Christian Wallumrod

He made his debut on ECM Records with the album “No Birch” (issued in 1996) to considerable critical acclaim. The album “Sofienberg Variations” with a new ensemble (Christian Wallumrød Ensemble: with Nils Økland, Arve Henriksen and Per Oddvar Johansen) was released on ECM in 2003. Wallumrøds third album ”A Year From Easter”, with the same ensemble, was released in spring 2005 on the German record label. An extended version of his acoustic ensemble (sextet with long time partners Henriksen and Johansen in addition to Gjermund Larsen on violins, Tanja Orning on cello and Giovanna Pessi on baroque harp) played Wallumrøds compositions on the album ”The Zoo Is Far” (ECM, 2007). In 2008 the trumpeter Eivind Lønning replaced Arve Henriksen in the sextet version of CWE, and the ensemble recorded and released the album ”Fabula Suite Lugano” in 2009. The record was nominated for the Nordic Musicprice 2010. Since 2002 the Christian Wallumrød Ensemble has regularly toured and played at festivals in Norway, Scandinavia, Europe and the US. In spring 2013 the new CWE album ”Outstairs” is due on ECM.

In addition to composing and performing with his ensemble, Wallumrød is also part of the quartet Dans Les Arbres (DLA), with fellow Norwegians Ivar Grydeland (guitars / banjo) and Ingar Zach (percussion / grand cassa) and French clarinet player Xavier Charles. The group was formed in 2006 and works with improvised music, and a wide variety of acoustic and electronic instruments. The first Dans Les Arbres album was released on ECM Records in spring 2008, and the cd “Canopée” came out on the same label in 2012. DLA has played in Norway, Europe, USA, Canada, Russia, Libanon, Japan.

Wallumrød has had long term collaborations with a.o. singer Sidsel Endresen (w/ Merriwinkle) and drummer Audun Kleive (with his Generator X), resulting in various recordings (Jazzland Records). He has also recorded several albums on Norwegian labels, a.o. with the trio Close Erase. Wallumrød has generally focused on small and fixed ensembles, both as a performer and a composer. He regularly gives solo performances and he has participated in a variety of ad hoc constellations moving in different musical directions, with artists such as Susanne Sundfør, Nils Petter Molvær, Ricardo Villalobos & Max Loderbauer, Karl Seglem, Jan Bang, Garth Knox, DJ Strangefruit, Oslo Sinfonietta, Kim Myhr.

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