Morten Halle (born 7 October 1957) is a Norwegian jazz musician (saxophone), composer and music arranger. He was born in Oslo, and he is known from the city's jazz scene and from a series recordings.
Career
Halle participated in various small bands at the Oslo Jazz scene in the late 1970s, when he studied music at the University of Oslo 1981–86, he was with the band Cutting Edge, and from 1987 in a quartet with John Eberson (guitar), Bjørn Kjellemyr (bass), and Finn Sletten/Pål Thowsen (drums). He has also played with the big band Oslo 13, with Knut Værnes Band, Jon Balke, Søyr, Chipahua and Geir Holmsen Band. He has been in the lineups of Jazzpunkensemblet, Desafinado, Horns for Hire with Torbjørn Sunde and Jens Petter Antonsen, Jon Balke's Magnetic North Orchestra, Geir Lysne Listening Ensemble, Søyr and Metropolitan (band). He has also appeared on releases by Helge Iberg (1997), Jan Magne Førde (1998), Jan Eggum (1999), Marianne Antonsen (2000) og Jørun Bøgeberg (2006).
Halle has written music for film, theater and ballet, as well as commissioned work only short stay Dølajazz Festival 1992, and composed music to the lyrics of Jesper Halle, performed by Jonas Fjeld and Sidsel Endresen (1988). He is a prominent figure in modern Norwegian jazz. His album releases include Alle tre (1995, compilation album Cutting Edge), 2 (1991) and The Eagle (1995), with Halle/Eberson Quartett.
Lately he leads his own trio with Anders Jormin and Svante Henryson, and the Morten Halle Qvartet''' with Edvard Askeland, Torstein Lofthus and André Peterson/Vigleik Storaas.
Halle is a partner in the label "Curling Legs" (1992–), is attached as associate professor at Norges Musikkhøgskole in Oslo, and former Chairman of TONO.
Discography (selection)
Solo projects
With Cutting EdgeCutting Edge (Odin Records, 1982)Our Man In Paradise (Odin Records, 1984)Duesenberg (Curling Legs, 1986)Alle tre (Curling Legs, 1995), compilation
With Halle/Eberson Quartet
Blow! (Odin Records, 1989) 2 (Curling Legs, 1992) The Eagle (Curling Legs, 1995)
With Anders Jormin and Svante HenrysonTen Easy Pieces (Curling Legs, 2005)
With "Halles komet"Halles komet (Curling Legs, 2007)
Collaborations
With Marit MathiesenMed parfyme (1981)Gale hjerte (1984)
With Sverre KjelsbergSverre (1982)
With Ketil StokkanEkte mannfolk (1985)Romeo (1986)
With Øystein SundeOverbuljongpakkemesterassistent/Kaptein Snutebil (1986)Kjekt å ha (1989)Øystein Sundes 40 beste (1990)Du må'kke komme her og komme her (1994)Sundes verden – 52 av de aller beste (2006)
With Oslo 13 (Jon Balke)Nonsentration (1992)Oslo 13 Live (1993)Live In the North (2001)
With Ole Edvard AntonsenTour De Force (1992)Read My Lips (1997)
With Jon Balke and Magnetic North OrchestraFurther (1994)Solarized (1999)Kyanos (2002)
With Jan EggumDeilig (1999)Ekte Eggum (2001)30/30 (2005)