Biography
Jan Gunnar Hoff
Norwegian jazz pianist and composer. Born in Bodø, Northern Norway 1958.
Education
3 year jazz study at the Trondheim Conservatory, Terje Bjøklund. Private classes with Harold Danko and Django Bates 1987/1994. Andy Laverne, New York 2000. Composition/arranging classes at NMH 2000/2001.
Recordings as solo artist
"Syklus" (Odin 1993), "Moving" (Curling legs 1995), "Crosslands" (Curling 1998), "In town" (Curling 2003), "Meditatus" - Grappa 2007 (w/Bodø Cathedral Choir) and "Magma" - Grappa 2008.
Bios
Hoffs background includes classical piano, progressive rock and jazz. His career as a jazz musician started in 1976 with piano trio and continued as a backing musician for drummer Jon Christensen and other jazz artists at local clubs. Hoff has worked as a professional musician since 1979. As early as 1982 he toured with Arild Andersen and Nils Petter Molvær in Northern Norway. In 1987 he participated in an all star Norwegian combo presenting Jan Garbarek's new composition for the Federation of Norwegian Jazz musicians, FNJ.
Hoff has played and collaborated with Mike Stern, Pat Metheny, Kenwood Dennard, Maria Joao, Lars Danielsson, Cæcilie Norby, Fathy Salama, Martin France and many other fine artists. In 1995 he did a spontanous duo performance with Chick Corea at the Harstad Festival in Northern Norway, that was to be much commented and appreciated. As a duo he has performed with Maria Joao in France, Norway and Croatia. Hoff´s new trio "Acuna/Hoff/Mathisen", with legendary Alex Acuna and Per Mathisen (bass) is highly in demand with upcoming 2009- projects in USA, England, Sweden, Norway, Croatia and Russia.
Jan Gunnar Hoff Group
Hoff has released five CDs with his own Jan Gunnar Hoff Group that consists of leading Norwegian jazzperformers Audun Kleive (dr) and Bjørn Kjellemyr (bass). This band has done extensive touring in Norway and Scandinavia since 1993. Major band events include: Vossajazz, 1995. Molde International Jazzfestival and Oris London Jazzfestival 1996. Stavanger and Bergen festivals 1998. Concerts in Paris november 2000. Collaboration with Pat Metheny, Molde 2001. Cooperation with Mike Stern 2006 - 2008.
As a composer
Jan Gunnar Hoff has composed works for chamber orchestra, choir and other settings, in addition to music for his solo recordings. He has written for sinfonietta and several "cross-over" ensembles, and has approx. 130 registered compositions. In 1992 Jan Gunnar Hoff made a formal debut concert at the Harstad festival in Northern Norway, presenting compositions for piano trio and percussion, in shape of a suite in 4 movements. Hoff's debut was probably the first jazz related concert of this kind and resulted in ecstatic acclaim from the audience and critics. His Harstad suite formed the concept of the first solo recording "Syklus" (1993) and led to a creative decade, composing for his group. In 2005 Hoff wrote the commission work "Free flow songs" for Vossajazz and one year later ”Magma”, for guitar player Mike Stern and Jan Gunnar Hoff Group.
Misc
Jan Gunnar Hoff has been engaged as a regional musician in Northern Norway with "Trio Nord" from 1989-91, backing such fine artists as John Surman and Karin Krog. He has worked extensively as a music teacher and instructor on different levels since 1977. Recently he has become a professor at the Tromsø University College and the University of Kristiansand.
Prizes and grants
In 1997 Hoff received the Stubö-prize for his jazz efforts in Northern Norway, maintaining residence outside the main centras. He had a Government Grant as a pianist from 2000-2001 and a major Grant as a composer 2004-2005. Hoff received the “Edvard-Grieg”-prize from TONO for his jazz mass "Meditatus" in 2005.
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