Roger Arntzen

Roger Arntzen and In The Country

Arntzen was born in Bodø, Norway. He picked up playing the accordion at five years of age, changing instrument to the tuba when he was at high school. Later he switched to electric guitar bass, before he eventually became an upright bass player. He attended musical studies at the University of Oslo (1998–99) and at the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo (1998–2006).

Arntzen has been involved in different bands such as Østenfor Sol, and is now part of bands like the piano trio In The Country accompanied by the pianist and keyboarder Morten Qvenild and the drummer Pål Hausken. In the Country has been active since 2003, releasein five (2014) well received albums, This Was The Pace Of My Heartbeat (2004), Losing Stones (2006), Collecting Bones (2006) and Whiteout (2009). They were awarded "Young Jazz Musicians Of The Year 2004" in Norway. Down Beat called their debut album "one of the finest and most arresting albums to come out of Europe" that year,[2] while All About Jazz reviewer John Kelman has suggested Whiteout as a contender for the "best of" list for 2009.[3]

• 2004: «JazzIntro» Newcomer Awarded as part of In The Country at Moldejazz, awarded by Rikskonsertene and Norsk Jazzforum[4]

With Østenfor Sol

• 2001: Troillspel (Major Studio)

With Damp

• 2003: Mostly Harmless (Songs) (AIM Records)
• 2005: Hoatzin (AIM Records)

With Subtonic

• 2004: In This House (AIM Records)

With In the Country

• 2005: This Was The Pace Of My Heartbeat (Rune Grammofon)
• 2006: Losing Stones, Collecting Bones (Rune Grammofon)
• 2009: Whiteout (Rune Grammofon)
• 2011: Sounds And Sights (Rune Grammofon), live album including a DVD
• 2013: Sunset Sunrise (ACT)

With Chrome Hill

• 2008: Earthlings (Bolage)

With Ballrogg

• 2008: Ballrogg (Bolage)
• 2010: Insomnia (Bolage)
• 2012: Cabin Music (Hubro)

With Erik Wesseltoft

• 2013: To Someone I Knew (Normann Records)

• Official website
• In the Country website
• Ballrogg website