TID

An album and concert project with author Lars Saabye Christensen, exploring time — the time we live in, the time we have, the time we lose. The music moves through Nordic americana, jazz, blues, and Norwegian folk traditions, with an acoustic, intimate expression. Featuring Mickey Raphael — known from the bands of Willie Nelson and Chris Stapleton — on harmonica.

Steinar Raknes (vocals, double bass, guitar) · Lars Saabye Christensen (text/readings) · Andreas Utnem (pump organ) · Per Oddvar Johansen (drums) · Knut Reiersrud (guitar, harmonica) · Mickey Raphael (harmonica)

Stillhouse

Vocal project blending jazz with American Songbook, roots, blues, and country music. Formed in 2011, recorded in Oslo and Nashville. Mostly performs as a duo with Unni Wilhelmsen, but also has a fantastic full band.

Duo: Steinar Raknes (double bass, electronics, vocals) & Unni Wilhelmsen (vocals) · Band: + Even Hermansen (guitar), Per Oddvar Johansen (drums), Jørgen Mathisen (sax/clarinet)

MRV — Maarud / Raknes / Vespestad

A unique trio where blues, rock, jazz and musical joy meet. Amund Maarud — the guitar hero who loves to push genre boundaries and creator of Norwegian nu-blues — joins forces with Raknes and jazz legend Jarle Vespestad. The result is playful, challenging, rhythmically inspiring, bluesy, melodic and dynamic.

Amund Maarud (guitar, vocals) · Steinar Raknes (double bass, vocals, electronics) · Jarle Vespestad (drums)

Due Og Drone

Songs inspired by Kjartan Fløgstad's acclaimed 2019 novel "Due og drone" — a sweeping story about postwar Norway, truth and time. Raknes brought the book on a Northern Norwegian tour just before the pandemic, and wrote all the songs in under two weeks, singing in his own Otrøya dialect. Fløgstad reads and performs his texts live alongside Raknes' music — a meeting between literature and song.

Steinar Raknes (vocals, double bass, guitar) · Kjartan Fløgstad (text)

Tord Gustavsen Trio

Norwegian pianist Tord Gustavsen's trio — memorable melodies, subtle grooves, musical space. Recent album: "Opening" (2022) on ECM Records.

Tord Gustavsen (piano, electronics) · Steinar Raknes (double bass, electronics) · Jarle Vespestad (drums)

Arvvas

Sámi joik meets Americana. "Arvvas" — Sámi for working from the heart with energy — lyrics in Sámi and English.

Sara Marielle Gaup (vocal) · Steinar Raknes (double bass, electronics, vocal)

The Core

High-energy Norwegian jazz band rooted in acoustic modal jazz from the 1960s combined with funk and rock grooves. Formed in 1999 at Jazz Academy in Trondheim.

Due og Drone / KFB

Literary-musical project inspired by Kjartan Fløgstad's 2019 novel. Album on Grappa Records (2021).

Kjartan Fløgstad (text) · Steinar Raknes (vocals, composition, bass) · Odin Staveland (drums) · Stian Carstensen (multi-instrumentalist)

Steinar Raknes & Rita Eriksen

A vocal duo performing songs from the American Songbook alongside original compositions by Raknes. Rita Eriksen is one of Norway's most versatile singers, known from the Spellemannpris-winning duo Eriksen and solo hits like "Karl Johan".

Steinar Raknes (vocals, double bass) · Rita Eriksen (vocals)