Trygve Seim

Recorded with Tommy Smith and the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, Celebrations was devised as a contribution to ECM's 40th anniversary celebrations.

Seim has two children with the Norwegian journalist and writer Åsne Seierstad (b. 1970).

With 1300 Oslo

With Jon Balke Batagraf

Bodega Band

With Mats Eilertsen

With Harr & Hartberg

With Iro Haarla

With Manu Katché

With Sinikka Langeland

With Håvard Lund

With Geir Lysne Listening Ensemble

With Motorpsycho

With Odd Nordstoga Og Det Norske Kammerorkester

With Jørn Skogheim

With Squid

With Christian Wallumrød

With Petter Wettre

Trygve Seim (born 25 April 1971) is a Norwegian jazz saxophonist and composer.

Seim was born in Oslo and in 1985 was inspired to learn saxophone upon hearing Jan Garbarek's Eventyr by chance on a family excursion.

Seim went on to study music at Foss videregående skole (1987–90).

In between his studies, Seim spent a year in nearby Denmark, during which time he began a short-lived group with pianist Carsten Dahl and became increasingly influenced by the playing of Dexter Gordon.

Upon returning to Norway, Seim attended the Jazz program of the Trondheim Musikkonservatorium (1990–93), where he completed studies in jazz saxophone.

Seim's jazz education was supplemented by participation in New York jam sessions during his frequent overseas trips to visit his father, who worked in the Norwegian diplomatic service.

In 1991, he founded the group Airamero with fellow student, the pianist Christian Wallumrød.

Seim has released numerous albums since 1992, including over 20 albums for ECM Records as a composer, band-leader or co-band-leader.

Seim became a member of Jon Balke's band Oslo 13 in 1992 and soon after was instrumental in forming the jazz quartet, The Source, with fellow Trondheim Musikkonservatorium alumni Øyvind Brække, Mats Eilertsen and Per Oddvar Johansen.

Considered to be a highly creative ensemble, The Source released a series of critically successful albums, including several on ECM Records and have remained an active ensemble throughout Seim's career, collaborating with other musicians for specific projects, including Edward Vesala and Kenny Wheeler.

Bassist Johannes Eick and drummer Per Oddvar Johansen completed the group line-up, and in 1994 their eponymously named album was released.

Seim's debut release as a leader came in 2000, with Different Rivers, released on the German record label ECM Records.

Receiving positive reviews upon release, Different Rivers won the German Record Critics Prize, "Jahrespreis – Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik" in 2001, and began Seim's long association with ECM Records, both as a leader and as a sideman, including for Jacob Young, Manu Katché, Iro Haarla, Sinikka Langeland, and Mats Eilertsen.

While jazz critics have suggested that Seim's performing and composing aligns within the ECM lineage, many have also noted that he has cultivated a unique style of performance and composition, making his work difficult to categorize.

Seim is noted for making unconventional choices in his ensemble instrumentation, frequently using large ensembles but also working in smaller contexts, including duos.

His unique contribution to the legacy of ECM recordings was celebrated in 2010 when his composition and arrangement, 'Ulrikas Dans', was selected for inclusion in Arild Andersen's Celebration album, alongside those of Keith Jarrett, Jan Garbarek, Dave Holland, Chick Corea, and Andersen himself.