My Grandmother’s favorite story from when I was a kid, is the story about me singing Carmen to her in her kitchen at the age of 5. I was lucky enough to be born into a musical family. My father played violin and guitar and my mother sang and played guitar. I guess it just had to happen, that I at some point started to play an instrument too. In second grade I joined the local school brass band, “Tønsberg skolekorps”, and picked up the trumpet.

People always ask me when I started to play guitar, and I have to admit I always dread answering that question. Simply because I have no idea. I think third or fourth grade, but I really don’t know. I do know who my first influences were though.. I started out as a hardcore Eric Clapton fan. (Yes, I do have all his records..) And I still go to his concerts whenever I have the opportunity.

What I do know is that it was around the time when I started playing the trumpet, that I got hooked on jazz the first time. That’s when I heard Louis Armstrong for the first time. I think it was one of his “greatest hits” albums, and it was the songs “Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans”, and “Ain’t Misbeheavin”.

My main influences now are Pat Metheny, Pat Martino, Michael Brecker, Joshua Redman, David Tronzo, Russell Malone, Diana Krall, John Pizzarelli, Joey DeFrancesco, Pat Bianchi, and several more..