Knut Haugsoen, an architect and musician who made Winnipeg his home for almost four decades, died January 17 at the age of 75.

Haugsoen was born in Norway. He pursued architecture as a career, but a passion for jazz was with him from childhood, and he began performing when he was still a teen. After training in Germany and working as an architect in both Oslo and Chicago, Knut accepted a faculty appointment in architecture at the U of M in 1973, which means he’s been a part of Winnipeg’s jazz community for nearly forty years.

His band Vikrama has four recordings. One Day’s Growth, which was nominated for a Prairie Music Award, features several Winnipeg artists, including Larry Roy, Gilles and Lianne Fournier, and Rob Siwik. Step and a Half, which was nominated for a 2001 Juno, features a high-profile Canadian cast, including trumpeter Ingrid Jensen and saxophonist Mike Murley.

Knut’s fifth recording, Shakti, will be released at a tribute on April 18 at the Winnipeg Art Gallery. To learn more about Knut’s life and music, visit his website: www.vikrama.com.