films. It stars Stephanie Leonidas, Jason Barry, Rob Brydon, and Gina McKee. It is designed and directed by Dave McKean, written by Neil Gaiman from a story they developed together...
.
He recently recorded his solo album, with only his own compositions for Winter & Winter, it will be released in 26 countries.
Discography
With Mathias EickMathias Eick
Mathias Eick is a Norwegian jazz musician born near the town of Eidsfoss in the county of Vestfold, Norway. He is mainly known as a musician on the jazz label ECM Records. His main instrument is the trumpet, but he also plays double bass, vibraphone, piano and guitar.In his lifetime Eick has...
- The DoorThe Door (Mathias Eick album)The Door is the debut album by Norwegian trumpeter, composer and multi-instrumentalist Mathias Eick recorded in 2007 and released on the ECM label.-Reception:...
(ECM, 2007)