Members of the EKNMO 2008

Jan zum Vohrde

Alto, solo-flute

The grand old master received the Ben Webster Prize on March 21, 2005, an award long overdue. He has played with virtually everybody from Thomas Clausen's groups to the Danish Radio Big Band, Creme Fraiche Big Band, Erling Kroner Tentet, Ernie Wilkins Almost Big Band, Beijbom Kroner Big Band and Niels Jørgen Steen's Monday Night Big Band, just to name a few. His Buffet alto and his flute is a sound readily identifiable, as are his incredible lines and feeling. An original bar none. His humor can save any tour-madness. Jan is also an operatic singer(!) and a very gentle, unassuming person. Everybody loves Jan zum Vohrde, and for good reasons. He handles the sax-lead except for soprano, which he hates to play, so those parts are handled by Bévort and von Wagner. He also handles all flute solos (of course) and splits the alto solos with Wagner.

Kasper Wagner

Alto, soprano, flute

was our main sub for the alto-chairs since the beginning. A must-have when zum or von Bülow couldn't make it. Actually he was on the two very first gigs, subbing for von Bülow and zum Vohrde respectively. Now he has taken over for Christina and ads his very fiery edge to the band's color palette. Also plays with the Erling Kroner Folk Dance Organization/TENTET and Dark Side Orchestra/NONET. A regular sub also with Niels Jørgen Steen's Monday Night Big Band, plays with The Orchestra and many other agroupations. Yet another one of the young, upcoming generation showing much more than just promise. Plays great lead and is a burningly creative soloist who can hold his own with the best - as he does in this band.

Pernille Bévort

Tenor, soprano, flute

Educated from the Rhythmic Music Conservatory, prolific sideman and band leader. A main-stay in Kroner groups since 1996 (Erling Kroner Dream Quintet and Beijbom Kroner Big Band). Also with Erling Kroner Dark Side Orchestra/NONET, Niels Jørgen Steen's Monday Night Big Band, ToneArt Ensemble, Almost Big Band, singer Helga Søsted's group a.m.o. Currently co-leading the quartet Play Ground with pianist Marie Louise Schmidt. Also runs the octet Bévort's Special Edition, providing music, arrangements and lyrics. Awards: the Ben Webster Price (2001) and the JASA Price (2003). Pernille is a very original jazz soloist with a composer's mind. Her work on the soprano sax stands out with a sound and command rarely equalled. Read more about Pernille here: www.pbevort.dk

Jan Harbeck

Tenor, bass clarinet, clarinet

Born April 13 1975 in Aarhus, Denmark. Grew up in Aalborg where he graduated in 1998 on saxophone from the Academy of Music in Northern Jutland. Moved to Copenhagen in 1999 after having studied one semester at The New School in New York. Has studied with Johan Borgström, Christian Vuust, Eric Alexander and George Garzone. Plays with his own quartet, HAVL, Niels Jørgen Steen's Monday Night Big Band and Ib Glindemann Big Band. Selected CD releases: Harbeck /Agesen/Johnsen/Landors: Harbeck/Agesen/Johnsen/Landors, Cope Records, Beijbom Kroner Big Band: Tango for Bad People, Sweet Silence Records, Ib Glindemann Big Band: 50 Years on Stage, Mega Records, Swinging Link: Swing is our Privilege, Music Mecca and Birgitte Laugesen: Birgitte Laugesen and Friends, Intermusic

Ed Epstein

Baritone

'Big Ed' moved from USA to Sweden in the early seventies, settling first in Stockholm, where he played with Lars Beijbom's Small Potatoes (including Erling Kroner and Bertil Löfgren a/o). Later moved to Lund. Was a main-stay with Beijbom Kroner Big Band (3 cd's). Plays with the Erling Kroner Folk Dance Organization/TENTET and Dark Side Orchestra/NONET, co-leads Epstein-Kroner Bari-Bone Connection and subs occasionally with Niels Jørgen Steen's Monday Night Big Band. This quiet, bespectacled little giant plays some ferocious baritone and is a master balladeer. His cd Art of Survival from the early nineties features his son, Peter Epstein, on saxes and has a guest-appearance by Erling Kroner. Like Calle Lindberg and Mårten Lundgren he is one of the few 'survivers' from the Swedish contingent of the BKBB. Plays all the saxes, however concentrates all his energies on the bari in this band. He is carrying on the legacy of baritone greats of yester-year like Harry Carney, Pepper Adams and Serge Chaloff.

