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Ketil Bjørnstad’s novel The River (Aschehoug 2007) is currently being published in Denmark to glowing reviews. The River was given a full-page review in Politiken, one of Denmark’s major daily newspapers, 25 October 2008. Mette Winge writes, “It is not without good reason that Ketil Bjørnstad has been awarded the Prix des Lecteurs for To Music.” She calls The River “a worthy successor”, and writes, “Like To Music, The River is great literature – sombre and uplifting at the same time.” Henriette Bacher Lind of Jyllands-Posten, Denmark’s largest-selling daily newspaper, writes: “As the musician he is, Ketil Bjørnstad constructs his story very elegantly, like a musical composition, repeating the same passages again and again in new ways.” She concludes that the reader is “once again captivated by Ketil Bjørnstad’s musical and expressive language”. And Eva Pohl of Berlingske Tidende opens her review by commenting, “Waves of drama sweep over the characters in Ketil Bjørnstad’s compelling and psychologically insightful novel The River.” The third volume of the trilogy about Aksel Vinding, The Lady of the Valley, will be published in Norwegian in February 2009.

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung has a very favourable review of KB's "Oda" by Matthias Hannemann October 25. 2008. Hannemann writes that the novel is very elegantly written, and that KB shows all his musical talent in his work with the text. He also praises KB for being trustworthy with all the biographical elements.

In Norwegian Dagbladet, Tom Stalsberg writes that KB's book "Kolbein Falkeid - Et nærbilde" is a wonderful book about poetry, life and cosmos. Gro Jørstad Nilsen of Bergens Tidende says that KB gives a brilliant portrait of a wise poet.

23 September 2008, Ketil Bjørnstad was announced as the winner of the prestigious French readers’ award "Prix des Lecteurs" for his novel Til Musikken (La Société des Jeunes Pianistes). This prize is awarded by a large jury composed of readers all over France, who have read four books each month for an entire year. They select one candidate every month as a finalist, and then one of the twelve finalists is chosen as the winner. Ketil Bjørnstad’s novel Til Musikken, competing with novels by writers such as Paul Auster and Truman Capote, was the favourite of the French readers. Previous winners include Carlos Ruiz Zafón and Isabel Allende.

Ketil Bjørnstad presents a reading from his forthcoming novel "To Music" (Maia Press 2009) and a solo piano performance at Kings Place, 17 November 2008, during London Jazz Festival.

“The Light – Songs Of Love And Fair” (ECM) gets critical acclaim both in Norway, Great Britain and in Germany. In the October 2008 issue of Gramophone, Richard Whitehouse writes: “Ketil Bjørnstad has followed a distinctive creative course from classical piano prodigy to jazz pianist and sui generis composer, while not forgetting his success as a poet, lyricist and novelist. They are attributes that puts one in mind of a latter-day Leonard Cohen, and the song-cycles on this disc are redolent of the Canadian master in their fastidious alignment between words and music … listening of the deepest, most thought-provoking kind.” In Jazzwise, Stuart Nicholson writes that “Bjørnstad creates an album of wonderfully understated passions … Once again his melodies allow the voice to invest each word with rich, personal meaning in an album that, like so much of Bjørnstad’s work, can not be easily set aside.” Ray Comiskey of Irish Times writes that the album is “gorgeous”, and in Norwegian DN, Trond Jensen compares the music of KB with Gorecki and writes: “Always beautiful. And, at the same time, reliefingly abstract.”

KBs novel ”Oda” is getting great attention in German newspapers. In his review for Züddeutsche Zeitung, Joseph Hanimann writes: “We are happy to believe that this woman anticipated the liberal masquerade between honesty and new pretence – a masquerade which the author’s generation would enjoy to its fullest extent – by almost a hundred years.” In Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Peter Urban-Halle writes that KBs novel reminds him of the writing of Per-Olov Enquist, but more sober, and without hysteria. In Rheinischer Merkur, KB is praised by Ulrich Steinmetzger, who writes that KBs novel is a sovereign piece of art.

Together with the Swedish cello-player Svante Henryson, KB is expected to record a new album for ECM in January 2009. The two musicians worked together on KBs “Seafarer’s Song” (Universal 2004) and have also given a recital at the Bath Festival.

KB was given the honour of writing the prologue for Bjørnsonfestivalen – The Norwegian festival of international literature – in Molde, August 2008.

The live-recording of “Coastlines” with Lill Lindfors (Canal Street, Arendal 2007) will be released on Grappa (Norwegian ECM-distributors) 24 November 2008.

A one-cd excerpt of KBs tripple-album “Rainbow Sessions” will be released by EmArcy/Universal in 2009. The limited edition of the tripple-box is sold out.

