Bjørn Kjellemyr

Bjørn Kjellemyr was a Norwegian jazz double bassist, known from a variety of musical contexts like Terje Rypdal & The Chasers, Joe Henderson, Bob Berg, Chet Baker, Art Farmer, Pat Metheny, Mike Stern, Dag Arnesen, Knut Riisnæs, Jon Eberson, Bugge Wesseltoft, Audun Kleive, Jon Balke, Jan Gunnar Hoff and Ketil Bjørnstad.

Life and career

Kjellemyr played bass in local rock bands in the Skien area, while he explored the jazz with pianist Rune Klakegg and joined in Guttorm Guttormsen's Big band and Quartet, with performances at the Norwegian Jazz Association's anniversary concerts in 1973 and Moldejazz Festival 1974. He moved to Oslo and studied at Norges Musikkhøgskole.
Kjellemyr lived in Bergen from 1978 to 1980 and was employed at Musikkselskabet Philharmonic Orchestra, and was part of Dag Arnesen Trio and Sextet 1978–79, Søbstad/Arnesen Quartet 1979–80, and appeared at different festivals with such as Jon Balke, Jon Eberson and Erling Aksdal, and actually performed at every «Moldejazz» from 1974.
He participated in a number of different jazz groups including with Knut Riisnæs, Jon Eberson, Bugge Wesseltoft, Audun Kleive, Jon Balke, Jan Gunnar Hoff, Ketil Bjørnstad, and was particularly known for his long collaboration with guitarist Terje Rypdal. Kjellemyr played with a series of international jazz greats like Joe Henderson, Bob Berg, Chet Baker, Art Farmer, Pat Metheny and Mike Stern. The bassist contributed on a large number of recordings, among others on the ECM label. He also played with singers/songwriters Kari Bremnes, Jan Eggum, Anne Grete Preus and Karoline Krüger.
Kjellemyr received the "Jazz Musician of the Year" and "Buddy Prize". He was employed at the 2005 Norges Musikkhøgskole as associate professor at the department of jazz and improvised music.
With the orchestra Metropolitan he released two albums, Metropolitan and Love Is Blind. "Metropolitan" is Beate S. Lech, Jon Eberson, Morten Halle, Pål Thowsen and Rob Waring in addition to Kjellemyr.
He was an improviser who was comfortable with different musical environments basis. From 1998 he appeared in concerts and recordings with lutenist Rolf Lislevand and his improv/baroque ensembles. Latest recording on ECM with this ensemble in 2008 "Diminuito".
Kjellemyr died on 9 August 2025, at the age of 74.