biography

Carl Petter Opsahl
(Bb-clarinet, Eb-clarinet and bass-clarinet, composer )

 

 

Where the rivers meet

My music is inspired by a diversity of sources, New Orleans and carribean music, norwegian traditional music, klezmer, church, free jazz.
Albert Ayler, Ornette Coleman and Eric Dolphy was among my early influences, and to play spontaneous, out of the moment without prejudice and is a great spiritual/musical goal. I enjoy playing solo as well as with bands. I enjoy playing traditional music as well as free improvisations. I enjoy playing for meditation as well as for dancing.


All star Brass Band på Bourbon Street, New Orleans 1986

New Orleans

I became a professional musican when I joined the Caledonia Jazzband in 1982. The year after we were invited to play at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. This visit to New Orleans became a major turn in my life. To meet and listen to such great players as Willie Humphrey at the Preservation Hall was such a big experience that I had to move to New Orleans so I could study the creole clarinet tradition, the brass bands and the funky music. When I stayed in New Orleans, I met and played with great musicians as Wendell Brunious, Steve Pistorius and Lars Edegran, who thaught me the fundamentals of music. I also played regularly with The All Star Brass Band led by a then young trumpeter James Andrews, a band that featured an even younger trumpetplayer Nicholas Payton. With the All Star Brass Band I played a lot of functions and funerals, and we played regularly out in the streets and had our spot in front of the Jackson Cathedral in the French Quarter. I also toured with the Rebirth Brass Band to Japan.

I still play with Caledonia Jazzband. We play at major festivals around the world, and have made several recordings, among them a couple with Wendell Brunious. New Orleans will always feel like my second birthplace, and I am very proud of being an Honorary Citizen of the Crescent City.

Norwegian folk music

Another turning point came when I was back home in Norway, when I met Fiddle players Hans W. Brimi from Lom and Kars Skjervheim from Voss. I have always enjoyed folk music, but hearing it live was something different. At that time I had travelled around the world, listening to sambas, calypsos, jewish and arabic music, but now I wanted to study and learn to play the music of my home country. The first step was forming the Chateau Neuf Spelemannslag (CNS) together with other dedicated musicians. With this band I got the chance to learn traditional tunes from some of the best traditional performers. We have been active for nearly ten years now, playing at major festivals worldwide and making recordings. After a while I met fiddle player Helene Høye, whith whom I studied and learned tunes from the middle part of Gudbrandsdalen. She is a wonderful player, and have inspired me to play more on my own.

Click here for overview of festivals I've played on