Jan Erik Kongshaug

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Jan Erik Kongshaug (born July 4, 1944 in Trondheim ; † November 5, 2019 in Oslo ) was a Norwegian sound engineer and jazz guitarist . He was best known for his work for the ECM label .

Life

Innately electrical engineers, Kongshaug 1970 began his decades of work for ECM on the album Afric Pepperbird of Jan Garbarek . He worked in various studios such as the Talent Studios in Oslo, which had been operated with Arve Sigvaldsen since 1975, and the New York Power Station , until he opened his own Rainbow Studio in Oslo in 1984 . Since then, Kongshaug has often been firmly associated with ECM in connection with this studio. The "ECM Sound" known for its transparency is largely due to his influence as a sound engineer. Kongshaug has now been responsible for the sound of hundreds of productions, more than half of the ECM recordings.

Kongshaug became known for the "Nordic" sound, which he realized in September 1970 with Manfred Eicher for the album "Affric Pepperbird" with Jan Garbarek, Terje Rypdal, Arild Andersen and Jon Christensen , later also with the recordings of the Norwegian singer Kari Bremnes . The musicians he has recorded include international jazz greats such as John Abercrombie , Gary Burton , Chick Corea , Bill Frisell , Jan Garbarek , Keith Jarrett , Pat Metheny , Terje Rypdal , Eberhard Weber and almost all other longtime ECM musicians. Musicians like Arild Andersen, Karin Krog or John Surman had him recorded for other labels.

Even before his time as a sound engineer, Kongshaug was active as an accordion player and then as a jazz guitarist. After finishing school, he played on a cruise ship for a year. During this time he learned to play bass . After he had already accompanied his compatriot Sven Nyhus on 15 albums, he released his first album The Other World in 1998 - not on ECM, but on label competitor ACT - on which he devoted himself to bebop in a quartet . In 2005, All These Years followed with the same line-up . Kongshaug's own compositions are included on the Frode Thingnæs quintet's album Direct To Dish (1980) , the only Norwegian direct-to-disc recording.

Discography (selection)

title year Label
The Other World 1998 ACT
All these years 2005 Hot club

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Giovanni Russonello: Jan Erik Haug Kong, Maestro of Recorded Sound, this at 75. In: The New York Times . November 12, 2019, accessed November 13, 2019 .
  2. ↑ Thomas Steinfeld: The just tone. Retrieved November 9, 2019 .
personal data
SURNAME Kongshaug, Jan Erik
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Norwegian sound engineer and jazz guitarist
DATE OF BIRTH 4th July 1944
PLACE OF BIRTH Trondheim
DATE OF DEATH 5th November 2019
Place of death Oslo