Education
As a teenager Johansen attended «Bodø Jazz Quintet» together with his drummer brother Roger Johansen and saxophonist Atle Nymo.
As a teenager Johansen attended «Bodø Jazz Quintet» together with his drummer brother Roger Johansen and saxophonist Atle Nymo.
He is educated on the Jazz program at Trondheim Musikkonservatorium where he later became Lecturer. He has played with the Swedish saxophonist Nisse Sandström and has many appearances with Karin Krog. He has also, in different settings, including performances with the Swedish pianist Lars Jansson and the Finnish alto saxophonist Jukka Perko.
The cooperation with United States pianist Hal Galper led to recordings at Norwegian radio Norsk Rikskringkasting P2, in the program Jazzklubben (2004), from the Jazz clubb Blå in Oslo.
He also toured with Trondheim Jazz Orchestra and Chick Corea in the United States., Scandinavia and Japan among other places. This was documented on an album at Midtnorsk Jazzsenters"s label, MNJ Records.
Other collaborators in recent years, includes the trumpeter Kenny Wheeler in 2008 and bassist Steve Swallow in 2009. Johansen often cooperate with musicians from Northern Norway, e.g. with Bjørn Alterhaug (double bass), January Gunnar Hoff (piano), Finn Sletten (drumes) and Ole Morten Vågan (bass).
With Ole Morten Vågan he was part of guitarist Hallgeir Pedersen"s Trio at Moldejazz in 2002.
They contributed to different other projects, such as with Northern Norwegian folk artist Terje Nilsen at Trondheim Jazz Festival in 2006, and the nonet «Lars Gullin Tribute» with among others John Pål Inderberg (bariton saxophone) and Lars Sjösten (piano). Johansen has also worked extensively in a duo format with pianist Vigleik Storaas, documented on his own release Rainbow Session (2007). This release is available on the Johansen brothers" recently established record label, «Inner Ear».
2002: «Nordlandsprofil» at "Nordland Musikkfestuke".