Terje Rypdal -

Terje Rypdal is a Norwegian jazz-rock guitarist who’s released more than 25 albums since 1968 in solo and combo form, mostly on ECM.

He gained jazz world plaudits in the late 1960s playing with Jan Garbarek and the Arild Andersen–Jon Christensen rhythm section. His early work includes Sart (1971) with Garbarek and What Comes After (1973) with Andersen and Christensen.

Rypdal developed a signature sound blending sustained tones, textural layering, and atmospheric improvisation, showcased on solo albums like Odyssey (1975) and Waves (1978). He also recorded trio projects with Miroslav Vitous and Jack DeJohnette, including Terje Rypdal / Miroslav Vitous / Jack DeJohnette (1978) and To Be Continued (1981). Across his career, he has collaborated with European and American jazz musicians while maintaining a distinctive fusion of rock, jazz, and avant-garde expression.

Background and Early Bands

Terje Rypdal was born on August 23, 1947, in Oslo, Norway, the son of a composer and orchestra leader. As a child, he studied classical piano and trumpet. In his teens, he took up guitar, which he learned to play by ear, inspired by Hank Marvin of The Shadows.

Rypdal first performed and recorded in The Vanguards, a Norwegian beat group that released the 1966/67 albums Hjemme Igjen! and Phnooole on Triola. The first contains one of his earliest co-writes, “Du Har Gjort Meg Glad.” Phnooole features four Rypdal originals: “I Must Try and Live Alone,” “Baby, No,” “I Don’t Love You Anymore,” and “I Cry.”

He joined the psychedelic rock quartet Dream, which cut the 1967 Polydor album Get Dreamy. Rypdal co-wrote ten tracks and sang lead on two: “Ain’t No Use” and “Driftin’.” Dream keyboardist Christian Reim and drummer Tom Karlsen assisted Rypdal on his subsequent solo debut.

Bleak House

Terje Rypdal released his debut solo album, Bleak House, in 1968 on Polydor. In contrast to his earlier rock activity, the album focuses on electrified post-bop.

The album centers on amplified post-bop with large-ensemble passages and spare, atmospheric interludes. Rypdal fronts a variable lineup that includes tenor saxophonist–flutist Jan Garbarek, alto saxophonist–flutist Carl Magnus Neumann, baritone saxophonist Hans Knudsen, pianist–organist Christian Reim, bassist Terje Venaas, and drummer Jon Ivar Christensen, plus auxiliary horn players under arranger–conductor Knut Riisnæs. Drummer Tom Karlsen appears on the opener (“Dead Man’s Tale”).

Several tracks unfold in contrasting modes. “Dead Man’s Tale” builds from a slow, organ-fed pulse into a sequence of alternating solos where guitar, Hammond, and flute trade lines at even pace. “Wes” moves at a brisk clip with tightly stacked brass figures that frame darting guitar phrases. “Winter Serenade” plays as a triptych: an initial, hushed exchange between piano and guitar; a volatile central passage where clustered reeds and cymbal bursts mimic shifting winds; and a concluding descent where piano thins the texture. The title track opens in a low register and expands into wide brass voicings that leave space for elongated guitar runs and a later reed break. “Sonority” proceeds in slow intervals with sustained tones from guitar and horns. “A Feeling of Harmony” closes the album on a muted chamber scale with acoustic guitar, light flute lines, and wordless voice.

A1. “Dead Man’s Tale” (7:03) — a slow-tempo blues sequence with organ, voice, flute, and guitar set against a steady backbeat.
A2. “Wes” (4:15) — bright horn lines shape the rhythmic contour while guitar alternates between clean phrases and fuller, chord-based figures.
A3. “Winter Serenade” (6:04)
— a. “Falling Snow” — piano and guitar outline a sparse, free-form idea.
— b. “Snow Storm” — overlapping reeds, scattered percussion, and rising dynamics depict intensifying weather.
— c. “Melting Snow” — piano restores a calm cadence as the ensemble withdraws.

B1. “Bleak House” (7:05) — gradual expansion from soft ensemble voicings into wider brass responses, a mid-section sax break, and a late guitar run.
B2. “Sonority” (5:21) — slow-paced lines from guitar and winds rise in sustained arcs with faint cymbal detail.
B3. “A Feeling of Harmony” (2:29) — acoustic guitar with light flute and wordless voice.

