Here is the man, aged about 25? I was present at the Charles Mingus concert with Eric Dolphy etc. where this photo was taken. But I am not seen in the picture (Robert Priddy). I met Svein-Erik in 1960 in Oslo and we soon became close friends. He was already known in Norway as an outstanding jazz drummer. He was best known as 'Atom Jørgen', after a German wrestler named Jurgen who visited Oslo at who jazz friends thought shared a similar appearance. Later, Axel Jensen used that nickname when he wrote about him in his first bestseller in Norway, the contemporary novel 'Line'. He was an outstanding drummer, and mastered the style that was typical of Shelley Manne and other West Coast drummers, while he was also exceptional at other styles. When accompanying Stan Getz on his Oslo visit, he was almost begged to join his group permanently, but he knew that Getz was famed for not paying up properly. He continued as a professional musician the rest of his relatively short life. He was the permanent drummer Kjell Karlsen's Orchestra (the largest big band for decades).
I was a jazz guitarist who had been active in England as an artist in the nightclub and on tours etc. and I knew the London jazz scene at this time. We had the same taste in jazz and I was often in a trio that he was the drummer for, in Telle Nightclub, at Frijdhof Nansens Plass. We tried to form a jazz trio with a bass player, but it did not happen since other things got in my way.
Norsk: Her er mannen, alderen ca. 25? Jeg var tilstede på dennne Charles Mingus konserten med Eric Dolphy etc. Men jeg sees ikke i bildet (Robert Priddy). Jeg traff Svein-Erik i 1960 i Oslo og vi ble nære venner snart. Han var allerede kjent i Norge som en jazz fremragende trommeslager. Han var mest kjent som 'Atom-Jørgen', kalt opp etter en tysk bryter som het Jurgen besøkte Oslo på den tiden og jazz venner mente det var en likhet mellom dem. Siden brukte Axel Jensen det navnet på ham når han skrev sin gjennombruddsbok i Norge, en roman om den tiden. 'Line'. Han var en fremragende trommeslager, og mestret stilen som var typisk for Shelley Manne og andre Vestkyst trommeslagere, med han var ekseptionell også på andre stiler. Når han be engasjert til å spille med Stan Getz på hans Oslo besøk, ble han nesten tryglet om å bli fast trommeslager med ham, men han visste at Getz ble berømt for ikke å betale riktig. Han fortsatte som profesjonelle musiker resten av sitt relativt kort liv. Han var permanent trommeslager i Kjell Karlsens Orkester (Norges største storband i årtier).
Jeg var en jazz gitarist som hadde vært aktive i England som en artist i nattklubb og på turnee etc. og jeg kjente til London jazzmiljøet på denne tiden. Vi hadd samme smak i jazz og jeg var ofte med i en trio som han var trommis for, i Telle Nattklubb. Vi forsøkte å danne en jazz trio sammen med en bassist, men det ble ikke noe av siden andre ting kom i veien for meg.