PER MATHISEN (aka The Bass Viking) is a crossover musician who plays a mix of acoustic and electric power jazz.If you have had the chance to listen to this incredible bassist live, referring to him as one of the best bassists in Europe (if not the world) is not pretentious, but on objective and unbiased fact. He is often referred to as Norway’s answer to Jaco Pastorius on electric bass and Niels Henning Ørsted Pedersen on acoustic upright bass.

Mathisen released 18 highly acclaimed studio albums as a lead, co-lead, composer, producer and music critics find his performance, as well as composing, to take a fair part at the very top of today’s European jazz scene. He also recorded 41 album as a sideman or an orchestra member.

During the past 25 years of his professional music career, Mathisen collaborated with some of the most famous names such are: Alex Acuna (solo recording artist, Weather Report, Koinonia), Gary Husband (solo recording artist, Allan Holdsworth, John McLaughlin, Billy Cobham), Bill Bruford (solo recording artist, Yes, King Crimson, Bill Bruford’s Earthworks), Jon Christensen (Keith Jarret, Jan Garbarek, John Scofield, Masqualero), David Kikoski (solo recording artist, Roy Haynes, Randy Brecker, Bob Berg, Mingus big band), Mike Stern (solo recording artist, Miles Davis, Blood Sweat & Tears, Billy Cobham, Jaco Pastorius), Keith Carlock (TOTO, Sting, Steely Dan, John Mayer), Marilyn Mazur (solo recording artist, Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter, Jan Garbarek), Terri Lyne Carrington (solo recording artist, Herbie Hancock, Clark Terry, Al Jarreau), Jojo Mayer (solo recording artist, Nerve, Dizzy Gillespie, Nina Simone, Screaming Headless Torsos), Ralph Peterson (solo recording artist, Michael Brecker), Adam Nussbaum (Sonny Rollins, Michael Brecker, David Liebman, Stan Getz, John Scofield, Joseph Williams (vocalist in TOTO), Bill Champlin (former vocalist in Chicago)…. to name a few.

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Known as the “Norwegian Bass Viking” (for good reason as this album shows), Per Mathisen insists that the members of this trio embody the Zawinul philosophy in every moment they’re playing. The result is a highly-charged power trio record that’s constantly adventurous and powerful enough to shake the house down. Through Sounds of 3 they may stick to changes or hit fills in unison from time to time, but never lose that spirit of unpredictability and stretching the parameters of what they’re doing.
Geno Thackara on “Sounds of 3” album, All About Jazz (August 2016)

Man, it’s been a long time that I didn’t feel like this… Because the way I play with them is very open. I can switch to any instrument, to any mode… I haven’t felt this way since I played with “Weather Report”.
Alex Acuna on playing with Mathisen and Hoff, Drum Channel (2009)

I was part to this improvisation here at Drum Channel and was transported to a place of excitement, joy and awe as I listened to it all go down. I don’t think I have heard anything this wonderful since “Weather Report” disbanded & Joe Zawinul passed on. First of all the musicianship was beyond most experiences I have seen or heard. Secondly, they all excel at Orchestrational Scope, each has a wide variety of high quality sounds, colours & textures at his disposal. I truly envied Alex for having this vehicle to express himself in!
Terry Bozzio on Acuna – Hoff – Mathisen trio, Drum Channel (2009)