Sessions occurred on October 7, 8, and 22, 1968, at Roger Arnhoff Lydstudio in Oslo with Rypdal as producer, Roger Arnhoff as engineer, and Odd Løken as recording supervisor.

Sohlberg Foto supplied the photography for Bleak House.

Sart

In 1971, ECM issued Sart, a quintet album group-billed (in order) to Jan Garbarek, Bobo Stenson, Terje Rypdal, Arild Andersen, and Jon Christensen.

The album presents an exploratory approach to space, texture, and tonal interplay. Garbarek’s saxophones and flute navigate between sparse motifs and bursts of intensity, while Stenson’s piano and electric piano, Rypdal’s guitar, Andersen’s bass, and Christensen’s percussion shift between structured passages and freer improvisation.

Garbarek composed the majority of the album, writing four of the seven tracks. Andersen contributed one composition, and Rypdal wrote the closing piece, highlighting their respective instrumental voices within the ensemble.

The opening track, “Sart,” revolves around a descending five-note motif, with Garbarek using trills, sustained notes, and multi-phonics over sparse accompaniment. “Fountain of Tears – Part I and II” develops a percussive dialogue and textural shifts, including Stenson on electric piano and Garbarek on flute. “Song of Space” features Rypdal’s roaring guitar culminating in a duo with Garbarek and Stenson emphasizing altissimo and minor tonalities. “Close Enough for Jazz” is an arco bass and bass saxophone duo exploring minor key interplay. “Irr” alternates between two trios, blending moody restraint with piano-led excursions. “Lontano” closes the album with a brief, sustained electric guitar drone.

A1. “Sart” (14:54)
A2. “Fountain of Tears – Part I and II” (6:02)
B1. “Song of Space” (9:38)
B2. “Close Enough for Jazz” (1:57)
B3. “Irr” (7:14)
B4. “Lontano” (2:10)

Sessions occurred on April 14–15, 1971, at Arne Bendiksen Studio in Oslo with producer Manfred Eicher and engineer Jan-Erik Kongshaug.

The cover features a design by B. & B. Wojirsch, with back cover photography by Björn A. Fossum.

Terje Rypdal

Terje Rypdal released his self-titled second solo album in November 1971 on ECM.

The album balances wide-open, slow-moving ensemble passages with sudden shifts into denser, distorted exchanges. Rypdal fronts a sextet of singer Inger Lise Rypdal, saxophonist Jan Garbarek (tenor, flute, clarinet), oboist Ekkehard Fintl (English horn), keyboardist Bobo Stenson (electric piano), bassist Arild Andersen (double, electric), and drummer Jon Christensen.

Several tracks unfold in extended arcs. “Keep It Like That – Tight” opens with a steady, syncopated pulse that supports warped, intermittent guitar phrases; midway, the piece switches meter as Garbarek pushes sharply angled lines over a thicker ensemble sequence. “Rainbow” builds a quiet, foreboding texture with bowed bass, soft percussion, and low-register winds that create an unbroken, nocturnal mood. “Electric Fantasy” forms a drifting field of electric piano, soft drums, wordless voice, and fading guitar chords; a late-section surge intensifies the dynamic before the piece returns to its earlier suspension. “Lontano II” centers on slow, low-register tones from guitar and bass with scattered percussive detail. “Tough Enough” moves at a quicker pace with repeating guitar figures that break into short bursts of amplified phrasing.

A1. “Keep It Like That – Tight” (12:14)
A2. “Rainbow” (7:05)

B1. “Electric Fantasy” (15:33)
B2. “Lontano II” (3:11)
B3. “Tough Enough” (4:44)

Sessions occurred on August 12–13, 1971, at Arne Bendiksen Studio in Oslo with Manfred Eicher as producer and Jan Erik Kongshaug as engineer.

What Comes After

Terje Rypdal released his third solo album, What Comes After, in 1974 on ECM.

Rypdal advances his spacious electric style with a set built on slow-mounting themes, stretched tones, and open-interval interplay between flute, oboe, basses, and percussion. The lineup features oboist Erik Niord Larsen, bassist Barre Phillips, electric bassist Sveinung Hovensjø, and percussionist Jon Christensen, who also plays organ.

Rypdal composed four of the album’s six pieces. Christensen co-wrote one track with Rypdal, and Phillips supplied two pieces.

