Christopher Hjort
Encyclopedia
Christopher Hjort is a Norwegian
typographer
and
graphical designer
. In 1990, Hjort and three colleagues founded Gazette, which has grown into one of Norway's largest professional companies in the fields of graphical design, web design
, modern typography
, information, and corporate communication
more generally. At Gazette, Hjort has been co-founder, co-owner and advisor, and currently leads the graphical design group. He has also been actively involved in developing the company's Gazette Bok publishing group, which serves as an outlet for various publishing ideas that evolve through Gazette's different business connections. Through Hjort's connections and initiative, Disney artist Don Rosa
used Gazette Bok for publishing his The Pertwillaby Papers
and The Adventures of Captain Kentucky
books.
Hjort is also a rock historian who regularly writes record reviews and artist profiles in various music magazines. In 2000, together with American rock music researcher Doug Hinman, he published Jeff's Book, an acclaimed annotated chronology of Jeff Beck's
career, followed first in 2007 by Strange Brew: Eric Clapton
and the British Blues Boom 1965–1970 and then by So You Want To Be A Rock'n Roll Star: The Byrds
Day-by-Day 1965–1973. These books have also been edited, designed and layouted by Hjort.
Hjort has also worked as a semi-professional guitarist, and toured and recorded two albums with Bygg Band, Norway's first cajun
and zydeco group. The band's second album was recorded in Crowley, Louisiana, in 1984, together with cajun and zydeco legends Link Davis Jr. (sax), Michael Doucet
(fiddle), and Cleveland Chenier (rub board). Hjort's interests include gøbbing (exchanging ideas with members of a think tank
) and collecting guitars and rock memorabilia.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
typographer
Typography
Typography is the art and technique of arranging type in order to make language visible. The arrangement of type involves the selection of typefaces, point size, line length, leading , adjusting the spaces between groups of letters and adjusting the space between pairs of letters...
and
graphical designer
Graphic design
Graphic design is a creative process – most often involving a client and a designer and usually completed in conjunction with producers of form – undertaken in order to convey a specific message to a targeted audience...
. In 1990, Hjort and three colleagues founded Gazette, which has grown into one of Norway's largest professional companies in the fields of graphical design, web design
Web design
Web design is the process of planning and creating a website. Text, images, digital media and interactive elements are used by web designers to produce the page seen on the web browser...
, modern typography
Modern typography
Modern Typography was a reaction against the perceived decadence of typography and design of the late 19th century. It is mostly associated with the works of Jan Tschichold and Bauhaus typographers Herbert Bayer, Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, El Lissitzky and others....
, information, and corporate communication
Corporate communications
Corporate communication is the message issued by a corporate organization, body, or institute to its publics. "Publics" can be both internal Corporate communication is the message issued by a corporate organization, body, or institute to its publics. "Publics" can be both internal Corporate...
more generally. At Gazette, Hjort has been co-founder, co-owner and advisor, and currently leads the graphical design group. He has also been actively involved in developing the company's Gazette Bok publishing group, which serves as an outlet for various publishing ideas that evolve through Gazette's different business connections. Through Hjort's connections and initiative, Disney artist Don Rosa
Don Rosa
Keno Don Hugo Rosa, known simply as Don Rosa, is an American comic book writer and illustrator known for his stories about Scrooge McDuck, Donald Duck and other characters created by Carl Barks for Disney comics, such as The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck.-Early life:Don Rosa's grandfather,...
used Gazette Bok for publishing his The Pertwillaby Papers
The Pertwillaby Papers
The Pertwillaby Papers is an adventure comic drawn by the famous Donald Duck artist Don Rosa in the 1970s. The comic is about the adventures of Lancelot "Lance" Pertwillaby and his friends and colleagues around the world....
and The Adventures of Captain Kentucky
The Pertwillaby Papers
The Pertwillaby Papers is an adventure comic drawn by the famous Donald Duck artist Don Rosa in the 1970s. The comic is about the adventures of Lancelot "Lance" Pertwillaby and his friends and colleagues around the world....
books.
Hjort is also a rock historian who regularly writes record reviews and artist profiles in various music magazines. In 2000, together with American rock music researcher Doug Hinman, he published Jeff's Book, an acclaimed annotated chronology of Jeff Beck's
Jeff Beck
Geoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds...
career, followed first in 2007 by Strange Brew: Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
and the British Blues Boom 1965–1970 and then by So You Want To Be A Rock'n Roll Star: The Byrds
The Byrds
The Byrds were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple line-up changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn remaining the sole consistent member until the group disbanded in 1973...
Day-by-Day 1965–1973. These books have also been edited, designed and layouted by Hjort.
Hjort has also worked as a semi-professional guitarist, and toured and recorded two albums with Bygg Band, Norway's first cajun
Cajun music
Cajun music, an emblematic music of Louisiana, is rooted in the ballads of the French-speaking Acadians of Canada. Cajun music is often mentioned in tandem with the Creole-based, Cajun-influenced zydeco form, both of Acadiana origin...
and zydeco group. The band's second album was recorded in Crowley, Louisiana, in 1984, together with cajun and zydeco legends Link Davis Jr. (sax), Michael Doucet
Michael Doucet
Michael Doucet is a Cajun fiddler, singer and songwriter who founded the Cajun band BeauSoleil from Lafayette, Louisiana.In 2005 Doucet was one of 12 recipients of the National Heritage Fellowship by the National Endowment for the Arts. The NEA award, which recognizes artistic excellence, cultural...
(fiddle), and Cleveland Chenier (rub board). Hjort's interests include gøbbing (exchanging ideas with members of a think tank
Think tank
A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
) and collecting guitars and rock memorabilia.