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Tor Einar "Daumann" Jacobsen

Photo: Jens Anders Ravnaas

Modern

Tor Einar "Daumann" Jacobsen

Also known as: Daumann

Born: 1951, Kristiansand, Norway• Norway• Active: 1970s–present

Nordic BluesChicago BluesBlues Rock

The Kristiansand guitarist and bassist who took the initiative to record at Chess Studios in Chicago with Sunnyland Slim, Bob Stroger, S.P. Leary and Zora Young in 1983, then brought them back to Norway — and spent five decades building Kristiansand's blues scene along the way.

Some musicians build a career on stage. Tor Einar "Daumann" Jacobsen built one largely by picking up the phone — first to book a room at Chess Studios in Chicago, then to bring Chicago's own blues legends back to Norway, and finally to help make Kristiansand a genuine stop on the international blues map (Kilde: MusicBrainz; Discogs; Sørlandsavisen). Born in 1951 in Kristiansand, Jacobsen — universally known by the nickname "Daumann" — was playing in the band Shambles as early as the 1960s, before joining the guitar line-up of Marquee Band when it formed in Kristiansand in the early 1970s. Modelled on the Rolling Stones and built around rhythm and blues, Marquee Band became one of the city's leading rock acts of the era, reaching the final of NM i rock (the Norwegian rock championship) in 1979 and signing to PolyGram/Phonogram. The band released the maxi-single "We're Allright" (1980), which charted on VG-lista, and the LP "Verken Fioliner Eller Englekor" (1981), fourteen tracks on which Jacobsen played guitar, harmonica and backing vocals, including the widely covered Norwegian novelty hit "Gammel råkk i kåken" (Kilde: no.wikipedia.org; VG-lista). The defining chapter of his career began in 1983, when Jacobsen took the initiative for a trip to Chicago with fellow Scandinavian musicians Knut Reiersrud, Sven "Pee Wee" Zetterberg, Kristin Berglund and John Magnar "Hungry John" Bernes. Jacobsen had personally arranged studio time at Chess Studios — the room where Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter, Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry had all recorded — a place he later called "the cradle of the blues." Over four weeks the group recorded fourteen songs alongside genuine Chicago blues royalty: pianist Sunnyland Slim, bassist Bob Stroger, drummer S.P. Leary and singer Zora Young, engineered by Gerald Sims. The results were released on Strawberry Records as "Bluesmeeting in Chicago" (1983), with Jacobsen credited as producer and mixer as well as performer; the album sold more than 5,000 copies in Norway and charted domestically, an exceptional result for a Norwegian blues record (Kilde: Discogs; MusicBrainz). The following year, Jacobsen helped bring several of those same Chicago musicians — Sunnyland Slim, Bob Stroger, Zora Young and drummer Ray Allison — to Scandinavia for a tour through Molde, Kongsberg, Trondheim, Bergen and Kristiansand. New sessions recorded at Cross Studio in Lund, Kristiansand, with engineer Alf Emil Eik, produced a second album, "Chicago Blues Meeting in Scandinavia" (1984), again on Strawberry Records, with Jacobsen playing both guitar and bass and co-producing alongside Reiersrud (Kilde: Discogs). Jacobsen's role in Kristiansand's blues scene went well beyond his own recordings. Sørlandsavisen names him, alongside Jan Erik Moen, as one of the earliest and most driven figures in the city's blues community, and credits his personal connection to Danish blues promoter Peter Astrup with helping bring further international blues names to Kristiansand over the years — including documented performances alongside Louisiana Red (with Jacobsen on bass, backed by Johnny Augland on drums and Eirek Sandnes on harmonica) and Champion Jack Dupree. He also recorded solo material under the "Daumann" name, including a set of blues sung in Sørlandet dialect referred to in the Norwegian blues press as "Blå fingre," and continued performing into his seventies — Marquee Band played a reunion show at Café Generalen in Kristiansand as recently as 27 June 2026 (Kilde: Sørlandsavisen; Bluesnews; Oslo Bluesklubb). In 2021, Kristiansand municipality awarded Jacobsen its Kulturpris (Culture Prize), given for exceptional contribution to the city's cultural life; the following year, Christianssand Blues & Rock Club organized a tribute concert with six bands performing in his and Moen's honour. In 2024, Norske Albumklassikere reissued both "Bluesmeeting in Chicago" and "Chicago Blues Meeting in Scandinavia" on vinyl, with pre-orders reportedly arriving from as far away as Sweden and the United States — a sign the recordings have found an audience well beyond the region that made them. Jacobsen is also the father of Ronnie Jacobsen, winner of the 2018 Spellemannspris in blues, who grew up in a Kristiansand home where music — his father's blues and his mother Kirsti Johannessen's own musicianship — was a constant presence (Kilde: Kristiansand kommune; Sørlandsavisen).

Musical Influence

Jacobsen did more than record a good blues album — he built a working bridge between Kristiansand and Chicago's own blues tradition, twice over: once by bringing Scandinavian musicians to Chess Studios, and once by bringing Chess-era musicians back to Norwegian stages, a two-way exchange few Norwegian musicians of his generation attempted (Kilde: Discogs; Sørlandsavisen).

