johannesen has studied jazz performance at the norwegian academy of music in oslo where he is currently (2013) studying for a master's degree in improvisation. he has been performing on venues in oslo with various groups regularly since 2005, and has toured clubs and festivals in europe with petter wettre quartet, revolver!, speakeasy, wettre/vinaccia/johannesen and golden dawn. in addition he has collaborated with the likes of john butcher, axel dörner, raymond strid, ingebrigt håker flaten, chris corsano, roger turner, pat thomas, joe williamson, frode gjerstad, per zanussi, klaus holm, tatsuya nakatani and joel grip.