Torstein Ellingsen


Torstein Ellingsen is a Norwegian drummer and music producer, known from a series of album recordings.

Early life and Career

Ellingsen was born in Oslo and started his career playing in his older brother's band The Royal Rakes Jazzband, collaborated within Christiania Jazzband, and was a part of "Caledonia Jazzband", with The Real Thing, with Magnolia Jazzband, and with his Danish wife and singer Majken Christiansen. Ellingsen lead his own band, The Sinatra Songbook, along with jazz singer Ingar Kristiansen. He plays in these bands: Prima Vista Social Club, Rubber Soul Quartet and Gigaphonics. He has also recorded albums with Paul Wagnberg Trio, Rune Nicolaysen Trio, Anders Aarum Trio, Tor Einar Bekken, Sandvika Storband, Ola Kvernberg, Harald Bergersen, Anne Marte Slinning and Jan Werner. He has also collaborated with musicians like Sigurd Køhn, Georg Reiss, Norbert Susemihl, Halvdan Sivertsen and Øystein Sunde.
Ellingsen holds a master's degree in political science at the University of Oslo and diploma degree in Music Management from Det Jyske Musikkonservatorium in Århus, Denmark. He was the host of the TV program "Bandbox" at NRK, worked as a jazz writer and editor of the jazz magazine Jazznytt. He also was a communications consultant in Rikskonsertene in Oslo and was employed as a concert producer the same place until 2016 where he facilitates concerts for children and young audiences. Ellingsen has published the norwegian language book Rosinen i pølsa with Knut Lystad and Rune Semundseth.

Discography (in selection)

Solo albums

  • 2001: The Sinatra Songbook.

    Collaborations

With Caledonia Jazzband

  • 1985: Moods of New Orleans
  • 1987: Walkin', with Wendell Brunious
  • 1991: Is You Or Is You Ain't, with Norbert Susemihl
  • 1997: Creole Nights, with Geoff Bull

    With Garden of Delight

  • 1987: ''Big Wheels in Emotion''

    With [The [Real Thing (Norwegian band)|The Real Thing]]

  • 1995: Live
  • 1997: Pleasure Is An Attitude
  • 2011: ''Back on Track''

    With Sandvika Storband

  • 1999: ''Lining Up!''

    With [Ola Kvernberg]

  • 2001: ''Violin''

    With Paul Wagnberg Trio">Paul Wagnberg">Paul Wagnberg Trio

  • 1999: Eat Meat
  • 2001: ''Gone Fishing''

    With Anders Aarum Trio">Anders Aarum">Anders Aarum Trio

  • 2001: ''The Lucky Strike''

    With Magnolia Jazzband

  • 2002: ''In that Sweet Old Garden of Eden''

    With [Norbert Susemihl]

  • 2011: Norbert Susemihl's Joyful Gumbo – New Orleans Reflections
  • 2014: ''Norbert Susemihl – A Tribute to the Louis Armstrong All Stars – Live at Maribo Jazzfestival''