KB has delivered the third part of his trilogy about Axel Vinding, starting with “Til Musikken” (2004) and “Elven” (2007) to his publishing house Aschehoug. The novel, “Damen i dalen”, will be published in Spring 2009.

KB is touring all over Norway Autumn 2008 (mostly solo piano). He will also visit several German cities (Köln, Frankfurt, Ludwigshafen and Oldenburg a. o.). He will play with Terje Rypdal in Porto, Portugal, 26 October 2008. During the London International Jazz festival, 17 November 2008, he presents a reading from his forthcoming novel “To Music” (“Til Musikken”) and solo piano performance at Kings Place, the iconic new creative centre in Kings Cross.

Bokklubben (The norwegian Book-of-the-Month-club) makes a re-launch of KBs novel “Oda!” from 1983, due to it’s 25^th anniversary, together with a re-release of his tripple-album “Leve Patagonia” from 1978. The book and the cd’s will be offered in October 2008, and KB

will perform “Sommernatt ved fjorden” at the “Bokfest” at the new Norwegian Opera, 21 September 2008.

KBs portrait of the Norwegian poet Kolbein Falkeid “Kolbein Falkeid – et nærbilde. Den som ser i brønnen stirrer nedenfra.”, will be released by CappelenDamm on 22 September 2008. The book is a result of several interviews KB made with the 75 year old poet in his hometown Haugesund during 2007.

Life in Leipzig (KB and Terje Rypdal) is very well received, getting 5 stars in many major newspapers. Mode Steinkjær in Dagsavisen calls the recording a "first rate"-album, "challenging, exciting, playful and sincere." Dagbladets Terje Mosnes calls Terje Rypdal and KB "two of the most characteristic voices in contemporary music". He also writes that the concert-cd is "one of the most ecstatic celebrations of melody and inspired romantic expressiveness ever made." In Bergens Tidende, Hanne Farestvedt writes: "Intensely beautiful".

Ketil Bjørnstads novel "La Société des Jeunes Pianistes" "Til Musikken) is nominated to the French "Prix des Lecteurs" 2008.

KB will perform his suite "The Light - Songs of Love and Fear" with Randi Stene and Lars Anders Tomter at the "Les signes parmi nous - Musik von ECM"-festival at Schloss Elmau, Sunday 25 May 2008. The trio will also give a cd-release concert at Logen, during the Bergen Int. Festival on Wednesday 21 May 2008, and perform the suite at Randi Stenes own festival "Sommersang" at Ringve Museum, Trondheim, Friday 13 June, at the Barony in Rosendal 4 July, and at Verdens Ende outside Tønsberg (early morning open air concert) Sunday 6 July 2008.

KBs novel "Elven" (The River) was regarded as one of the best books in 2007 by Norway's biggest newspaper VG. Gabriel Michael Vosgraff Moro called the novel "a thrilling experience". (VG 19th December 2007)

In 2008, KB will be touring solo-piano and also visit Germany for a "Lesung"-tour in April. His Novel ODA will be published by Insel/Suhrkamp in February 2008.

The album "The Light - Songs of Love and Fear", with KB, Randi Stene and Lars Anders Tomter, will be released by ECM in May 2008. The album is produced by Manfred Eicher.

ECM will release a live-recording from Leipziger Jazztage 2005. KB plays together with guitarist Terje Rypdal. The album is planned for February/March 2008.

KB and Wolfgang Puschnig played in London at the London International Jazzfestival 16 November 2007. KB has also given many solo piano-concerts in Norway this autumn, and will play with Arild Andersen and Alex Riel in Baden-Baden 30 November 2007.

KBs new novel "Elven" (The River) is the sequel of "Til Musikken" and was released by Aschehoug 22 October 2007. It is also "book-of-the-month" in Bokklubben Nye Bøker. The authour Unni Lindell recommends the book strongly for the BnB-magazine and says it is a book with an extraordinary literary quality. It reminds her of her favourite novel "Juleoratoriet" by Göran Tunström. In Adresseavisen Ole Jacob Hoel writes that the novel is "highly recommendable" and even asks for a third book about Aksel Vinding. In Dagsavisen, Gerd Elin Stava Sandve calls the novel "a deep river - a dark stream of desire and passion". In Aftenposten, the critic Svein Johs Ottesen regards the book as one of KBs best novels ever.

KBs album "Devotions" (EmArcy) is very well received in European newspapers and jazz-magazines. Rolf Thomas in german Jazzthetic says it is a timeless album where everything is in tune. Terje Mosnes in Norwegian Dagbladet gives it 5 stars and calls it "a tribute to the melodic narration" and Olav Gorseth in Bergens Tidende, also giving it 5 stars, calls it "elegant, melodic and poetic jazz".