Several pieces hinge on repeating low-end figures with layered detail in the upper lines. The opener unfolds on a cycling electric bass pattern under rim-shot percussion and sustained electric-guitar shapes. The second piece moves with soft acoustic patterns, English horn lines, and sparse bass accents. “Icing” develops around alternating bass motion and light oboe figures before Rypdal steps forward with descending electric shapes. The title track builds from a thin percussive pulse into expanded electric surges with bowed bass and oboe in the midrange. The final two pieces pivot toward chamber-styled writing: one pairs piccolo bass with overlapping oboe lines; the other frames Phillips’ lead patterns with quiet acoustic-guitar detail and intermittent tom rolls.

A1. “Bend It” (9:55)
A2. “Yearning” (3:22)
A3. “Icing” (7:50)
B1. “What Comes After” (10:58)
B2. “Sejours” (3:51)
B3. “Back of J.” (4:17)

Sessions occurred on August 7–8, 1973, at Arne Bendiksen Studio in Oslo with producer Manfred Eicher and engineer Jan Erik Kongshaug.

Whenever I Seem to Be Far Away

Terje Rypdal released his fourth solo album, Whenever I Seem to Be Far Away, in November 1974 on ECM.

The album divides between an electrified quintet on Side A and a large-orchestra setting on Side B. Rypdal fronts French horn player Odd Ulleberg, keyboardist Pete Knutsen (mellotron, electric piano), bassist Sveinung Hovensjø (six-string, electric), and percussionist Jon Christensen. The flip side features Rypdal with the Südfunk Symphony Orchestra under conductor Mladen Gutesha, who spotlights violinist Helmut Geiger and violist Christian Hedrich.

Side A presents two long-form pieces that stress alternating peaks and suspended passages. The opener shifts from a solemn brass-and-mellotron introduction into a rapid, low-end pattern where Christensen’s clipped accents and Hovensjø’s overdriven bass underpin Rypdal’s distorted patterns; later sections expand into wider keyboard textures with short breaks for French horn. The second piece outlines a slower, more staggered rhythm with phased mellotron lines and isolated horn phrases that move between calm figures and sudden, denser exchanges. The title track unfolds as an extended, slow-built arc: strings establish a quiet, unsettled mood with oboe and clarinet tracing soft contours; Rypdal enters midway with stretched, echo-laden guitar shapes that rise and fade against the orchestra’s sustained, low-register voicings.

A1. “Silver Bird Is Heading for the Sun” (14:05)
A2. “The Hunt” (5:18)
B. “Whenever I Seem to Be Far Away” (17:37)

Sessions occurred in 1974 at Arne Bendiksen Studio in Oslo and Tonstudio Bauer in Ludwigsburg with producer Manfred Eicher and engineer Jan Erik Kongshaug.

The cover of Whenever I Seem to Be Far Away features an abstract ECM landscape image.

Odyssey

Terje Rypdal released his fifth solo album, the two-record Odyssey, in October 1975 on ECM.

Rypdal expands his electric language across four long-form sides marked by sustained tones, slow horizontal movement, recurring bass figures, and wide organ backdrops. He fronts a working quintet with trombonist Torbjørn Sunde, keyboardist Brynjulf Blix (organ), bassist Sveinung Hovensjø (electric), and drummer Svein Christiansen.

Side-length works unfold in extended arcs, alternating low-motion passages with sudden surges. “Darkness Falls” centers on a sparse, mournful guitar line that opens against scattered bass and drum detail before Sunde briefly carries the theme. “Midnite” stretches over a repeating bass pattern with drifting organ layers and periodic soprano-sax figures; Rypdal’s guitar enters mid-course with elongated shapes that rise over Christiansen’s light, steady pace. “Adagio” develops from quiet organ waves and string-like sonorities into a slow crest where Rypdal’s lines move from soft contours to sharper peaks in the final minutes.

“Better Off Without You” follows a similar gradual-build design with faint guitar signals that tighten into brighter upper-register accents. “Over Birkerot” shifts to a firmer pace with rapid drum motion and deeper organ tones, prompting Rypdal to answer with denser, more forceful patterns. “Fare Well” unfolds as a dark, drawn-out sequence of eerie guitar calls, intermittent sax lines, and occasional brass reinforcement. “Ballade” opens on quiet organ and low brass before Rypdal breaks through with short, searing phrases that subside into a calmer organ-led close. “Rolling Stone,” the side-long final piece, extends the album’s slow-burn approach with long sustained sections, sporadic thematic hints, and a late rise in electric density.

