Jazz Artist and Composer known as the founder of the Magnetic North Orchestra. He was one of Norway's foremost jazz composers.
He became a member of bass player Arild Andersen's quartet when he was 18.
He created a series of multimedia concerts for the Vossajazz festival that incorporated extreme Sports like parachuting, paragliding, hanggliding, and BMX biking.
His older brother Erik Balke became a world-renowned Saxophonist.
He and fellow Norwegian jazz Pianist Vigleik Storaas were contemporaries.
