Ove Alexander Billington

Ove Alexander Billington (born 10 August 1979) is a Norwegian jazz pianist and composer, known as the band leader within his own Billington Trio and for his participation in bands such as Independent Jazz Orchestra, Speak Low, Mads Berven Quartet and Kjellerbandet.

Early life Billington was born in Fredrikstad, Norway. He studied music on the Jazz program at Trondheim Musikkonsevatorium (2002).

Later life and career While at university he started the Billington Trio including fellow students Andreas Amundsen (double bass) and Hermund Nygård (drums). He also collaborated with fellow students in the band Stjern including Stina Moltu (vocals), Andreas Amundsen and Hermund Nygård.

He joined the Inge Stangvik Quintet including Håvard Fossum (saxophone), Stig Hvalryg (bass) and Hermund Nygård (drums), and in the duo Yours Truly with Gine Gaustad Anderssen.

Billington collaborates within the quintet of Danish singer Majken Christiansen. He worked sporadically with musicians including Ole Jørn Myklebust, Yasuhito Mori, Tore Johansen, Petter Wettre, Bjørn Johan Muri, Staffan William-Olsson, Bodil Niska and Nora Brockstedt, and in the bands Funky Butt and The Sinatra Songbook. In 2013 he performed with vocalist Dina Nordsjø and his band, including Lars Martin Skjørshammer (bass) and Jakop Jansønn (drums), at Oslo Konserthus.

Discography

1997: Det er makt i de foldede hender (1997), album med Svenn-Erik Fjeldheim 2001: Synergy (2001), within "Fredrikstad Storband" 2004: I Fall in Love To Easily (Liphone), with Grethe Kruse 2008: Jul i Halden (2008), with various artists 2009: Yours Truly (Jazzaway), with "Yours Truly" 2009: Walk With Me (2009), with Ina Grefslie 2009: Jul i Halden (2009), with various artists 2011: Speak Love (2011), with Majken Christiansen