Influences

Chicago electric bluesRolling StonesMuddy Waters

Formative experiences

•1951: Born Tor Einar Jacobsen in Kristiansand, Norway. (Kilde: MusicBrainz)
•1960s: Plays in the band Shambles. (Kilde: Ballade)
•Early 1970s: Joins Marquee Band as guitarist. (Kilde: no.wikipedia.org)
•1979: Marquee Band reaches the final of NM i rock. (Kilde: no.wikipedia.org)
•1983: Initiates and produces the Chess Studios, Chicago sessions that became "Bluesmeeting in Chicago." (Kilde: Discogs)
•1984: Helps bring Sunnyland Slim, Bob Stroger, Zora Young and Ray Allison to Scandinavia for a tour and the "Chicago Blues Meeting in Scandinavia" recordings. (Kilde: Discogs)
•2021: Awarded Kristiansand municipality's Kulturpris. (Kilde: Kristiansand kommune)

Instruments & Equipment

Guitar

Electric guitar, harmonica, bass

Played guitar and harmonica on Marquee Band and the 1983 Chicago sessions; switched to bass for the 1984 Scandinavia sessions and for backing Louisiana Red in Kristiansand.

Stories & Anecdotes

"Jacobsen personally arranged the studio booking at Chess Studios in Chicago for the 1983 sessions, a room he later described as "the cradle of the blues." (Kilde: Sørlandsavisen)"

""Bluesmeeting in Chicago" sold over 5,000 copies in Norway in 1983 and charted domestically — an exceptional result for a Norwegian blues record. (Kilde: Discogs)"

"In 2024, Norske Albumklassikere's vinyl reissue of both his Chicago-era albums drew pre-orders from as far away as Sweden and the United States. (Kilde: Sørlandsavisen)"

"He is the father of Ronnie Jacobsen, winner of the 2018 Spellemannspris in blues, who grew up in a Kristiansand home where visiting Norwegian and international musicians were a constant presence. (Kilde: Sørlandsavisen)"

"Marquee Band, the band he joined in the early 1970s, was still playing reunion shows in Kristiansand as recently as June 2026. (Kilde: Sørlandsavisen)"

Collaborators

Co-organized and co-produced the 1983 Chicago sessions and 1984 Scandinavia sessions.

Sven "Pee Wee" Zetterberg

Swedish blues singer/harmonica player, fellow traveler on the 1983 Chicago trip.

John Magnar "Hungry John" Bernes

Bergen Blues Band leader, fellow traveler on the 1983 Chicago trip.

Kristin Berglund

Fellow musician on the 1983 Chicago trip.

Chicago pianist; recorded on both "Bluesmeeting in Chicago" (1983) and "Chicago Blues Meeting in Scandinavia" (1984).

Chicago bassist; recorded on both albums and toured Scandinavia in 1984.

Chicago drummer, formerly with Muddy Waters; recorded on "Bluesmeeting in Chicago" (1983).

Chicago blues/soul singer; recorded on both albums and toured Scandinavia in 1984.

American bluesman backed in Kristiansand by Jacobsen on bass, with Johnny Augland (drums) and Eirek Sandnes (harmonica).

Champion Jack Dupree

American blues/boogie-woogie pianist, documented performing with Jacobsen in Kristiansand.

Ronnie Jacobsen

Son; winner of the 2018 Spellemannspris in blues.

Watch & Listen

Featured

Tor Einar Jacobsen "Daumann" forteller historien rundt Moro'n-plata

Tor Einar forteller selv historien om en av platene sine.

Rune Tengs

Tor Einar Jacobsen — Gammelrock i Kåken

Tor Einar Jacobsen — Gammelrock i Kåken

Daumann — Steamroller Blues (James Taylor cover)

Daumann — Steamroller Blues (James Taylor cover)

Watch & Listen

Henter videoer fra YouTube…

Discography

Year	Title	Producer	Studio	Label	Chart	Sales	Musicians	YouTube	Notes
1980	We're Allright (with Marquee Band)	—	—	PolyGram/Phonogram	—	—	Gunnar Sjursø (Vocals), Trygve Espebu (Vocals), Kenneth Johansen (Bass), Terje Strømsvåg (Drums), Erik Gunvaldsen (Guitar)		Maxi-single; charted on VG-lista.
1981	Verken Fioliner Eller Englekor (with Marquee Band)	—	—	PolyGram/Phonogram	—	—	Gunnar Sjursø (Vocals), Trygve Espebu (Vocals), Kenneth Johansen (Bass), Terje Strømsvåg (Drums), Erik Gunvaldsen (Guitar)		14-track LP; Jacobsen played guitar, harmonica and backing vocals. Includes the widely known "Gammel råkk i kåken."
1983	Bluesmeeting in Chicago	Knut Reiersrud, Sven Zetterberg, Tor Einar Jacobsen	—	Strawberry Records	—	—	Sunnyland Slim (Piano), Bob Stroger (Bass), S.P. Leary (Drums), Zora Young (Vocals), Knut Reiersrud (Guitar), Sven "Pee Wee" Zetterberg (Harmonica, vocals), John Magnar "Hungry John" Bernes (Vocals, harmonica), Kristin Berglund (Vocals)		Recorded over four weeks at Chess Studios, Chicago, engineered by Gerald Sims, mixed by Alf Emil Eik, Knut Reiersrud and Jacobsen. Sold over 5,000 copies in Norway and charted domestically. Tracks include "Take a Walk With Me," "Pee Wee's Boogie" and "Tough Times."
1984	Chicago Blues Meeting in Scandinavia	Knut Reiersrud, Tor Einar Jacobsen	—	Strawberry Records	—	—	Sunnyland Slim (Piano, vocals), Bob Stroger (Bass), Ray Allison (Drums), Sven Zetterberg (Harmonica, vocals, lead guitar), Knut Reiersrud (Guitar), Johnny Oakland (Organ), Hungry John (Vocals, harmonica)		Recorded at Cross Studio, Lund, Kristiansand, engineered by Alf Emil Eik, following the visiting Chicago musicians' Scandinavian tour. Jacobsen played both guitar and bass.

Famous songs

01Take a Walk With Me

02Pee Wee's Boogie

03Gammel råkk i kåken

External links

YouTube Music Discogs

Booking / Contact

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Sources

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