Espen Aalberg

Espen Aalberg is a Norwegian jazz musician (drums) known for his contributions in several orchestras like The Core, Shagma, Kwaz, Håvard Lund Quartet and musicians like Jonas Kullhammar, Håvard Wiik and Torbjörn Zetterberg. He also contributes on a series of recordings.

Career
Aalberg played percussion in Namsos percussion ensemble (1988–1994) and became champion in ensemble playing, after which he studied at the "Musikkonservatoriet" in Tromsø and the Jazz Program at Trondheim Musikkonservatorium (1998–2000). (1999–2002). While studying jazz in Trondheim, he formed the innovative band The Core together with fellow students (including Kjetil Møster, Erlend Slettevoll and Steinar Raknes). He also established the jazz band Shagma in 2004, comprising additional Jørgen Mathisen and Raknes. At the Nattjazz jazz festival in Bergen 2006 he led the band Kwaz comprising Jonas Kullhammar, Håvard Wiik and Torbjörn Zetterberg. In addition Aalberg has contributed within Håvard Lund Quartet.

In 2006 Aalberg and The Core, now as The Indian Core, contributed on The Oslo World Music Festival, after returning from a Tour to India with three hot Indian musicians. The result of this cooperation is manifested on the album The Indian Core (2007).

Aalberg also acts as a drummer in classical music within among others Trondheim Symphony Orchestra, Trondheim Sinfonietta and "Luftforsvarets Musikkorps".

Discography

 * 2004: Vision (Jazzaway), within The Core
 * 2005: Music (Jazzaway), within Shagma
 * 2006: Blue Sky (Jazzaway), within The Core
 * 2007: The Indian Core (Grappa), within The Indian Core including Prasenjit Mitra, Kanchman Babbar & Fateh Ali
 * 2007: Office essentials (Jazzland), within The Core
 * 2007: Meditations on Coltrane (Grappa), within The Core & Bergen Big Band
 * 2008: Golonka Love (Moserobie), within The Core
 * 2008: Så rart (Øra), within Trondheim Sinfonietta
 * 2009: The art of no return, Vol. 1 (Moserobie), within The Core & More
 * 2010: Party (Moserobie), with among others Jonas Kullhammar & Kjetil Møster (recorded, mixed & producer by Aalberg)
 * 2012: Basement Sessions, Vol. 1 (Clean Feed), with Jonas Kullhammar & Torbjörn Zetterberg