Career
He debuted on Moldejazz in 1967, and moved to Oslo where he joined the music scene Club 7 (since 1967). There he started performing with musicians like January Garbarek, Espen Rud and Carl Magnus Neumann, and debuted on record with Terje Rypdal in 1968. He is one of the most prominent Norwegian jazz artists, recording with international jazz greates as within Per Husby Trio featuring (The improviser, Cadence Jazz Records), and performed with Dexter Gordon (Club 7, 1972), Toots Thielemans (1986), Michel Petrucciani (Kongsberg Jazz Festival, 1986).
Venaas has also been county musician in Sogn og Fjordane (1988-1989), and has also collaborated with folk singer Lillebjørn Nilsen with concert tours at home and abroad and recordings, such as "Stilleste Gutt på Sovesal 1".