About Svein Finnerud
Lived 1945 – 2000 (aged 54). Svein Finnerud was a Norwegian jazz musician, painter, composer, pianist and graphic artist.
Svein Finnerud (2 September 1945 – 22 June 2000) was a Norwegian jazz pianist, painter and graphic artist.
Career Finnerud was educated at Statens håndverks- og kunstindustriskole (1967–72), under guidance of Chrix Dahl and had several exhibitions and has been purchased by Nasjonalgalleriet. where he played with guitarist and bassist Bjørnar Andresen. He established the free jazz band Finnerud Trio (1967–74), with Bjørnar Andresen and drummer Espen Rud. With their Paul Bley inspired musical expression, they played at a number of international jazz festivals, including Warsaw (1970). They released Svein Finnerud Trio (1969), Plastic sun (1970, Odin Records 1993) and Thoughts (1974/1984), and became known for his multi-media art forms of jazz and the visual arts, including working with Peter Opsvik and Carl Magnus Neumann, as well as Henie-Onstad Art Centre. The trio recorded the album Multimal (1971), a musical setting of poems by poet Trond Botnen. They also took part in the experimental works of Ketil Bjørnstad. In the 1990s the trio performed at Moldejazz 1993, and the year after released the album Travel Pillow, with Svein Christiansen as replacement on drums (from 1992), and played the Kongsberg Jazz Festival together with the band Close Erase (1997). with contributions by Jon Eberson (guitar), Terje Gewelt (bass), Svein Christiansen (drums) and Nils Petter Molvær (trumpet), as well as his son Bendik Finnerud (piano). The album Egne hoder by Bjørnar Andresen/Paal Nilssen-Love (BP Records, 2000) has multiple inputs from, and dedications to, Finnerud. Furthermore, you will find the composition Ida Lupino, by the American composer Carla Bley on the Turning pages: Jazz in Norway 1960-70 (Norsk jazzarkiv, 2001).
Works Graphic works to «M/S Royal Viking», «MS Kong Olav», «Deichmanske bibliotek» and Oregon State University
Honors Rolf Stensersen's Grant 1972 La coppa d'argento fra Ist. di San Paolo, Torino 1972 «Statens arbeidsstipend» 1973–75 Kråkerøy municipal Arisholmenstipend 1979
Discography (in selection)
Solo album 2000: Sounds and Sights (Resonant)
As band leader Within Svein Finnerud Trio 1969: Svein Finnerud Trio (Norsk jazzforum) 1970: Plastic Sun (Odin, 1993) 1971: Multimal (Polydor) 1984: Thoughts (Odin) 2008: The Complete Released Works 1968–1999 (Plastic Strip)
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Important facts
People in Svein Finnerud's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Svein Finnerud's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Svein Finnerud?
Visual artist and jazz pianist (1945-2000)
When was Svein Finnerud born?
Svein Finnerud was born on 2 September 1945 in Oslo.
When did Svein Finnerud die?
Svein Finnerud died on 22 June 2000.
What was Svein Finnerud's occupation?
Svein Finnerud was a jazz musician, painter, composer, pianist and graphic artist.
What nationality was Svein Finnerud?
Svein Finnerud was Norwegian.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Svein Finnerud. https://biography.guide/svein-finnerud/
MLA: "Svein Finnerud." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/svein-finnerud/.
Chicago: "Svein Finnerud." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/svein-finnerud/.
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