Thomassen was born in
Ålesund. She is a graduate from the
Norwegian Academy of Music, and performs with a variety of rock and jazz bands, including her own Hedvig Mollestad Trio, Bronco Busters, Songs and Sweet Potatoes, and
VOM (as "Mester Pøggs"). She also has a central role in the bands of
Jarle Bernhoft and
Hilde Marie Kjersem, and has performed with
Trondheim Jazz Orchestra. Thomassen was awarded "The young jazz talent of the year" at
Moldejazz in 2009, and played a gig within
Jarle Bernhoft Band at the 2011
Kongsberg Jazzfestival. When she released her debut solo album
Shoot! (2011) leading her own trio, the music bears little resemblance to what she plays with
Jon Eberson Group and the bands of Hilde Marie Kjersem and Jarle Bernhoft.
Hedvig Mollestad Trio Hedvig Mollestad Trio (also referred to as HM3) consists of Hedvig Mollestad (guitar, vocals),
Ellen Brekken (bass) and
Ivar Loe Bjørnstad (drums). The trio has received numerous appraising reviews internationally, for both their studio albums and live performances. Their music is inspired by '70s heavyrock, but creates a peculiar musical mixture of ingredients like
free jazz,
prog and
psychedelia. On its website the band describes their own music as "Outgoing & progressive instrumental rock". Since the trio's formation in 2009, HM3 has played many concerts and jazz festivals in both Norway and abroad and they have toured in Europe, Malaysia, Japan and the USA. In reviews of two of the band's albums,
All About Jazz critique John Kelman states:
Hedvig Mollestad Weejuns In 2023, Mollestad formed a new trio, called Weejuns, with the keyboardist
Ståle Storløkken from
Elephant9, and the drummer
Ole Mofjell. == Prizes and honors ==