A1. “Darkness Falls” (3:33)
A2. “Midnite” (16:45)
B1. “Adagio” (13:16)
B2. “Better Off Without You” (7:37)
C1. “Over Birkerot” (4:48)
C2. “Fare Well” (11:25)
C3. “Ballade” (5:55)
D1. “Rolling Stone” (23:54)

Sessions occurred in August 1975 at Arne Bendiksen Studio in Oslo with producer Manfred Eicher and engineer Jan Erik Kongshaug.

After the Rain

Terje Rypdal released his sixth solo album, After the Rain, in 1976 on ECM.

Rypdal presents a sparse, intimate set built on soft piano figures, slow-shaping electric themes, and brief acoustic sketches framed by light synthesizer tones. He performs all instruments apart from voice contributions by singer Inger Lise Rypdal, who adds faint, wordless lines on select pieces.

The longer pieces form the album’s central arc. “Autumn Breeze” moves from quiet piano into a slow electric rise where sustained upper-register notes float above soft string-ensemble textures; a later section introduces distant vocal shapes that thicken the atmosphere before the theme returns to piano. “Air” combines faint electric-piano patterns with elongated guitar tones that stretch and fade in overlapping contours.

The title track unfolds at a slow pace with glowing electric chords, light bells, and a brief, mid-section vocal layer that lifts the piece before it settles into a subdued close. “Like a Child, Like a Song” develops from simple piano into a measured electric ascent that brightens midway, then drops back to a quiet piano resolution. Shorter interludes—acoustic fragments, flute miniatures, and pieces built on single repeating patterns—appear between the longer tracks and bind the album into one continuous, low-motion sequence.

A1. “Autumn Breeze” (4:36)
A2. “Air” (4:28)
A3. “Now and Then” (2:53)
A4. “Wind” (1:26)
A5. “After the Rain” (6:08)

B1. “Kjare Maren” (4:12)
B2. “Little Bell” (1:38)
B3. “Vintage Year” (3:49)
B4. “Multer” (2:55)
B5. “Like a Child, Like a Song” (6:04)

Sessions occurred in August 1976 at Talent Studios in Oslo with producer Manfred Eicher and engineer Jan Erik Kongshaug.

No Time for Time

In February 1977, Zarepra/Sonet issued No Time for Time, a quartet album co-billed (in order) to Pål Thowsen, Jon Christensen, Terje Rypdal, and Arild Andersen.

The album foregrounds percussion, with Thowsen and Christensen alternating rhythmic and textural roles across separate channels, while Rypdal adds electric guitar layers and Andersen provides acoustic bass support. The ensemble balances structured motifs with freer improvisational passages, emphasizing rhythmic interplay and sparse melodic framing.

Rypdal, Andersen, Thowsen, and Christensen collectively shaped the compositions, with individual writing credits spread across tracks; the percussionists and bassist also assumed production duties alongside Rypdal.

Tracks like “No Time for Time” and “More Cymbals” feature interlocking drum patterns with punctuated bass and guitar accents. “The Tamborim” and “PT” highlight subtle percussive coloration, while “Craggy Mountains” and “Only Two” explore angular rhythmic contours over understated basslines. “Mauve Stripes” and “May 17th” present concise, textural pieces that integrate percussion and guitar with controlled space, providing a reflective contrast to the album’s more driving numbers.

A1. “No Time for Time” (7:12)
A2. “More Cymbals” (3:00)
A3. “Pox” (3:37)
A4. “Craggy Mountains” (3:58)
B1. “The Tamborim” (2:50)
B2. “P.T.” (7:43)
B3. “Only Two” (3:00)
B4. “Mauve Stripes” (4:20)
B5. “May 17th” (2:20)

Sessions occurred in 1976 at Arne Bendiksen Studio with engineers Tore Tambs Lyche; Thowsen, Christensen, Andersen, and Rypdal produced the album.

No Time for Time features cover artwork titled Tide by Sidsel Paaske, with photography by Finn Krogvig.

Waves

Terje Rypdal released his seventh solo album, Waves, in 1978 on ECM.

The album presents a spacious electric sound with slow-moving guitar themes, sustained synth layers, and an open rhythm feel shaped by Norwegian trumpeter Palle Mikkelborg and the long-running Rypdal rhythm team of bassist Sveinung Hovensjø and drummer Jon Christensen.

