29 MAY - 6 JUNE 2026 //
USF VERFTET // BERGEN
KNUT KRISTIANSEN KVARTETT
FRIDAY 5 JUNE
USF VERFTET
Generational band for eternity!
Three generations of jazz musicians come together, led by piano legend Knut Kristiansen (turning 80 this year).
“Kåkå” — two syllables that evoke an image of commanding authority and brilliant piano playing. KK has spent much of his time on the music of Thelonious Monk, but that is not the full story of Knut Kristiansen. Along the way, he has helped build a vibrant jazz scene and music education environment in the city, founded big bands, and has been (and still is!) an important ambassador of African and Latin American music.
He received the Buddy Award in 1983 and the Vossajazz Award in 1990. Now, together with the younger generation, he brings an enduring joy of playing, virtuosic phrasing, and fearless drive.
The quartet VOLUM: The music spans six decades, beginning around 1965, when KK was about 20 years old and strongly influenced by Thelonious Monk and the emerging free jazz of the time.
The album VOLUM was nominated among the top 10 releases on the Europe Jazz Media Chart in March 2025.
KNUT KRISTIANSEN piano MAGNE THORMODSÆTER bass SIGURD STEINKOPF drums AKSEL RØED saxophone
About the band:
This collaboration started as a trio in 2020, but it soon became clear that Aksel Røed was the person to bring in for this kind of music. And so, the quartet was born.
Knut Kristiansen (1946) – piano; began playing, composing, and arranging in the mid-1960s. KK has been active as a musician and educator for sixty years and has received several awards for his work.
Aksel Røed (1998) – tenor saxophone; is a bandleader, entrepreneur, recording artist, and composer who has distinguished himself among a generation of young, talented Norwegian jazz musicians. Aksel is currently a master’s student at the Norwegian Academy of Music.
Magne Thormodsæter (1973) – double bass; is a professor at the University of Bergen, Grieg Academy. He is active as a recording artist, both as a bandleader and sideman. Magne is also a composer and performer within contemporary and classical music. The collaboration between Magne and KK began in 1998.
Sigurd Steinkopf (1997) – drums; is a virtuoso on his instrument, capable of making the complex sound simple and tasteful. He is currently very busy as a sideman in numerous projects, bands, and freelance engagements. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the Grieg Academy.