Arild Andersen Group

Line up:

Arild Andersen – bass
Marius Neset – soprano and tenor saxophone
Helge Lien – piano
Håkon Mjåset Johansen – drums

Arild Andersen has for decades been one of the most important voices in Norwegian and European jazz. After sold-out performances at Norwegian festivals in 2018, he chose to continue working with this band – a project that has since approached 100 concerts, both in Norway and internationally.

Arild Andersen Group brings together some of the most distinctive musicians of a younger generation. Together, they form a band where four strong musical personalities play with precision, focus and a clear shared direction.

Marius Neset has established himself as one of Europe’s leading saxophonists, with a sound that moves from rhythmically complex and dense to open and deeply melodic. Helge Lien is known for his nuanced and responsive piano playing, drawing inspiration from Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett, while Håkon Mjåset Johansen is a driving force on drums – energetic, flexible and in high demand across a wide range of projects.

At the center is Arild Andersen himself. With a career dating back to the 1960s, and collaborations with artists such as Jan Garbarek, Sonny Rollins, Chick Corea and Pat Metheny, he is a living part of jazz history. At the same time, he remains a forward-looking musician – with a warm tone, strong presence and a clearly defined personal voice.

The repertoire of Arild Andersen Group consists largely of Andersen’s own compositions. The music is open, dynamic and deeply interconnected, allowing space for both precision and spontaneity.

“…four musicians at the very highest level […] playing as if they were a single musical organism.”
– Dagningen

This is a band that truly plays together – not alongside each other. And it shows.