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Hayden Powell

British-born/Norwegian-based trumpeter who's worked with Magic Pocket, Trondheim Jazz Orchestra and his own bands.

About Me

Hayden Powell is a trumpet player and composer based in Oslo, Norway. Originally English, Powell moved to Norway as a child and grew up in Molde. He works in a variety of styles with an emphasis on jazz and improvised music, and released his debut album as a bandleader, The Attic, in September 2011. His second album, Roots and Stems, was released in October 2013.

Hayden Powell started his career as a 13-year-old member of the traditional jazz band Dixi from Molde. Tours of Norway and England and four CD releases by this band gave Powell a blistering start to his musical life. In addition, Powell often performed with his father, who is a church organist. From 2002-2006 he studied at NTNU in Trondheim, earning a bachelor's degree in jazz performance. During these years, Powell co-founded the band Magic Pocket with Erik Johannessen (trombone), Daniel Herskedal (tuba) and Erik Nylander (drums). He also started his first band in his own name, and had great success in 2008 when Hayden Powell Quartet played at the Trondheim Jazz Festival with trumpeter Kenny Wheeler as a guest. During this period, Powell also participated in several versions of the Trondheim Jazz Orchestra, including those led by Terje Rypdal, Vigleik Storaas and Eirik Hegdal. He received Molde Jazz Festival and Sparebank 1's Jazz Scholarship in 2006 and Trondheim Jazz Festival's talent prize in 2009.

In 2008, Hayden Powell moved to Oslo where he earned a master's degree in jazz performance at the Norwegian Academy of Music (2009- 2011). As a part of this degree, Powell worked with musicians such as Tore Brunborg, Jon Balke, Per Oddvar Johansen and Mats Eilertsen, and he also played his first solo concert, in Tøyen Church in February 2011. During this period he took part in more projects with the Trondheim Jazz Orchestra, such as those with Øyvind Brække and Erlend Skomsvoll. As a member of the band Magic Pocket, he was awarded the prize “JazZtipendiat” in 2009/2010. This grant, which was presented by Midt-Norsk Jazzsenter, Molde Jazz Festival and Sparebank 1, gave the band the opportunity to write a commissioned work for the Trondheim Jazz Orchestra at the Molde Jazz Festival the following year. The result of this commissioned work can be heard on the album Trondheim Jazz Orchestra & Magic Pocket - Kinetic Music (MNJ Records, 2011). In April 2011 Hayden Powell represented Norway as part of the European Jazz Orchestra 2011, led by Jere Laukannen.

As a composer, Powell has written music for big bands, wind bands, and a number of smaller ensembles. He has also written string and horn- arrangements for a number of pop acts, among them the critically acclaimed album The Architect by Jens Carelius (Jansen recordings, 2011). He contributes compositions to Magic Pocket, his own trio, and several other bands. Hayden Powell also has extensive experience as a conductor and instructor, and has been a leader/composer for Midtnorsk Ungdomsstorband, conductor of Big Boss Band, worked as an instructor at Østnorsk Jazzsenter's summer camp and many other courses and seminars.

2011 is a year of many album releases for Hayden Powell. In January, Magic Pocket released its critically acclaimed debut album The Katabatic Wind (Bolage, 2011) with pianist and keyboardist Morten Qvenild, and in April, Powell attracted much attention for his contribution to Jens Carelius' The Architect (Jansen recordings, 2011). In July, Kinetic Music (MNJ Records, 2011) was released, while Powell's debut under his own name will be launched on September 16th with the release concert at the Nasjonal Jazzscene Victoria in Oslo. Hayden Powell - The Attic (Inner Ear, 2011) is built around Hayden Powell Trio, which alongside Powell consists of Eyolf Dale on piano and Jo Skaansar on bass. Drummer Jasper van Hulten, trombonist Erik Johannessen and saxophonist Tore Brunborg are guests on the recording.