Canal Street Jazz & Blues-festival in Arendal, has asked Ketil Bjørnstad to write a new piece for the 2007-festival. "Coastlines" will be performed Tuesday 24 July with KB on piano and Lill Lindfors (vocal), Nora Taksdal (viola), Svein Dag Hauge (guitars), Arild Andersen (double bass) & Alex Riel (drums). The day after, on Wednesday 25, KB will give an open- air concert with Terje Rypdal (guitar) and Paolo Vinaccia (drums).

The French translation of Ketil Bjørnstads novel Til Musikken (La Société des Jeunes Pianistes) has got excellent reviews in France. In Le Point, the former Goncourt-prize-winner Jacques-Pierre Amette writes that the novel is "Tout simplement superbe!" The novel has also got a very good review in Die Zeit the 18 October 2006.

Together with his journalist-wife Catharina Jacobsen, Ketil Bjørnstad is writing a book about the nerve-sanatorium Modum Bad outside Oslo. The book is planned for release by Dinamo Forlag in 2007.

Ketil Bjørnstads tripple-cd-box Rainbow Sessions is released by Universal on the EmArcy label in November 2006. The soundtrack is a tribute to the Rainbow Studio in Oslo and also Bjørnstads first solo piano-recording since The Rosenborg Tapes from 1998.

The sountrack to the film S@motnosc W Sieci, with music by Bugge Wesseltoft and Ketil Bjørnstad, has been several weeks at the top 10-chart in Poland, autumn 2006.

With guitarist Terje Rypdal, Ketil Bjørnstad is touring Shetland, Gütersloh, Krefeld, Innsbruck, Vienna and Schwäbish-Gmünd before Christmas 2006. Ketil Bjørnstad is also giving solo piano-concerts at the Schwäbish Hall, Mandal, Berlin (silent movie Terje Vigen) and Arendal, and performing Grace with Anneli Drecker in Istanbul in the same period. He will also give a gala-concert with the swedish singer Lill Lindfors in Stockholm,18 December.

Ketil Bjørnstads novel Til Musikken (La Société des jeunes pianistes) will be released in France on Editoins JC LATTÈS in September. It has been selected by Virgin and FNAC stores as a star book for this Fall, 2006.

Ketil Bjørnstad is touring with Terje Rypdal in Europe in November and December 2006

This summer (2006), KB gave solo-piano concerts in Åsgårdstrand and on the Barony in Rosendal in June. He also performed Grace with Anneli Drecker at the Fjellfestivalen in Åndalsnes and at the Canal Street-festival in Arendal in July. He gave a trio-concert in Bodø during the Nordland Musikkfestuke in August. The same month he also performed Kildens Bredd together with Ole Paus in Fredrikstad.

Ketil Bjørnstad has delivered most of the music to Witold Adameks film Loneliness In the Net (S@motnosc w Sieci) based on the bestseller by Janusza L. Wisniewskiego. On the soundtrack-cd from the film (Universal Music), he will appear together with Bugge Wesseltoft.

Ketil Bjørnstads novel "Vindings Spiel" ("Til Musikken) got a strong recommendation from the book-critic Elke Heidenreich in Germany. In her "Lesen!"-program for ZDF (April 2006) she called the novel: "... ein rundherum gut erzähltes, spannend erzähltes, einfühlsames, perfektes Buch. Das könnte Ihr Frühjahrsbuch werden." The novel reached the bestselling-list of both Stern and Der Spiegel shortly afterwards.

After Ketil Bjørnstads concert in Queen Elizabeth Hall in London 22 March 2006, John Fordham from The Guardian called the music "exquisite" and wrote that "Seafarer's Song" had "a gripping eloquence". And after the concert in Edinburgh the day before, Rob Adams from The Herald wrote that it was "a work of major ambition carried off with considerable skill". BBC broadcasted the concert from Southampton.

Ketil Bjørnstad is invited to "Europa der Mutterspracen" in Salzburg 18 and 19 May 2006, both as an author and with his trio (Arild Andersen, Alex Riel)

Ketil Bjørnstad is participating together with Randi Stene (mezzosoprano) in a performance of his "Messe For En Såret Jord" (KKV) in Sandefjord 30 April 2006.

Ketil Bjørnstad is touring Austria and Germany, due to Suhrkamp/Insel Verlag's release of his latest novel "Vindings Spiel" ("Til Musikken"). He will visit Wien, Berlin, Leipzig, Rostock, Kiel, Frankfurt and Stuttgart from 20 to 26 April 2006.

