Per Mathisen (born 7 October 1969 in Sandefjord, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz musician (upright bass and guitar bass) and composer, known from collaborations with great jazz musicians like Terri Lyne Carrington, Geri Allen, Gary Thomas, Bill Bruford, Alex Acuña, Gary Husband, Ralph Peterson, Nguyen Le and Terje Rypdal. He is married to pianist Olga Konkova, and the brother of jazz musicians Hans Mathisen (guitar), Nils Mathisen (keyboards, guitar and violin) and Ole Mathisen (saxophone and clarinet).
Mathisen was educated on the Jazz program at Trondheim musikkonservatorium 1991–93, followed by a period at the Berklee School of Music in US, and returned to Norway in 1994.
He played in various bands in the Oslo region, e.g. "Erlend Gjerde Quintet", "Inge Stangvik Quartet" and "Storeslem", and the records Her point of view (1997), Northern crossings (2000) and Some things from home (2001), as well as Unbound (2002/2006), with Olga Konkova.
In 2001 he toured in Europe with Terri Lyne Carrington, has also played with a number of international names, such as Geri Allen, Gary Thomas, Bill Bruford, Gary Husband, Ralph Peterson, Nguyen Le and Terje Rypdal. From 2003 he was member of the transatlantic jazz collective NYNDK (with a release in 2006), so-called because the musicians come from New York, Norway and Denmark.
Mathisen has otherwise participated on recordings with the band "String Zone" (Mystery bag, 2003), Hans Mathisen (Quiet songs 2002–04), Helge Sunde & Norske Store Orkester (Denada, 2005) and Roy Powell Peak Experience Trio (2006), and has been a regular feature as bassist and leader of "workshops" in Groove Valley (annually held in Beiarn in Nordland) where artistic director is Jan Gunnar Hoff. 2013 Played with Joseph Williams, Bill Champlin and Peter Friestedt All Star Band.
2015: Ospitalita Generosa (Alessa Records), trio with Ruggero Robin and Gergo Borlai
2016: Sounds Of 3 (Losen Records), with Frode Alnæs and Giraldo Piloto
2016: New York City Magic (Alessa Records), with Utsi Zimring and David Kikoski
With Olga Konkova
1997: Her point of view (Candid Records), including with Adam Nussbaum
2000: Northern Crossings (Candid Records), with Olga Konkova, Ole Mathisen and Jojo Mayer, recorded in New Jersey
2001: Some Things From Home (Candid Records), including with Adam Nussbaum, featuring Jon Christensen
2006: Unbound (Alessa Records), duo album
2011: My Voice (Losen Records)
2015: The Goldilocks Zone (Losen Records), Olga Konkova Trio including with Gary Husband
Within "String Zone»
2003: Mystery Bag (Nagel Heyer Records)
2011: Cookin' At Hvaler (Alessa Records)
With Gerald Preinfalk
2003: Tan Go Go (Quinton Records)
2006: Giuffre Zone (PAO Records), trio including Christoph Cech
2014: Art Of Duo (col legno), with Alegre Corrêa, Wolfgang Muthspiel, Fabian Rucker, Christoph Cech, and Harri Stojka
With Hans Mathisen
2004: Quiet Songs (Curling Legs), including with, Olga Konkova, Johannes Eick, Gary Husband, Ole Mathisen, and Per Oddvar Johansen
2011: Timeless Tales (Curling Legs), including with Olga Konkova and Andreas Bye
2014: The Island (Curling Legs), with Hans Mathisen, Jason Rebello, Petter Wettre, Eckhard Baur, and Per Oddvar Johansen
Within NYNDK (New York, Norway, Denmark)
2004: NYNDK (Jazzheads), including with Chris Washburn, Ole Mathisen, Sören Möller, and Scott Neumann
2005: Nordic Disruption (Jazzheads), including with Chris Washburn, Ole Mathisen, Sören Möller and Scott Neumann
2006: The Hunting of the Snark (Jazzheads), within NYNDK, including with Chris Washburn, Ole Mathisen, and Sören Möller, featuring Tony Moreno
With Alex Acuña
2009: Jungle City (Alessa Records), trio including Jan Gunnar Hoff
2012: Barxeta (Losen Records), in trio vith Alex Acuña and Jan Gunnar Hoff
With Haakon Graf Trio, including Erik Smith
2010: License to Chill (Nordic Records)
2016: Sunrain (Losen Records)
With Ole Mathisen and Paolo Vinaccia
2011: Elastics (Losen Records)
With Frode Alnæs
2016: Kanestrøm (Øra Fonogram)
With other projects
1996: Ut På Vegom (Grappa Music), with Huldregåva
1996: Pausposten Extra! (Norsk Plateproduksjon), with Ole Paus
1998: Damebesøk (Norsk Plateproduksjon), with Jonas Fjeld and Ole Paus
1998: X (Nordicae), with Veslemøy Solberg
2001: Tidevann (BMG Norway), with Jonas Fjeld
2003: Boska (DAT), with Johan Sara Jr. & Group
2004: Løvehjerte (Nordicae), with Veslemøy Solberg
2004: La Det Sne, La Det Sne, La Det Sne! (Jazzavdelingen), with Nora Brockstedt in duet with Kåre Conradi
2005: Denada (ACT Music), with Helge Sunde & Norske Store Orkester, featuring Olga Konkova and Marilyn Mazur
2005: Christmas Songs (Jazzavdelingen), with Nora Brockstedt
2006: Peak Experience Trio (Totemic Records), with Roy Powell and Ivan Makedonov
2008: Edvard Grieg in Jazz Mood (Universal Music), with Kjell Karlsen Big Band
2006: Må'Ån Skin (Mud Music Records), with Dagfinn Hansen
2006: Peak Experience Trio (Totemic Records), with Roy Powell
2006: Denada (ACT Music), with Helge Sunde, Norske Store Orkester featuring Olga Konkova and Marilyn Mazur
2007: Both Sides (Lydmuren), with Vigdis Wisur
2008: Gullmåne (Nordicae), with Veslemøy Solberg
2008: Alene (Mud Music Records), with Dagfinn Hansen
2008: Edvard Grieg in Jazz Mood ((Universal Music), with Kjell Karlsen Big Band
2010: Jazz From Norway 2010 – JazzCD.no 4th Set (Norsk Jazz Forum), with various artists
2012: Mirage (2012), with 'FFEAR'
2012: De Beste – 60 År I Livet – 40 År På Veien (Sony BMG Music ), with Jonas Fjeld
2013: Windfall – Music by Helge Sunde (Ozella Music), with Ensemble Denada
2014: Live In Coimbra (2014), with Zanussi Five
2015: Røter (Nordicae), with Veslemøy Solberg and Jon Solberg
2015: Ut Av Mitt Hjerte (Grappa Music), with Guri Schanke
Appearances
2002: State (Universal Music), on "Leaving" with the band 'State'
