Nils Petter Molvaer

Nils Petter Molvær (NPM), Norwegian trumpet player, composer and producer, takes multiple music styles – jazz, ambient, house, electronic and break beats, as well as elements from hip hop, rock and pop music – and effortlessly reshapes them into unique and dramatic soundscapes of deep intensity.

NPM was born in 1960 on the little island of Sula (Norway). From an early age his father – jazz clarinettist and saxophonist, Jens Arne Molvær – introduced NPM to jazz, although his musical diet would become increasingly diverse. After playing in school bands and local clubs, he left Sula in 1979 to study music at the Trondheim Conservatory, where he began developing his singular style, and proceeded to gain a reputation as one of Norway's emerging new talents.

His remarkable ease in handling the often-contrary conventions of pop, rock, funk, and modern jazz ensured a strong interest in both acoustic and electric music. This chameleon-like ability soon established him as a much sought-after musician in Oslo, which ultimately led to his a colourful and diverse curriculum vitae as a sideman. During his time with acclaimed jazz combo, Masqualero, NPM was introduced to Manfred Eicher, who welcomed him into his prestigious and much-lauded roster. Alongside the three ECM Masqualero releases, NPM recorded many classic studio sessions for ECM with artists such as Robyn Schulkowsky, Marilyn Mazur, Jon Balke's Oslo 13, and Sidsel Endresen. However, NPM wanted to do something different, both in terms of composition, and trumpet technique.

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