Vocal, accoustic guitar
An artist of necessity beyond compare, Unrivalled authenticity, a voice producing goose pimples – and happy laughter.
These are examples of what the press says about this awardwinning norwegian balladsinger or bard who is the leader of the Karuzela group and the artistic leader of this project, and he makes the norwegian versions of the polish lyrics the group is singing. Among many other CD releases has made two CDs with his own norwegian versions of Vladimir Vysotsky’s songs. He has had more than 1500 concerts with them, alone or with a band or a chorus- from clubs to cathedrals. Through the years he has made friends with Vysotsky experts all over the world, his family and friends, artists in Russia and is today a Vysotsky expert himself. His fascination with the subject resulted in a book in 2000 called «Ochota na volkov» - «Hunting for wolves».
But his first solo-CD was «Czerwony Autobus» - «The red bus», in 1986, with songs by Jacek Kaczmarski, Zbigniew Herbert, Tadeusz Rozewicz and others, used in Solidarnosc’ time, which he made his own norwegian versions of. Together with the well-known polish piano player and composer Zbigniew Lapinski he had many tours with these songs in Norway, and some concerts in Poland. Jorn Simen worked with Lapinski for 12 years. In a polish book called «Heroes of Europe» by Jan Strekowski about the importance, support and acknowledgement from norwegian groups and individuals to the Solidarity movement, there is a chapter about Jorn Simen’s work.
Since then he has had many other different solo projects, always with songs in norwegian, but often representing other cultures, or his own interpretation of songs, sometimes making melodies and own lyrics. He has also initiated and still leads the most important music-club in Norway for lyrical songs, called «Josefine Visescene», with concerts once a week, and a partner in the Karuzela project.
