Petter Wettre

• Petter Wettre BIO
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• Petter Wettre has since the early nineties made his mark as one of the most important musicians coming out of the Norwegian jazz scene. Wettre is known for playing contemporary jazz. He studied at Berklee College of Music in Boston under Joe Viola and George Garzone. He had his breakthrough in 1995 when he was NRK's representative in the EBU Orchestra in Prague. The orchestra, assembled under the auspices of the European Broadcasting Union is known to promote the best talent in European jazz.
• In 1994 and 1995, Wettre participated in Master Classes with renowned saxophonist Dave Liebman and in 1996 Wettre debuted as band leader with the album "Pig Virus". The album was nominated for a Norwegian Grammy that same year. Alongside his work with his quartet, he also formed the critically acclaimed "The Trio". They released four albums.Their debut album,"Meet the locals" was nominated for yet another Norwegian Grammy in 1998. “The Trio” also earned themselves 3 1/2 of 4 possible stars in the encyclopedia;"The Penguins Guide to Jazz". In 2000 they released the album "In Color" with the aforementioned Dave Liebman as guest soloist. The album came in seventh in Jazz Review's announcement of that year's top ten albums in the UK. 
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• In 2001 Wettre was awarded the "Clear Answer" jazz prize at Kongsberg Jazz Festival. 2001 also awarded Wettre his first Norwegian Grammys for best jazz album (2000) -"The Only Way to Travel", (bp rec.). Wettre also recorded and produced his 5th. album; «The Mystery Unfolds» where he shows his true versatility as a composer and saxophonist. Wettre is also voted one of the ten most important musicians on the European jazz scene in the British jazz magazine;«Jazz Review». 
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• In 2003 Wettre established his own record label,"Household Records". His album; "Hallmark Moments" was nominated for a Norwegian Grammy in 2004. Wettre promotes and releases his book of transcriptions; "Live at the Lighthouse - Omnibook" on Perla Music. (2005). This book contains all the solos of Steve Grossman and Dave Liebman from the album with the same name. This transcription book was also promoted on a tour of the most prestigious universities and music institutions in the U.S., including; Berklee College of Music and Manhattan School of Music. 
• Wettre debuted with his solo concerto for saxophone,"Paramount", at Molde Int. Jazz Festival. The concert was recorded and released on his own label later that year. In 2006 Wettre was one of the headliners at Kongsberg Jazz Festival with his "Tribute to Coltrane" on the occasion of the latter`s 80th.birthday. Wettre also toured with New Light Orchestra, (with among others,Gene Perla and Dave Liebman). In 2007 Wettre produced his CD no. 12 and 13 -"Fountain of Youth" and "Appetite for Structure". "Fountain of Youth ''earns him his 2nd. Norwegian grammy for best jazz album. 
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• Petter Wettre Quartet performs in New York and Addis Abbeba in addition to a Norwegian tour. He opened the Kongsberg Jazz Festival in 2008 with the Norwegian Radio Orchestra playing his own music orchestrated by Django Bates. Later that same year Wettre toured throughout Europe with Manu Katché, (Sting, Peter Gabriel, Jan Garbarek). Recordings for German television with Thomasz Stanko and Manu Katché follows. In February 2009 Wettre represented NRK yet again as an EBU musician.
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• Release of "Fountain of Youth - Live" (Cd / dvd) follows. This is Wettres 14th. release under his own leadership. Wettre is touring Germany, Israel, Poland, Italy and Turkey with Manu Katché and being Artist in Residence at the National Jazz Scene, (Oslo, Norway). In January 2011 Wettre was nominated for his 6th. Grammy for the album; «The Only Way to Travel 2», with acclaimed Norwegian drummer Audun Kleive. Tours of Scandinavia with Carl Winther/Anders Mogensen Trio. A reunion concert at Oslo Jazzfestival with The Trio. Duo performances with drummer Audun Kleive throughout Norway. 
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• In 2012 Petter Wettre collaborated with British pianist Jason Rebello in Lithuania and South Korea. Performances in South Africa with Manu Katché. Wettre arranged and performed his own music for a specifically selected big band for the occasion of NOPA 75th. year celebration.The concert is aired in 11 European countries as part of NRK's EBU contribution Petter Wettre records for Swedish Radio with his own band; Petter Wettre Next Generation. Performances at London Jazz festival with Ensemble Denada. Concerts in Italy with Manu Katché and Ensemble Denada. In 2013 Petter Wettre released his 17th. recording as a leader; «Reinventing Music». This is a duo recording with pianist Jason Rebello. Appearances at Kongsberg Jazzfestival, Nattjazz and Molde Int. Jazzfestival with his own projects. Concerts with Arild Andersen and Jon Christensen. In January 2014 Petter Wettre prepared and released his own app.This app includes all his music, combined with his social platforms, videos, pictures, web sites and exclusive behind the scenes looks at being an artist. It was short-lived, but available through Apple Store and Google Play.
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• In 2014 he produced and recorded a two hour radio program for NRK consisting of his own arrangements on standard tunes with a group of musicians of his choice. The music was later released on Household Records. Several festivals in 2014 included collaboration with Arild Andersen and Jon Christensen. Wettre scored and arranged the music of Charles Mingus for a special selected sextet during Oslo Jazz Festival in August commemorating Mingus. Tour with Ensemble Denada in Germany and Netherlands in October. Tour in Scandinavia with Carl Winther feat Adam Nussbaum. Appearance with Queen Latifah at the Nobel Peace Prize opening ceremony in Oslo Spektrum.
• 2015 – Tours Norway, Sweden, Denmark and London Jazz Festival  with “Tribute to Mingus'' . Concerts w Hans Mathisen's – «The Island'' project. (Oslo Jazzfestival), Scandinavian Tour w own trio. Tour of Spain w. Pepe Rivero Trio & Hans Mathisen. 
• Tour of China, Germany, Lithuania,Norway, Sweden and Denmark with the band;  “The North” in 2016. In 2017 he opens Oslo Jazzfestival with Manu Katchẽ and also launches a “Tribute to Michael Brecker”. This tribute brings Wettre yet again around Scandinavia plus South Africa in 2018 in addition to own projects at Copenhagen Jazz Festival, Edinburgh Jazz Festival and in Iceland. 
• In 2019 Wettre performs at Peperoncino Jazz Festival, Italy plus a tour of Scandinavia with guitarist Lage Lund  2019.
• In 2020 Wettre decided to move to Paris. He still lives there today and is now a part of the Parisian Jazz scene.
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• Selected assignments 2021 - 2023

             2021:

             French album release -  "The Last Album" 

             Vossajazz

             Release concert Paris - "The Last Album, radio performance TSF Jazz, Paris

             Tour in Norway with Staffan W. Olsson

             Tour in England/Scotland with Andrew Robb Quartet

              Recording for NRK P2 Jazz Club

           2022:

           Album recording with Gary Husband

           Petter Wettre Trio - Lithuania

           P.W concerts/radio appearances Paris

           Winter Jazz - “The Last Album”

           Jazzfest Trondheim, Norway

           Odaakra Jazz Festival, Sweden

          2023:

          Album recording France, "Made in Scandinavia"

          Recording with Norwegian Broadcasting Orchestra (Radio, TV, Album)

          Release “Paris/Oslo” (recording)

          Tour Norway + Paris - “Paris/Oslo”

          Fjord jazz festival with Pepe Rivero Quintet

Awards

Norwegian Grammy for best Jazz Recording 2000 - The Only Way to Travel (Bp Rec)

Norwegian Grammy for best Jazz Recording 2007 - Fountain of Youth (Household Records)