Terje Venaas

Terje Venaas (born 30 March 1947 in Molde, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz musician (upright bass), known from dozens of recordings and a number of international cooperation.

Career
Venaas started playing music within several local bands in the Molde area from 1962, among others within his brother Åge Venås Orchestra (including Geir Schumann piano and Svein Jens Thorsø). He debuted on Moldejazz in 1967, and moved to Oslo where he joined the music scene Club 7 (1967–). There he started performing with musicians like Jan Garbarek, Espen Rud and Carl Magnus Neumann, and debuted on record with Terje Rypdal in 1968.

He is one of the most prominent Norwegian jazz artists, recording with international jazz greats as within Per Husby Trio featuring Chet Baker (The improviser, Cadence Jazz Records), and performed with Dexter Gordon (Club 7, 1972), Toots Thielemans (1986), Michel Petrucciani (Kongsberg Jazz Festival, 1986).

Venaas has also been county musician in Sogn og Fjordane (1988–89), and has also collaborated with folk singer Lillebjørn Nilsen with concert tours at home and abroad and recordings, such as "Stilleste Gutt på Sovesal 1".

Honors

 * Gammleng-prisen 1982 in the class Studio
 * Drøbak Jazzklubbs Reenskaug-pris 1984
 * Buddyprisen 1988

Discography

 * 1968: Bleak House, with Terje Rypdal
 * 1973: På Stengrunn, with Lillebjørn Nilsen
 * 1983: The Improviser, with Chet Baker
 * 1984: Live at Jazz Alive, with Thorgeir Stubø
 * 1984: Daydreams, with Laila Dalseth
 * 1984: The Improviser	Chet Baker, within Per Husby Orchestra feat. Chet Baker
 * 1986: Rhythm'A'Ning, with Thorgeir Stubø
 * 1986: I Hear a Rhapsody, with Totti Bergh
 * 1986: Tenor Gladness, with Totti Bergh
 * 1986: Travelling Light, with Laila Dalseth
 * 1988: Cherokee, with Egil Kapstad
 * 1988: Flight, with Thorgeir Stubø
 * 1988: Groovin' High, with Per Nyhaug Studioband
 * 1988: My Wonderful One (Gemini Records), classics with Magni Wentzel feat. Art Farmer
 * 1989: Confessin' the Blues, with Knut Riisnæs
 * 1990: String Time, with Louis Stewart
 * 1992: Musikken Inni Oss, with Sigmund Groven
 * 1993: Toner fra Romsdal (Odin Records), with Ingeborg Hungnes
 * 1994: Om Desse Steinane Kunne Tala, with Glenn Erik Haugland
 * 1999: Portrait of Jimmy Rosenberg, with Jimmy Rosenberg
 * 2001: Bjørn Johansen, with Bjørn Johansen
 * 2001: Einar Iversen, with Einar Iversen
 * 2001: Portrait of a Norwegian Jazz Artist: Bjarne Nerem, with Bjarne Nerem
 * 2002: Blåmann! Blåmann!, with Jan Erik Vold feat. Chet Baker
 * 2002: Larsen and Loutchek, with Jon Larsen
 * 2005: Swinging, with Jimmy Rosenberg
 * 2008: Leve Patagonia (Polygram Records), with Ketil Bjørnstad
 * 2008: Nattønsker, Sigmund Groven
 * 2008: The Best of Jimmy Rosenberg, with Jimmy Rosenberg
 * 2009: Portrait of Jon Larsen, with Jon Larsen
 * 2011: Lukk Opp Kirkens Dører: A Selection of Norwegian Christian Jazz (Psych, Funk & Folk) 1970–1980