Bjørn Kjellemyr (4 December 1950 – 9 August 2025) was a Norwegian jazz double bassist, known from a variety of musical contexts like Terje Rypdal & The Chasers, Joe Henderson, Bob Berg, Chet Baker, Art Farmer, Pat Metheny, Mike Stern, Dag Arnesen, Knut Riisnæs, Jon Eberson, Bugge Wesseltoft, Audun Kleive, Jon Balke, Jan Gunnar Hoff and Ketil Bjørnstad.
Life and career Kjellemyr played bass in local rock bands in the Skien area, while he explored the jazz with pianist Rune Klakegg and joined in Guttorm Guttormsen's Big band and Quartet, with performances at the Norwegian Jazz Association's anniversary concerts in 1973 and Moldejazz Festival 1974. He moved to Oslo and studied at Norges Musikkhøgskole (1974–78).
Kjellemyr lived in Bergen from 1978 to 1980 and was employed at Musikkselskabet Philharmonic Orchestra, and was part of Dag Arnesen Trio and Sextet 1978–79, Søbstad/Arnesen Quartet 1979–80, and appeared at different festivals with such as Jon Balke, Jon Eberson and Erling Aksdal, and actually performed at every «Moldejazz» from 1974.
He participated in a number of different jazz groups including with Knut Riisnæs, Jon Eberson, Bugge Wesseltoft, Audun Kleive, Jon Balke, Jan Gunnar Hoff, Ketil Bjørnstad, and was particularly known for his long collaboration with guitarist Terje Rypdal. Kjellemyr played with a series of international jazz greats like Joe Henderson, Bob Berg, Chet Baker, Art Farmer, Pat Metheny and Mike Stern. The bassist contributed on a large number of recordings, among others on the ECM label. He also played with singers/songwriters Kari Bremnes, Jan Eggum, Anne Grete Preus and Karoline Krüger.
Kjellemyr received the "Jazz Musician of the Year" (1990) and "Buddy Prize" (1994). He was employed at the 2005 Norges Musikkhøgskole as associate professor at the department of jazz and improvised music.
With the orchestra Metropolitan he released two albums, Metropolitan (1999) and Love Is Blind (2004). "Metropolitan" is Beate S. Lech, Jon Eberson, Morten Halle, Pål Thowsen and Rob Waring in addition to Kjellemyr.
He was an improviser who was comfortable with different musical environments basis. From 1998 he appeared in concerts and recordings with lutenist Rolf Lislevand and his improv/baroque ensembles. Latest recording on ECM with this ensemble in 2008 "Diminuito".
Kjellemyr died on 9 August 2025, at the age of 74.Norsk jazzlegende død
Honors 1990: "Jazz Musician of the Year", by The Association of Norwegian jazz musicians 1994: Buddyprisen, by the Norwegian Jazz Forum
Discography (in selection)
With Knut Riisnæs Quartet 1982: Flukt (Odin Records), with Dag Arnesen & Jon Christensen With Chet Baker The Improviser (Cadence Jazz, 1983) With Terje Rypdal 1985: Chaser (ECM Records), with Terje Rypdal & The Chasers 1987: Blue (ECM Records), with Terje Rypdal & The Chasers 1989: The Singles Collection (ECM Records), with Terje Rypdal & The Chasers 1993: Q.E.D. (ECM Records) 1995: If Mountains Could Sing (ECM Records) 2006: Vossabrygg (ECM Records), commissioned work at Vossajazz 2003
With Jon Eberson 1985: Stories (CBS Records), Jon Eberson Band 1987: Stash (Odin Records), Trio with Audun Kleive 1990: Blow! (Odin Records), with Morten Halle & Finn Sletten 1992: 2 (Curling Legs), with Morten Halle & Finn Sletten 1993: Live At Rockefeller (Odin Records), with Jazzpunkensemblet 1997: Thirteen Rounds (Curling Legs), with "Jazzpunkensemblet"
With Knut Kristiansen 1987: Monk Memorial
With Ab und Zu 1993: Den akustiske skygge
With Dag Arnesen 1989: Renascent (Odin Records), Trio with Svein Christiansen 1990: The day after (Taurus), Quintet with Wenche Gausdal, Odd Riisnæs and Svein Christiansen
With Jan Gunnar Hoff 1991: Syklus (Odin Records) 1995: Moving (Curling Legs) 1996: Crosslands (Curling Legs)
With Ketil Bjørnstad 1993: Water Stories (ECM Records) 2004: Seafarer's Song (Universal Music Norway, EmArcy) 2010: Hvalenes sang (Grappa Music)
With Berit Opheim 1998: Fryd (Curling Legs), with Einar Mjølsnes, Per Jørgensen & Sigbjørn Apeland 2005: Ein Song Frå Dei Utsunge Stunder (Vossajazz Records), with "BNB" (Nils Økland)
With Metropolitan 1999: Metropolitan (Columbia Records) 2004: Love Is Blind (Curling Legs), with strings
With Oslo 13 2001: Live In The North (Curling Legs)
With Kristin Skaare 2008: Var (Grammofon)
With Tore Johansen 2008: Giving (Inner Ear) 2009: Jazz Mass (Inner Ear)
With Geir Lysne Ensemble 2009: The Grieg Code (ACT)
With "Northern Arc" 2012: Northern Arc (Curling Legs)
With Chamber projects 1992: Borealis (Aurora), with "Borealis" 2006: Nuove musiche, with Rolf Lislevand 2009: Diminuito, with Rolf Lislevand
References
External links Bjørn Kjellemyr Biografi on Store Norske Leksikon