The opener moves between two paces: a quick, lightly clipped drum pattern that supports rising sustained guitar lines, and a slower, airy section where trumpet statements settle into the foreground. The subsequent track unfolds as a long, quiet passage marked by a slow pulse, sparse cymbal detail, and a stretched trumpet lead that floats over soft electric chords.

Mikkelborg’s contribution introduces a firmer rhythmic motion with piano breaks and a mid-track shift from guitar commentary to brief trumpet figures. The title piece centers on a calm sequence of electric shapes, gentle cymbal taps, and a soft swell of synth, followed by a near-still closing minute. “The Dain Curse” alternates between a moderately brisk bass-led pace with dense mid-track interplay and a later section where the trumpet traces a relaxed descending theme. The closing track returns to a slow, atmospheric design where guitar and trumpet trade short phrases against a quiet backdrop.

A1. “Per Ulv” (8:37)
A2. “Karusell” (8:12)
A3. “Stenskoven” (3:49)

B1. “Waves” (5:42)
B2. “The Dain Curse” (8:45)
B3. “Charisma” (6:15)

Sessions occurred in September 1977 at Talent Studio in Oslo with producer Manfred Eicher and engineer Jan Erik Kongshaug.

Terje Rypdal / Miroslav Vitous / Jack DeJohnette

In 1979, ECM released a joint-billed trio album by Terje Rypdal, Czech bassist Miroslav Vitous, and American drummer Jack DeJohnette.

The album presents an airy, low-motion electric sound shaped by Rypdal’s guitar and guitar-synth textures, Vitous’ alternating double-bass and electric-piano roles, and DeJohnette’s detailed, cymbal-heavy pacing. It marks their first recorded collaboration as a trio within the ECM roster.

Rypdal wrote two songs outright and co-wrote two pieces with Vitous and DeJohnette. Vitous supplied two compositions.

The set divides between slow-building pieces with drifting electric layers and more active tracks that move on steady bass figures and intricate drum patterns. The opener rises from quiet cymbal detail into a long, ascending guitar line that sharpens midway before it settles again near the close. The second track unfolds at a measured pace with echo-tinted guitar, bowed bass, and faint organ tones that create a muted, wintry atmosphere. Vitous’ first contribution opens on electric-piano shapes with a steady pulse that supports bowed passages and late-track guitar peaks. His second piece starts with soft guitar-synth textures and expands into firmer, low-end motion where bass and drums thicken the intensity. The co-written fifth track begins with brisk drum motion and bowed bass before Rypdal enters with sharp, upper-register accents. The closing number centers on long, suspended passages shaped by synth-guitar, bowed bass, and gradual dynamic drops.

A1. “Sunrise” (8:30)
A2. “Den Forste Sne” [The First Snow] (6:39)

B1. “Will” (8:05)
B2. “Believer” (6:27)
B3. “Flight” (5:29)
B4. “Seasons” (7:22)

Sessions occurred in June 1978 at Talent Studio in Oslo with producer Manfred Eicher and engineer Jan Erik Kongshaug.

The cover of Terje Rypdal / Miroslav Vitous / Jack DeJohnette shows a muted, clouded sky image in the ECM house style.

Descendre

Terje Rypdal released his eighth solo album, Descendre, in 1980 on ECM.

The album presents a sparse, slow-moving trio sound shaped by Rypdal’s electric guitar and keyboards, trumpeter Palle Mikkelborg’s long-tone figures, and Jon Christensen’s free, detail-oriented drum patterns. Much of the set unfolds in extended arcs where floating keyboard layers frame Rypdal’s plaintive lines and Mikkelborg’s muted themes.

Several pieces develop through gradual shifts in pace and density. “Avskjed” opens on sustained, organ-like chords that hover until Mikkelborg enters with a solemn theme; Christensen’s loose, scattered patterns thicken the center section before Rypdal breaks in with a rising electric line near the four-minute mark. “Circles,” the longest track, alternates atmospheric stretches with sudden surges: trumpet appears in short intervals, then drops out as Rypdal’s guitar takes the foreground over pulsing keys and restless drums; mid-track, his lines harden into sharper peaks before easing back into drifting tones.

