Jan Gunnar Hoff – keyboards

Per Mathisen – bass

Herbert Pirker – drums

Jan Gunnar Hoff is acknowledged as one of Norway´s leading jazzpianists and keyboardists, born in Bodø, Northern Norway, 1958. Hoff´s musical background includes classical piano, progressive rock, popular music and jazz. He has released 20 albums, composed 250 works and worked with artists like Alex Acuña, Mike Stern and Pat Metheny. In 2014 he was awarded a Buddy-prize, the highest distinction in Norwegian jazz. He also works as a professor at the Universities in Tromsø and Kristiansand, and he is a Steinway Artist. 

Together with Norwegian bassplayer Per Mathisen and Austrian drummer Herbert Pirker, Hoff presents a jazz/fusion- trio of the highest European standards. Hoff and Mathisen have collaborated on several albums with Stern, Acuña, Gary Novak, Horacio Hernandez, and in September 2022 they tour with drummer Gary Husband. Vienna-based Herbert Pirker has been touring countries such as the USA, Russia, Morocco, Kirgistan,  Kasachstan, Turkey, as well as all over Europe. 

European press writes on the album Gladiator (2021) by Mathisen/Hoff/Novak:

– Rootsmusicreport.com: “The sonic interplay between composers Per Mathisen and Jan Gunnar Hoff is excellent, on the highly entertaining Gladiator”.

– Jazzviews.net: “In the hands of Zimmer or Mathisen / Hoff, the immediate, in-your-face hook and beat are always tempered by developments of chords and tangents of rhythm that can shake the complacency of a ‘straight-ahead’ jazz-funk to discover novel shapes and phrases”.

– Progressive rock central: “Cutting edge fusion from Nordic masters”.