Frode Gjerstad

Frode Gjerstad
Gjerstad during the Moers Festival in Germany, 2008
Background information
Born	(1948-03-24) 24 March 1948 (age 69) Stavanger, Rogaland
Origin	Norway
Genres	Jazz
Occupation(s)	Musician, composer
Instruments	Saxophone, clarinet, flute
Website	frodegjerstad.com

Frode Gjerstad (born 24 March 1948 in Stavanger, Norway) is a Norwegian Jazz musician with alto saxophone as principal instrument, but also plays other saxophones, clarinet and flute. He has collaborated with a number of Norwegian and international musicians like Paal Nilssen-Love, Borah Bergman, Peter Brötzmann, Evan Parker, Derek Bailey, Bjørn Kjellemyr, Terje Isungset, William Parker, Sabir Mateen, John Stevens, Johnny Dyani, Kent Carter, and since 1979 made huge contributions to more than 50 recordings.

Gjerstad played in the trio Detail together with the British drummer John Stevens, in the period 1981–1994, and they released fourteen albums. Other members of the band were the pianist Eivin One Pedersen (1981–82) and the mega bassist's Johnny Dyani (1981–1986) or Kent Carter (1987–1994).

In 1985, he initiated "Circulasione Totale Orchestra", a band with varying lineups, where young musicians, mostly from Stavanger, could get a chance. To the Moldejazz 1989 he composed the commissioned work Dancemble which was performed by a 13-man version of the band. The band was active until 1995 and produced three recordings. In 1998, the band reemerged and released the album Borealis.