The title piece frames echo-tinted guitar with cold piano notes, sparse drums, and faint bells. “Innseiling” starts in a dark, unsettled space of floating keys and accented trumpet phrases before brightening into a quicker, more open section around the four-minute point; it returns to calm, low-intensity interplay in the closing minutes. “Men of Mystery” pairs mournful, stretched guitar figures with Christensen’s busy patterns; Mikkelborg enters late with sharp, upper-register bursts. “Speil” closes the album on a slow, hypnotic rise built from pulsing keys, reserved cymbal strokes, and a gradual swell of guitar and trumpet that peaks softly and recedes.

A1. “Avskjed” [Farewell] (5:44)
A2. “Circles” (11:15)
A3. “Descendre” (3:11)

B1. “Innseiling” [Approach] (7:57)
B2. “Men of Mystery” (8:25)
B3. “Speil” [Mirror] (8:25)

Sessions occurred in March 1979 at Talent Studio in Oslo with producer Manfred Eicher and engineer Jan Erik Kongshaug.

The cover of Descendre features an ECM landscape photograph.

To Be Continued

In 1981, ECM issued To Be Continued, a second trio effort by Terje Rypdal, Miroslav Vitous, and Jack DeJohnette.

The album extends the trio’s exploratory approach, emphasizing spacious, atmospheric textures and dynamic interplay between guitar, bass, piano, and percussion. Rypdal handles electric guitar and flute, Vitous plays acoustic and electric bass plus piano, and DeJohnette contributes drums and voice.

Rypdal wrote the majority of the tracks, with Vitous contributing two compositions and DeJohnette one; the trio collectively composed “This Morning.”

The album opens with “Maya,” gradually building from sparse soundscapes to a climactic convergence of Rypdal’s sustained guitar lines, Vitous’s agile bass runs, and DeJohnette’s cymbal-driven rhythms. “Mountain in the Clouds” and “Morning Lake” highlight Vitous’s oblique, intricate bass patterns alongside Rypdal’s restrained, contoured guitar phrasing. Title track “To Be Continued” features driving percussive energy and rare electric bass from Vitous, punctuated by Rypdal’s intense, soaring solos. “This Morning” and “Topplue, Votter & Skjerf” explore haunting, hypnotic atmospheres with bowed bass and angular guitar lines, while the brief closer “Uncomposed Appendix” blends delicate piano, distant vocals, and minimal guitar, providing a reflective coda.

A1. “Maya” (10:18)
A2. “Mountain in the Clouds” (4:57) — composed by Miroslav Vitous
A3. “Morning Lake” (7:28) — composed by Miroslav Vitous
A4. “To Be Continued” (9:12) — composed by Jack DeJohnette
B1. “This Morning” (5:24) — collective composition by DeJohnette, Vitous, and Rypdal
B2. “Topplue, Votter & Skjerf” [Hat, Gloves & Scarf] (3:48)
B3. “Uncomposed Appendix” (1:52)

Sessions occurred in January 1981 at Talent Studio in Oslo with producer Manfred Eicher and engineer Jan Erik Kongshaug.

Eos

In 1984, ECM issued Eos, a collaborative album between Terje Rypdal and American cellist David Darling.

Eos presents slow-moving electric–acoustic duets built on sustained tones, layered resonance, and wide-open spaces. Rypdal plays electric guitar and Casio MT-30; Darling performs on acoustic and eight-string electric cello. Rypdal wrote six of the album’s seven pieces; Darling contributed one.

Select pieces move through distinct modes: terse, percussive barrages open the album, then the title suite stretches into long passages where high guitar lines rise over slow, bowed patterns. Mid-length tracks use pared-down motifs with gradual dynamic shifts, and the closing piece centers on hushed figures that settle into a near-static pace.

A1. “Laser” (4:08)
A2. “Eos” (14:35)
A3. “Bedtime Story” (5:58)
A4. “Light Years” (4:48)
A5. “Melody” (2:17)
B1. “Mirage” (9:13)
B2. “Adagietto” (5:06)

Sessions occurred in May 1983 at Talent Studio in Oslo with producer Manfred Eicher and engineer Jan Erik Kongshaug.

Chaser

Terje Rypdal released his ninth solo album, Chaser, in 1985 on ECM.

Chaser finds Rypdal in a hard-hitting power-trio setting, blending expansive electric guitar lines with dynamic rhythm work. The trio features Terje Rypdal on electric guitar and keyboards (track 3), Bjørn Kjellemyr on acoustic and electric bass, and Audun Kleive on drums and percussion.

