Ditlef Eckhoff

Ditlef Eckhoff (born 21 June 1942) is a Norwegian jazz musician (trumpet) known from numerous recordings and central to the Oslo Jazz Scene.

Career Eckhoff was born in Stokke, where he was active on the music scene. He led his own ensembles, won the Norwegian championship in jazz (1958), started Tønsberg jazz club (1958) and was the first head of the Tønsberg Society of Jazz & Poetry (1967). He resided in Oslo since 1959, and here he played with Einar Iversen (1959), Kristian Bergheim (1959), Arild Wikstrøm, Egil Kapstad and Egil Johansen. He studied education theory and trumpet at the Norwegian Academy of Music (1969–74) and participated in the University Big Band in Oslo (Chair 1974–1976). Eckhoff collaborated with international jazz greats such as Phil Woods/George Russell (1967), Dizzy Gillespie at Kongsberg Jazzfestival (1971), Red Mitchell/Kenny Drew at NRK Radio (1973), Dexter Gordon at Vossajazz (1975), and Horace Parlan (1980/83). Later he led his own quintet and moved to Nice in France.

Discography

Solo albums 1980: Live at Jazz Alive, with Knut Riisnæs (saxophone), Ole Jacob Hansen (drums), Eivin Sannes (piano) & Kaj Hartvigsen (bass) 1997: Impressions of Antibes (Gemini Records), with Eric Reed live from scenes like Cosmopolite in Oslo 1998: Pastor'n & Diffen (Hi-Di), with Einar Iversen (piano), Odd André Elveland (saxophone), Mats Eilertsen (bass) & Ole Jacob Hansen (drums) 1999: Merry Christmas, with Jan Erik Kongshaug (guitar) & Sture Janson/Harald Johnsen bass (istedenfor Elveland og Eilertsen) 2007: Jazz au bord de mer, with Jan Berger (guitar) & Eddy Gaulein-Stef (bass)

Collaborations With Terje Rypdal 1968: Bleak House (Polydor/Universal, Norway)

With other projects 2003: Bjørn Johansen in memoriam