Hallgeir Pedersen
| Hallgeir Pedersen | |
|---|---|
Pedersen in 2014.
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| Background information | |
| Born |
24 May 1973 Tromsø, Troms |
| Origin | Norway |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer |
| Instruments | Guitar |
| Website | www |
Hallgeir Pedersen (born 24 May 1973 in Tromsø, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz guitarist, well known for his Thorgeir Stubø, Wes Montgomery and Coltrane inspired bop guitar performances and recordings like West Coast Blues (2002) with his own trio.
Pedersen was raised in Øksfjord, a small village in Finnmark, northern Norway, and started early playing heavy-metal guitar, inspired by guitarists like Ritchie Blackmore, Ronni Le Tekrø, and Yngwie Malmsteen. The latter led him to study the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, and classical guitar studies on the music program at Holstbakken videregående skole in Alta (1989–92). During this period he became interested in bebop, and he was introduced to the work of the renowned Norwegian jazz guitarist Thorgeir Stubø (1943–1986). His first jazz band was the Alta Jazz Trio, with a festival debut at the Varanger Festival in 1995. Later he joined bassist Dag Erik Pedersen in Romanian pianist Constantin "Nuti" Tănase's trio. Pedersen had already developed a distinct guitar style performing mostly in northern Norway.
Pedersen started the jazz band Bebop Guitars in 1998, with another guitarist Øystein Norvoll. This band represented Nordnorsk Jazzforum at their 25 anniversary, performing at Festspillene i Nord-Norge in 1999. He was discovered by a broader audience when presented at NRK by jazz host Erling Wicklund, his first feature radio concert live with Bebop Guitars at Nordland Musikkfestuke in Bodø for NRK P2. After this he was often referred to as "Norway's new king of bebop guitar" and "The Phantom of Øksfjord", in the Norwegian jazz press.
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