Rypdal composed six of the album’s eight pieces; the trio collectively wrote “Geysir.”

The album opens with energetic, shifting textures, alternating between drum-driven passages and soaring guitar lines. Mid-album pieces are more restrained, emphasizing sustained harmonics, subtle rhythmic interplay, and moments of atmospheric keyboard color. Tracks like the title piece build from sparse motifs into fuller, expressive statements, while the closer navigates nocturnal, spacious textures punctuated by occasional bursts of guitar and bass.

A1. “Ambiguity” (8:45)
A2. “Once Upon a Time” (6:16)
A3. “Geysir” (6:01) — collective composition by Rypdal, Kjellemyr, and Kleive
A4. “A Closer Look” (5:04)
B1. “Ørnen” (6:23)
B2. “Chaser” (5:51)
B3. “Transition” (1:38)
B4. “Imagi (Theme)” (4:59)

Sessions occurred in May 1985 at Rainbow Studio in Oslo with producer Manfred Eicher and engineer Jan Erik Kongshaug.

Chaser features design and cover photography by Dieter Rehm, with liner photography by Gert Chesi.

Blue

Terje Rypdal and The Chasers released their group album, Blue, in 1987 on ECM.

Blue presents Rypdal’s Chasers Trio in expansive, textural interplay, combining electric guitar, acoustic and electric bass, and dynamic percussion to create immersive, evolving sound worlds. The trio features Terje Rypdal on electric guitar and keyboards, Bjørn Kjellemyr on acoustic and electric bass, and Audun Kleive on drums and percussion.

Rypdal composed five of the eight tracks, while the trio collectively wrote “Kompet går” and “Og hva synes vi om det.”

The album flows with seamless transitions between tracks, balancing sparse, haunting passages with bursts of rhythmic intensity. Opening track “The Curse” establishes intricate interplay among guitar, bass, drums, and subtle synth washes. Tracks like “Kompet går” and “Tanga” feature repetitive rhythms and gradual guitar expansions, while “Blue” and “I Disremember Quite Well” emphasize atmospheric textures with slow-building, contoured solos. Darker, moodier selections such as “Og hva synes vi om det” highlight sparse, exploratory guitar against minimal accompaniment, and the closing track “Om bare” presents sustained, expressive guitar lines over restrained rhythmic support.

A1. “The Curse” (1:26)
A2. “Kompet går” (6:52) — collective composition by Rypdal, Kjellemyr, and Kleive
A3. “I Disremember Quite Well” (5:06)
A4. “Og hva synes vi om det” (5:53) — collective composition by Rypdal, Kjellemyr, and Kleive
B1. “Last Nite” (3:30)
B2. “Blue” (5:43)
B3. “Tanga” (4:18)
B4. “Om bare” (3:03)

Sessions occurred in November 1986 at Rainbow Studio in Oslo with producer Manfred Eicher and engineer Jan Erik Kongshaug.

Discography:

Bleak House (1968)
Esoteric Circle (1969 • Jan Garbarek With Terje Rypdal)
Sart (1971 • Jan Garbarek / Bobo Stenson / Terje Rypdal / Arild Andersen / Jon Christensen)
Terje Rypdal (1971)
What Comes After (1974)
Whenever I Seem to Be Far Away (1974)
Odyssey (1975)
After the Rain (1976)
No Time for Time (1977 • Pål Thowsen, Jon Christensen, Terje Rypdal & Arild Andersen)
Waves (1978)
Terje Rypdal / Miroslav Vitous / Jack DeJohnette (1979 • Terje Rypdal / Miroslav Vitous / Jack DeJohnette)
Descendre (1980)
To Be Continued (1981 • Terje Rypdal / Miroslav Vitous / Jack DeJohnette)
Eos (1984 • Terje Rypdal & David Darling)
Chaser (1985)
Blue (1987 • Terje Rypdal & The Chasers)
The Singles Collection (1989)
Undisonus (1990)
Q.E.D. (1993)
If Mountains Could Sing (1995)
Nordic Quartet (1995 • John Surman, Karin Krog, Terje Rypdal & Vigleik Storaas)
The Sea (1995 • Ketil Bjørnstad, David Darling, Jon Christensen & Terje Rypdal)
Skywards (1997)
The Sea II (1998 • Ketil Bjørnstad, David Darling, Jon Christensen & Terje Rypdal)
Double Concerto / 5th Symphony (2000)