Morton Gunnar Larsen graduated from the Norwegian Academy of Music in 1978, having specialized in classic ragtime and early jazz piano, with emphasis on Scott Joplin, Jelly Roll Morton, Eubie Blake, and Louis M Gottschalk. He recorded his first solo album in 1975 for which he received the 'Spellemannsprisen' award (the Norwegian Grammy). He next founded the Ophelia Ragtime Orchestra in 1977 and studied and performed with stride pianist Eubie Blake, to whom Larsen composed Memories of Eubie.
Larsen worked in New Orleans over longer periods of time, resulting in tours and musical direction of One mo' time (1979–81) written by Vernel Bagneris. Larsen's collaboration with Bagneris continued with the performance Jelly Roll!! - the music and the man, dedicated Jelly Roll Morton, premiered at Oslo Jazzfestival 1990. It played 11 months in New York Off-Broadway (1994–95) and was published as a CD (GHB, 1996). This work gave Larsen the OBIE Award for 1995. He had earlier received the Buddy Award and the Norwegian Jazz Federation's «Jazz musician of the year» award (1992) in his home country of Norway.
He participates on several recordings with the Magnolia Jazzband (1974–93), Ytre Suløens Jassensemble, is a member of Odeon Jazz Quintet, Union Rhythm Kings, participates often with Norbert Susemihl's Joyful Gumbo (2011-Present), in addition to his own fascinating Ophelia Orchestra (1977-present). With this group he has made several U.S. tours. Special projects include excerpts from Scott Joplin's opera Treemonisha, and Sound & Smoke — music from Berlin during the Weimar Republic era.
Mr. Larsen currently performs in duo with the jazz singer Karin Krog as well as clarinetist Georg Reiss and vocalist Ståle Ytterli. As a soloist he has also been featured with symphonic groups in works by Gershwin, Bernstein, et al, and has toured extensively in the U.S., Great Britain and Scandinavia, as well as in Germany, Italy, Spain, etc.
Solo recordings:
In Duo:
Interview: