Originally from Norway, Jostein Gulbrandsen has been based in New York since 2001 where he received his Master’s Degree in Jazz Guitar from Manhattan School of Music in 2003.

Gulbrandsen has played at Kongsberg Jazz Festival, Blue Note, Birdland, BB. Kings, Cornelia Street Cafe, Smalls, Smoke ,Blues Alley, The Kennedy Center and many other places. He has toured in Norway and Scotland and also held Masterclasses at Agder College of Music and Hobart and William Smith Colleges. He is scheduled to play at festivals in both Norway and Portugal in 2019.

He has released three albums as a leader “Twelve”(Fresh Sound New Talent), “Release of Tension” and his latest album “Looking Ahead”, which was released on the Norwegian record label Curling Legs Records in 2018. He is a also the author of a best-selling advanced guitar method book called “Modern Jazz and Fusion Guitar” released on Hal/Leonard in 2016 .He is also featured artist for Collings Guitars and Quilter Labs. Gulbrandsen draws influences from both Nordic and American jazz in both of his playing and compositions.