Magni Wentzel (born 28 June 1945 in Oslo, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz musician (vocals and guitar), the daughter of musicians Odd Wentzel-Larsen and Åse Wentzel, and known for a number of jazz recordings.
Wentzel started in "Totenlaget Barneteater" (1951). She was trained by opera singers Erna Skaug, Almar Heggen and professor Paul Lohmann in Wiesbaden, took guitar lessons from 1956, and released her debut jazz album That Old Feeling in 1959. Instead of attending the first year of the newly established "Statens operahøgskole" in Oslo, she chose to go on learning classical guitar in Spain (1963), Switzerland and England, and taught jazz song under Tete Montoliu. She played on the Club 7 in Oslo within Geir Wentzel Band, and at the same time she was strongly influenced by Aretha Franklin.
She collaborated extensively with a series of Oslo-based musicians, like within the quartets and quintets including Einar Iversen and Egil Kapstad. Peter Gullin dedicated the album Far, Far Away Where Longing Live to her. Later she worked for Opera Mobile, then as the "mother" in The Tales of Hoffmann by Offenbach.
Gammleng-prisen 1988Buddyprisen 19981969: Magni Wentzel Plays (Polydor), Norwegian versions of pop songs Frank Mills and Starshine from the musical Hair1975: Guitar And Flute (Polydor), classic classics with Torkil Bye Flute1978: Jeg Synger For Min Lille Venn (VNP), children's album with her mother Åse Wentzel1983: Sofies Plass (Hot Club Records), a famous jazz pieces with Egil Kapstad, Halvard Kausland, Ole Jacob Hansen & Carl Morten Iversen, nominated for the Spellemannprisen1986: All Or Nothing at All (Gemini Records), with Egil Kapstad, Terje Venaas & Egil Johansen1988: My Wonderful One (Gemini Records), classics with Art Farmer, Egil Kapstad, Terje Venaas & Egil Johansen1991: New York Nights (Gemini Records), jazz hits with Red Mitchell & Roger Kellaway1995: Come Away With Me (Gemini Records),jazz standards, with Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen & Roger Kellaway1997: Turn Out The Stars (Hot Club Records), varied wipers, among them four from West Side Story, with Roger Kellaway & Mads Vinding2000: Porgy & Bess (Hot Club Records), music by George Gershwin with her own sextet (including Olga Konkova, Nils Jansen, Christian Jaksjø, Carl Morten Iversen & Espen Rud)2002: Divergence (Hot Club Records), jazz and Spanish guitar music recorded 1997, with Mads Vinding & Roger Kellaway2010: Live (Curling Legs), recordings from the club Håndverkeren by NRK, at "Oslo Jazzfestival" 2003, with Jørn Øien, Jon Gordon, Carl Morten Iversen & Espen Rud1958: Mamma (En Gutt Har Sett På Meg), with Per Nyhaugs orkester1958: Byssan lull Blues, with Åse Wentzel1959: That Old Feeling/My One And Only Love1959: Augustin, with Åse Wentzel & Willy Andresens orkester1960: Milk Shake/Troll-Rock1970: Walk on My Side/I Want YouWith other projects1994: Stille Vann, with Torhild Nigar2004: Syng & le – de beste fra 1952–1962, with Åse Wentzel2005: Portrait of a Norwegian Jazz Artist with Erik AmundsenWith various artists1988: The Jazz Sampler1992: Fra En Musikers Dagbok1997: Gemini – The Jazz Sampler Vol. 32003: Turning Pages – Jazz in Norway Vol. 42005 Stellar Voyage – Rare Rock Grooves And Fusion From Norway2005 Turning Pages: Jazz In Norway 1960–702006 Hørt & Uhørt – 28 Diamanter Fra 50-tallet2006 Jazz Collection 12007 NRK Sessions: Soul, Afro-Jazz And Latin From The Club 7 Scene
