B A L L R O G G
Klaus Ellerhusen Holm / Roger Arntzen / Ivar Grydeland

Ballrogg
BALLROGG is a duo with Klaus Ellerhusen Holm (saxophone/clarinet) and Roger Arntzen (double bass). The duo is bass and reeds in an acoustic setting, balanced with improvisation and semi-composed originals. The duo released their second album Insomnia in January 2010 on the Norwegian record label Bolage. Since their critically acclaimed self-titled debut album in 2008 the duo has moved into significantly deeper water, drawing influences from European contemporary music as well as American avantgarde. On Insomnia, their influences are mixed with a cinematic sensitivity, creating soundscapes that are deeply disturbing and stunningly beautiful. Ballrogg has performed several times in the United States and Europe and is about to embark on a tour in Russia in September 2010.

The duo started out exploring the music of Eric Dolphy in a small format, stripped down to only bass and reeds in 2006. Songs from greats such as Paul Bley, Ornette Coleman and Jimmy Giuffre was soon also brought into the concept, aside with compositions by the group itself. The results was some frijazz-classics combined with spacy and energic originals placed into an arid chamber setting.


Klaus Ellerhusen Holm (b. 1979)
sax, clar & composition
Studied music at the jazzdepartment of the Trondheim music conservatory 2000-2004 and is now located in Oslo working mostly with improvised music and free jazz. I the recent years the most active groups have been Ballrogg, Trondheim jazzorchestra and his own group Klaus Holm Kollektif, who were awarded "Young Nordic Jazzcomets 2003". Holm plays improvised music with the Norwegian quartet Murmur and has worked with international artists such as Ingebrigt Håker Flaten, Ingar Zach, Jim Denley, Raymond Strid, Axel Dörner og Mattias Ståhl. He has been touring festivals and jazzclubs in several countries in both Europe, America and Asia. The last years he has also composed music for various chamber music settings and also music for film.

Roger Arntzen (b. 1976) double bass
Studied music at the University of Oslo from 1998-1999 and at the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo from 1998-2006. He is known from the piano trio In The Country, who was awarded "Young Jazz Musicians Of The Year 2004" in Norway. The trio has released three albums on the Norwegian indie-label Rune Grammofon to much acclaim. He is a regular together with Shining-leader Jørgen Munkeby with the noise-rock-jazz-quartet Chrome Hill and has teamed up with Chrome Hill-drummer Torstein Lofthus as two thirds of Håvard Stubø Trio. He has also worked with downtown NYC icon Marc Ribot and pedal-steel guitarist Bob Hoffnar, and other international artists such as Neil Metcalfe, Terry Day, John Russell, Sidsel Endresen, Susanna Wallumrød og Stian Carstensen.