at
Vossajazz 2016. Vespestad was born in
Kirkenes and picked up drumming in the local marching band, but drumming first became serious after finishing high school, where he found himself heading into a future as a substitute teacher at his local high-school. He made up his mind and graduated from the
Toneheim Folk High School (1988) and Jazz program at
Trondheim Musikkonservatorium (1990). In Trondheim he became the driving force behind many successful bands to come out of Trondheim the following years, like
Veslefrekk, "Trondheim Kunstorkester",
Farmers Market (1991–) and the
Maria Kannegaard trio (1993–). In addition he was drummer with the
Embla Nordic in
Copenhagen. In Oslo Vespestad has worked with different groups since 1996, releasing albums with
Sigurd Køhn (
More Pepper please) and
Anders Jormin (
Once) in 1996. For more than two decades he has been a leading drummer on the Norwegian jazz scene, within bands like
Supersilent,
Petter Wettre Trio and Quartet and
Håvard Wiik Trio, in addition to Tord Gustavsen Trio, Silje Nergaard, Embla Nordic and Veslefrekk. == Discography (in selection) ==