Bjarne Liller
Encyclopedia
Bjarne Bent Rønne Pedersen, known as Bjarne Liller (25 September 1935 – 6 September 1993), was a Danish
jazz musician and singer-songwriter
.
in Copenhagen
. He got his breakthrough as a banjo
player and singer in Papa Bue
's Viking Jazz Band. He played with the Viking Jazz Band from 1956 to 1970, and again from 1976 to 1979, and made around 30 records with the band. Liller was also a successful solo artist, mainly in the pop music
genre. He worked with John Mogensen
, and got a gold record
for selling 100,000 copies of his solo pop hit "Billet mrk./Ensom dame 40 år". He finished second at the 1979 Dansk Melodi Grand Prix, singing the duet "Alt er skønt" with Grethe Ingmann
. Liller received a silver record
for 25,000 copies sold of each of his two albums "Man kan ikke gøre for, at man har charme" (1975) and "Livet er skønt" (1976).
He appeared in three Danish films; as a singer in "Thorvald og Linda" (1982), and in minor roles in Erik Clausen's films "Den store badedag" (1991) and "De frigjorte" (1993). Liller credited Kim Larsen
and Erik Clausen for re-igniting his passion for music during the last years of his life. Despite his commercial success, Liller's heart lay with the sound of Nyhavn
; traditional Dixieland
jazz, and he was active until his death in September 1993. At his death, Liller's originality and personality was likened to that of Povl Dissing. A sold-out benefit concert was held by his former jazz colleagues at the Tivoli Gardens later that month.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
jazz musician and singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
.
Biography
Liller was born on VesterbroVesterbro
Vesterbro is one of the 15 administrative, statistical, and city tax districts comprising the municipality of Copenhagen, Denmark...
in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
. He got his breakthrough as a banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
player and singer in Papa Bue
Papa Bue
Arne "Papa" Bue Jensen , known as Papa Bue, was a Danish trombonist and bandleader, chiefly associated with the Dixieland jazz revival style of which he was considered an important proponent. He founded and led the Viking Jazz Band, which was active from 1956.-Early life and career:Arne Bue Jensen...
's Viking Jazz Band. He played with the Viking Jazz Band from 1956 to 1970, and again from 1976 to 1979, and made around 30 records with the band. Liller was also a successful solo artist, mainly in the pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
genre. He worked with John Mogensen
John Mogensen
John Mogensen was a Danish singer, song writer and pianist.He was a member of the song quartet Four Jacks and already then getting popularity as a song writer but after some years he had a remarkable come back as a solo singer from 1971...
, and got a gold record
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
for selling 100,000 copies of his solo pop hit "Billet mrk./Ensom dame 40 år". He finished second at the 1979 Dansk Melodi Grand Prix, singing the duet "Alt er skønt" with Grethe Ingmann
Grethe Ingmann
Grethe Ingmann was a Danish singer. She performed as a member of the duet, Grethe og Jørgen Ingmann, along with her husband, guitarist Jørgen...
. Liller received a silver record
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
for 25,000 copies sold of each of his two albums "Man kan ikke gøre for, at man har charme" (1975) and "Livet er skønt" (1976).
He appeared in three Danish films; as a singer in "Thorvald og Linda" (1982), and in minor roles in Erik Clausen's films "Den store badedag" (1991) and "De frigjorte" (1993). Liller credited Kim Larsen
Kim Larsen
thumb|250px|Kim Larsen, Nibe Festival 2009.Kim Melius Flyvholm Larsen is a Danish rock musician.Inspired by The Beatles and rock and roll, Larsen began as a songwriter and guitarist...
and Erik Clausen for re-igniting his passion for music during the last years of his life. Despite his commercial success, Liller's heart lay with the sound of Nyhavn
Nyhavn
Nyhavn is a 17th century waterfront, canal and entertainment district in Copenhagen, Denmark. Stretching from Kongens Nytorv to the harbour front just south of the Royal Playhouse, it is lined by brightly coloured 17th and early 18th century townhouses and bars, cafes and restaurants...
; traditional Dixieland
Dixieland
Dixieland music, sometimes referred to as Hot jazz, Early Jazz or New Orleans jazz, is a style of jazz music which developed in New Orleans at the start of the 20th century, and was spread to Chicago and New York City by New Orleans bands in the 1910s.Well-known jazz standard songs from the...
jazz, and he was active until his death in September 1993. At his death, Liller's originality and personality was likened to that of Povl Dissing. A sold-out benefit concert was held by his former jazz colleagues at the Tivoli Gardens later that month.