Ketil Bjørnstad is touring with CMN (contemporary Music Network) from 19 to 25 March 2006, visiting Gateshead (Sage) , Manchester (Royal Northern College of Music), Edinburgh (Queens Hall), London (Queen Elisabeth Hall), Bristol (St. Georges), Birmingham (CBSO Centre) and Southampton (Turner Sims Concert Hall). He will present music from his albums "Before the light", "Floating" and "Seafarer's Song" together with Kristin Asbjørnsen (vocal), Eivind Aarset (guitar), Arild Andersen (double-bass), Svante Henryson (cello) and Alex Riel (drums). Andy Sheppard (saxophone) is "Special Guest Star".

Ketil Bjørnstad gives a duo-concert with the Swedish singer Lill Lindfors in Ålesund 11th. of March 2006.

Ketil Bjørnstad's youth-opera IZZAT has it's premiere at Den norske Opera (The norwegian Opera) Friday 3 March 2006. The libretto is written by the Norwegian poet Gro Dahle. All musical arrangements by Svein Dag Hauge (LAVA). Director: Terje Hartvigsen.

Ketil Bjørnstad is touring with Palle Danielson & Alex Riel in Germany from 12 to 17 February 2006, visiting Regensburg, Neunkirchen, Heidelberg, Darmstadt, Frankfurt & München.

Ketil Bjørnstad gives a solo piano recital in the new culture house in Arendal 9 February 2006.

Ketil Bjørnstads book on Liv Ullmann ”Livslinjer (Lifelines)” is regarded one of the best books of the year (2005) by Aftenpostens film critic Per Haddal. The book is so far sold to Germany (btb - Random House), Denmark, Russia, Hungary, Chech Republic and Estonia.

Ketil Bjørnstad is getting excellent reviews for his trio-album FLOATING. Mojo calls it “a beauty” . Jazzwise says it is one of KB’s best albums ever. Adresseavisen calls it the best cd of the year.

Ketil Bjørnstad's non-fiction novel "Flammeslukeren" (Ole Bull - en livshistorie) about the norwegian fiddler Ole Bull (1810-1880) is getting excellent review by the historian Yngvar Ustvedt in Norway's biggest daily newspaper VG (October 2005).

KETIL BJØRNSTADs latest recording FLOATING will be released on EmArcy (Universal) 12 September 2005 in Norway, and later this autumn in other countries - featuring Palle Danielsson on double bass and Marilyn Mazur on drums & percussion. He will be touring in Norway in September 2005 - Sortland 15., Trondheim 16. and Oslo 17. Alex Riel will play instead of Marilyn Mazur on that tour.

KETIL BJØRNSTAD is collaborating both with Kjell Kalleklev Management and Bremme-Hohensee in Germany about touring in other countries. A.O. Innsbruck and Marburg in October.

KETIL BJØRNSTAD will play in Nürnberg with the norwegian singer Kari Bremnes 29 September and will have a reading in Nürnberg Litteraturhaus the day before.

KETIL BJØRNSTAD will release his biographical novel FLAMMESLUKEREN (The Fire- Eater) about the fiddler Ole Bull (1810-1880) in Bergen 17 October together with the norwegian violinist Arve Tellefsen.

KETIL BJØRNSTAD will give a lecture on Edvard Munch at Royal Academy in London 19 November. Arcadia Books is also publishing their B format edition of The Story of Edvard Munch at the same time.

KETIL BJØRNSTAD is writing a biography on the norwegian actress and director LIV ULLMANN for Aschehoug & co, called LIVSLINJER (Lifelines). The book will be released in November 2005.

KETIL BJØRNSTAD gave a duo-concert with the Swedish cellist Svante Henryson at the Bath festival in June 2005.

KETIL BJØRNSTAD is The Arts Councils "Contemporary Music Network-artist" in England, March 2006

KETIL BJØRNSTAD was in Hamburg in November 2004, choosing a new Steinway Grand (model D) for the new Rainbow Studio in Oslo, together with sound-engineer Jan Erik Kongshaug. KETIL BJØRNSTAD will use the same studio and instrument for his new trio-recording for Emarcy/Universal in May 2005. The album will be released in the autumn 2005.

KETIL BJØRNSTADs latest novel "Til Musikken" (An die Musik/To the music) was released in Norway in August 2004, and is so far sold to Denmark, Holland and France.

KETIL BJØRNSTADs next concert will be with Anneli Drecker (Grace) on Svalbard/Spitsbergen 29 January 2005

KETIL BJØRNSTAD will be playing and reading from his latest novel in Germany, "Villa Europa" (Insel/Suhrkamp) in Rostock, Frankfurt and Langenau, from 20 to 22 January 2005

KETIL BJØRNSTADs album "Before The Light" (November Music, Taiwan) will be re-released by EmArcy/Universal in February 2005