Harald Lassen (born March 13,1987 in Kristiansand, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz musician, composer, and band leader. He leads the band LASSEN, and he has also been a member of Pixel, Mopti (feat. Bendik Baksaas on the album Bits & Pieces), No. 4, Dr. Kay And His Interstellar Tone Scientists, and DUPLEX. He gained attention at an early age by musicians such as bass player Arild Andersen and drummer Jon Christensen. He has collaborated with Bugge Wesseltoft, Morten Qvenild, Emilie Stoesen Christensen, Tord Gustavsen, Bram De Looze, Corrie Dick, Arthur Kay, Ellen Andrea Wang, Anja Lauvdal, Rob Waring, Mathias Eick, Ray Phiri, Mohamed Issa Matona, and LABtrio.

Harald Lassen
Harald Lassen at Oslo Jazzfestival 2017
Harald Lassen at Oslo Jazzfestival 2017
Background information
Birth nameHarald Hagen Lassen
Born (1987-03-13) 13 March 1987 (age 37)
Kristiansand, Vest-Agder
OriginNorway
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)Musician, composer
Instrument(s)Saxophone, piano, percussions, vocals
LabelsJazzland Recordings
Cuneiform Records
NorCD
Havtorn Records
Websiteharaldlassen.com

Career edit

Harald Lassen was raised in Greipstad, Songdalen in Norway. After many years as a pianist, he later trained as a saxophone player. Lassen attended Toneheim Folkehøgskole from 2006 to 2007 and Universitetet i Agder's Institutt for rytmisk musikk from 2007 to 2008. He completed further studies in jazz and improvised music at the Norwegian Academy of Music from 2008 to 2012.

Lassen has worked with African musicians and dancers in Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Mozambique and Uganda. In 2013, Lassen moved to Zanzibar for three months to teach and establish a jazz department for young music students at Dhow Countries Music Academy.

Lassen is currently a board member of Oslo Jazzfestival (2015).

Honors edit

  • 2012: "This year's young jazz musicians", the Jazzintro award at Moldejazz, within Mopti[1]
  • 2013: Featured at Young Nordic Jazz Comets within Pixel[2]

Discography[3] edit

  • 2019: LASSEN feat. various artists - Remix-Eventyr (Jazzland Recordings)
  • 2018: LASSEN - Eventyrer (Jazzland Recordings)
  • 2016: Harald Lassen & Lab Trio - Rainbow Session (Hagen Recordings)
  • 2019: No. 4 - Duell (Samkjørt)
  • 2018: Matonas Afdhal Group - Matonas Afdhal Group (OK World)
  • 2017: No. 4 - Hva Nå (Arch Rec)
  • 2016: No. 4 - Henda i været (Arch Rec)
  • 2015: Pixel - Golden Years (Cuneiform Records)
  • 2015: Mopti - Bits & Pieces (Jazzland Recordings), feat. Bendik Baksaas
  • 2015: Duplex - Èn (NorCD)
  • 2014: Sjøen - Live 1 (Havtorn Records)
  • 2013: Mopti - Logic (Jazzland Recordings)
  • 2013: Pixel -  We Are All Small Pixels (Cuneiform Records)
  • 2013: Duplex - Duolia (NorCD)
  • 2013: Duplex - Sketches Of … (NorCD)
  • 2013: Andrea Kvintett - Russian Dream (NorCD)
  • 2013: Dr Kay And His Interstellar Tone Scientists - Dr. Kay and the search for true happiness (Brass&Bangle)
  • 2012: Pixel - Reminder (Cuneiform Records)
  • 2012: Ronja - Il Calebrone (Havtorn Records)
  • 2012: Bendik Baksaas - The Shape of Beats To Come (Dayladore Collective), feat. on «Nobody Will Laugh»
  • 2012: Andrea Kvintett - Andrea Kvintett (NorCD)
  • 2010: Martin Rane Bauck - Suite For A Distant Present Time (Bauckstadt)
  • 2009: Team Båt - På Lag (Mudi)

References edit

  1. ^ Brauer, Camilla Slaattun (17 July 2012). "Mopti vant Jazzintro" (in Norwegian). JazzINorge.no. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  2. ^ "Young Nordic Jazz Comets". Young Nordic Jazz Comets. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  3. ^ "Harald Lassen website". www.haraldlassen.com.

External links edit