Nordgarden

BIOGRAPHY - NORDGARDEN

"The closest a new Norwegian singer/songwriter has come the timeless qualities of Ryan Adams" (Stein Ostboe, VG, Norway)

Nordgarden is a Norwegian solo artist deriving from the American old school of classic songwriting.
In a style with deep roots in folk, blues, jazz, gospel and rock he seeks to write that good, melodic storytelling song,
as well as performing it with burning passion and nerve. He follows in the traditions of likes such as the indispensable
Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young to the more recent likes of Elliott Smith, Ryan Adams and Rufus Wainwright.

His life took a drastic turn at the age of fourteen when he saw Bruce Springsteen live in Oslo. Bouncing up and down for four hours
of pure rock´n ´roll until his feet were sore and the revelation was complete. As kids at that age seek their identity he found his in a guitar
and in the songs he wrote in his room, trying to figure out a thing or two about the confusing world outside. At the age of 18 he finished high school
and went of to study music for a year on Halsnoy, an island far off the Norwegian West Coast. The year made a deep impact with breathtaking nature,
endless hours of music study, but also struggles with depression and the sensation of being lost.
One year later he moved to Oslo working a year in a kindergarden as part of his civil service playing rock´n roll guitar for the kids.
Eagerly digging after new inspiration in the fervent rock scene of the capital where gets to see a new hero Elliott Smith playing late ´99.
Nordgarden starts playing random shows at the student bars and gets a peek into the mystery of live music performance.
Here he also made friendship with a new italian friend that opened new doors for a new chapter and a new place to venture.

The year after he moved to Bologna escaping the boredom of a seemingly perfect society to explore the more adventurous chaos of Italy.
He immediately fell in love with people, the culture, the way of life and the rhythm and started learning the language.
He played frequently in the student street Via Zamboni and made his money and connections that way.
Something that eventually would lead him to a gig in Florence where he was to meet the girlfriend of the italian songwriter Paolo Benvegnu.
In short Benvegnu got to hear a demo that Nordgarden had left and immediately fell for the Norwegian talent.
In less than a year they did pre-productions and recorded the first album "Terje Nordgarden"(StoutMusic - 2003).
It received good reviews in the Italian press and established Nordgarden as a regular touring artist on the Italian alternative scene.

A couple of years later, back in Oslo, Nordgarden had to take on a vocal intervention to remove a cyst disabling him from singing.
The operation slowed him down for a year as he had to recuperate and start over. But it also gave him a whole new view
on the voice as he had to go through logopedic practice and song lessons rebuilding his voice - this time a stronger and more distinct voice than ever.
The incident inspired immensely and just a year after the operation he released his second album "A Brighter Kind Of Blue" (Grappa 2006)
to a standing ovation from the Norwegian press. It was a solo acoustic album with references to albums like "Pink Moon" by Nick Drake and
"Nebraska" by Bruce Springsteen, but with a brighter mood and with his "new" clear voice in the centre of it all.
He went on tour with legendary folk-hero Eric Anderson and began his first European Tour that lasted more than a year.

In 2008 Nordgarden went solo without a record company to do his first independent production. Inspired by the DIY´s and sick
of not earning a penny he did it all on his own, recording in a friends studio in Oslo. Out came his masterpiece "The Path Of Love" (GDN 2008).
Yearning, passionate and longing love songs in a full band production with piano arrangements in Roy Bittan style of love lost, family disperse
and love found earns him another approving nod from the European press and enables him to go touring the continent more extensively than ever
- this time for almost 2 years.

In 2010 Nordgarden is taking it all back to where it started. His music is coming home to the american continent and his fourth album is being produced
at home in Norway. Nordgarden is on a mission and has no other goals than to pursue his own sound, his own heart and bring the good music to the good people.
In October 2010 his sound will be out there as well as Nordgardens eclectic electric solo show finally touring the US as well as Europe.

Discography:
- "Terje Nordgarden"(STM 003 - 2003)
- "A Brighter Kind Of Blue" (Grappa 2006)
- "The Path Of Love" (GDN 2008)