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Reidar Larsen

Photo: Bjørn Erik Pedersen, Lægreidfest, Sogndal, 2021 (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0)

Modern

Reidar Larsen

Born: March 12, 1955, Oslo, Norway• Norway• Active: 1980–present

Nordic BluesElectric Blues

The Stavanger pianist-turned-bluesman whose blues career began on commission from a jazz club in 1980, and who became the first artist to win Spellemannsprisen for a blues album sung entirely in Norwegian dialect, 2009's "Kom inn te oss." He's kept releasing since — A Touch of Blues in 2024 and Rock and Roll Soldier in 2026 — and remains a regular at Notodden Blues Festival.

Reidar Larsen came to the blues almost by commission — a jazz club asked him to build a blues project, and nearly three decades later he became the first artist to win a Spellemannspris for a blues record sung entirely in Norwegian dialect (Kilde: Wikipedia). Born on 12 March 1955 in Oslo, Larsen moved to Stavanger with his family in August 1959 and was educated at Stavanger Cathedral School, where his musical foundation took shape. He worked as a pianist in Stavanger bands including Nurk Twins and Staccato before co-founding the rock group Stavangerensemblet in 1974, an outfit that began as experimental instrumental jazz-rock before shifting toward Stavanger-dialect rock and becoming a defining act of the city's early-1980s music scene; Larsen played on their debut album "Ta ein kjangs!" (1980) before leaving around 1980–81. He then spent a spell in Smalhans (1981–83), formed by former Nurk Twins members (Kilde: Wikipedia). His dedicated blues career began in 1980 when the Stavanger Jazz Club commissioned him to put together a blues project, resulting in the Reidar Larsen Blues Quartet and his solo debut, "I'm a Bluesman" (1982). He has since released twelve studio albums and two live recordings, backed over the decades by various groups including the Boogie Bastards (early 1990s), the Storytellers (from 1997) and Blåtonelaget more recently. His 2006 album "Crossing," recorded with American slide guitarist Roy Rogers, marked a major international collaboration, and his 2009 album "Kom inn te oss" — his first blues record sung in Norwegian dialect — won him the Spellemannsprisen in the blues category. He has also collaborated with Knut Reiersrud, bridging two of Norway's most enduring blues careers (Kilde: Wikipedia).

Musical Influence

Larsen's 2009 dialect-sung "Kom inn te oss" proved Norwegian blues didn't need to borrow English phrasing to be taken seriously by the country's own music establishment, opening a path other regional-language blues artists in Norway have since followed (Kilde: Wikipedia).

Influences

Chicago electric bluesNorwegian dialect rock

Formative experiences

•1955: Born in Oslo. (Kilde: Wikipedia)
•1959: Family relocates to Stavanger. (Kilde: Wikipedia)
•1974: Co-founds Stavangerensemblet. (Kilde: Wikipedia)
•1980: Stavanger Jazz Club commissions a blues project, leading to the Reidar Larsen Blues Quartet. (Kilde: Wikipedia)
•1982: Solo debut "I'm a Bluesman." (Kilde: Wikipedia)
•2006: "Crossing," recorded with American slide guitarist Roy Rogers. (Kilde: Wikipedia)
•2009: "Kom inn te oss," his first Norwegian-dialect blues album, wins Spellemannsprisen. (Kilde: Wikipedia)

Stories & Anecdotes

"Larsen's blues career began not from personal ambition alone but from a direct commission: the Stavanger Jazz Club asked him to put together a blues project in 1980. (Kilde: Wikipedia)"

""Kom inn te oss" (2009) made him the first artist to win Spellemannsprisen for a blues album sung entirely in Norwegian dialect rather than English. (Kilde: Wikipedia)"

"His 2006 album "Crossing" paired him directly with American slide guitar player Roy Rogers, one of the more significant international collaborations in Norwegian blues. (Kilde: Wikipedia)"

Collaborators

American slide guitarist; recorded "Crossing" together in 2006.

Fellow Norwegian blues guitarist and collaborator.

Watch & Listen

Henter videoer fra YouTube…

Discography

Year	Title	Producer	Studio	Label	Chart	Sales	Musicians	YouTube	Notes
1982	I'm a Bluesman	—	—	—	—	—	—		Solo debut, growing out of the Stavanger Jazz Club-commissioned Reidar Larsen Blues Quartet project.
2006	Crossing (with Roy Rogers)	—	—	—	—	—	Roy Rogers (Slide guitar)		Collaboration with American slide guitarist Roy Rogers.
2009	Kom inn te oss	—	—	—	—	—	—		First blues album sung in Norwegian dialect; won Spellemannsprisen in the blues category.

Famous songs

01Kom inn te oss

02I'm a Bluesman

External links

YouTube Music Wikipedia

Booking / Contact

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Sources

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