Per-Ola Gadd was born in the town of Uddevalla on the West Coast of Sweden on May 28, 1962.  Per-Ola studied string bass at Ingesund Academy of Music for two years with Bjørn F. Holmvik and two years at Gothenburg Academy of Music under the tutelage of Ferdinand Lipa. He also studied privately with the late Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen.

 

Per-Ola attended the Musicians Institute in Los Angeles in 1986-1987, receiving a professional bass player diploma.  Remaining in California until 1992, he freelanced in jazz combos and big bands, while also teaching part-time at Musicians Institute. Among the musicians he played with were Ron Affif, Justo Almario, Dick Berk, the Candoli Brothers, Gary Foster, Jake Hanna, Lee Konitz, Lou Levy, Lawrence Marable, Sam Most, Jon Nagourney, Joe Pass, Curtis Peagler, Bill Perkins, Joe Porcaro, Emil Richards, Charlie Shoemake, Alvin Stoller, Frank Strazzeri and Bill Reichenbach.

Relocating to Stockholm, Sweden in 1992, Gadd soon found himself in great demand as a bass player with Swedish musicians Krister Andersson, Lasse Bagge, Agneta Baumann, Claes Crona, Arne Domnérus, Rolf Ericson, Maffy Falay, Tommy Koverhult, Gunnar “Siljabloo” Nilsson, Charlie Norman, Bernt Rosengren, Bengt Stark, Ulf Wakenius, Putte Wickman and Monica Zetterlund. 

He also performed around Europe with visiting American musicians such as Benny Bailey,  Freddy Cole, Buddy DeFranco, Scott Hamilton, Joe Harris, Charles McPherson & Freddie Redd. As well as leading his own band Skandia Skies wich resulted in the 1996 CD  “Lonely Street”.

 

After meeting tenorplayer Houston Person and singer Etta Jones in 1998, he was encouraged by Person to move to New York, which he did the following year. He soon found himself working with pianists Cecilia Coleman, Rick Germanson, Mike LeDonne, Carl Orrje, The Friars Club Jazz Band and Little Anthony & The Imperials (playing fender bass), as well as performing with Houston Person Quartet wich also includes pianist Stan Hope and drummer/bandleader/poet Chip White.