The Monn Keys

Founded by Sølvi Wang and Egil Monn-Iversen, the group became well-known in Norway for their jazz and pop music performances.

[1][2][3] Sølvi Wang, Fredrik Conradi, Arne Bendiksen, Per Asplin, Oddvar Sanne, and Nora Brockstedt were members of the group for shorter or longer periods while it existed.

[4] The group became very popular in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, and also performed in Britain, Netherlands, Belgium, US, Germany, Iceland, and for UN forces in Gaza and Egypt.

[5] Egil Monn-Iversen and Sølvi Wang both attended the school and had extensive musical experience despite their young age.

The starting point for The Monn Keys was an already existing amateur quintet named De fem sure, founded by Sølvi Wang.

[6] The group sang in school revues, and quickly developed further, eventually changing their name to The Monn Keys.

[7]The group debuted as recording artists with Musica in 1951, featuring Sølvi Wang, Per Asplin, Fredrik Conradi, Nora Brockstedt, and Oddvar Sanne.

The group quickly became known through record releases, radio, and film – and in 1954 they were offered a permanent engagement at the theater Chat Noir in Oslo.

When Ella Fitzgerald and Dizzy Gillespie toured Europe in the 50s, they went to Chat Noir in Oslo to experience The Monn Keys perform.

Allyn Ferguson was the conductor and arranger of the record, and it consisted of innovative versions of music by Henry Mancini, André Previn and Horace Silver.

The Monn Keys disbanded later in 1964, but the members continued to mark themselves with solid positions in Norwegian culture and music life for many years after.

Arne Bendiksen, Sølvi Wang, Per Asplin, Nora Brockstedt, and Oddvar Sanne in The Monn Keys in 1954.