Calle Lindberg

Trombone/lead & solos

Calle is the only non-professional in the band. Gave up his pro career years back to run his own law firm. Met with Kroner in Leif Uwemark's Band in the late seventies. Has played with Tolvan and many other bands throughout his professional career. Still plays circles around any trombone player (including the band-leader) as a soloist. There was never any question about his being in the new EKNMO when BKBB disbanded. Luckily he had eyes to do it. Like Epstein and Gerhardt he was in for the long haul of the BKBB from the onset. Calle leads the trombone section and splits the solo-chores with Erling. Like Ed he lives in Lund, Sweden, so they are just little over an hour away, taking the bridge across the sound.

Rolf Mandix

Trombone

is a very unasuming person and an exemplary ensemble musician whose quiet attitude and great musicality is just what the band needs. Very supportive personally and musically his very presence assures a relaxed, concentrated feeling in the section as in the band as a whole. Just the right chemistry to balance out the sometimes very emotional and eruptive personalities of some of the other musicians - not in the least that of the band leader. He subbed for Lea Nielsen, who has now left the band for a career in a military band, at the La Mariposa Tango Project, where he played his way right into the band. The all-important link between Calle's lead trombone and Gerhardt's bass trombone and tuba.

Niels Gerhardt

Bass trombone, tuba, composer/arranger

A very accomplished musician, composer and arranger. Kroner's first choice for the bass bone and tuba since the late eighties, a/o 10 years with the Beijbom Kroner Big Band. Also plays with the Erling Kroner Folk Dance Organization - the TENTET. Released a new CD in 2005 with all original music with The Orchestra Pieces of Mind and Catching The Rabbit with guitarist Morten Steen where he wrote all the horn parts and plays all the bones. Also with Niels Jørgen Steen's Monday Night Big Band, his own NG Project Band and his new Creole Tuband w/Erling Kroner, Peter Marott and Morten Steen. Has four originals in the band-book at this time (Walking on Solid Grounds, Blue Rain, Gossip and Dance of the Hip Hips) and his masterful arrangement of Marcelo Nisinman's Tango for Bad People, the title song from the last BKBB record, for the band. Read more about Niels Gerhardt here: www.nielsgerhardt.dk

Bjørn Ringkjøbing

Trumpet/lead

The original lead-player (alongside Jeff Davis) of the original Beijbom Kroner Big Band from 1993 to 1999, Bjørn came back to the Kroner-fold late 2005 replacing K.E.Nørgaard. His enormous energy and engagement had been sorely missed since the BKBB days. Also with Niels Jørgen Steen's Monday Night Big Band and Roger Berg Big Band. A marvelous lead-player with that 'zing' that makes a brass section shine. The mating of Carsten M. Larsen and him, splitting the lead, is close to perfect with their different inflections and stylistic backgrounds. Also plays with the Erling Kroner Folk Dance Organization/TENTET

Carsten M. Larsen

Trumpet/alternate lead

Handles the 2nd trumpet and alternate lead and takes care of the trumpet section. His tandem with Bjørn Ringkjøbing is remarkable. Came into the Beijbom Kroner Big Band in later years, first as a sub, soon as a regular (Tango for Bad People), plays with Niels Jørgen Steen's Monday Night Big Band and Roger Berg Big Band, and is a free-lance musician, playing theatre gigs, teaching and a much in demand sub everywhere.

Mårten Lundgren

Trumpet/solo

Mårten Lundgren, born 1969, moved from Stockholm to Copenhagen and later on Malmoe in 1999. Erling met him at a jam session at the opening of the Jazz Cup, record store-cum-concert scene and was snatched by the Beijbom Kroner Big Band right away. He plays in various constellations, such as Tivolis Big Band, Bob Rockwell Quintet (Bob's Wilder), The A-Team, Bohuslän Big Band, Niels Jørgen Steen's Monday Night Big Band, the Swedish/Malmoe Monday Night Big Band, Stockholm Jazz Orchestra, The Swedish Radio Jazz Group ... He also leads his own quintet with which he has recorded the album Travellin' and appears on the Beijbom Kroner Big Band CD Tango for Bad People as well as on Gerhardt's Pieces of Mind. Learn more about Mårten from his web site: www.martenlundgren.com

Peter Marott

Trumpet/solo

Kroner heard Peter the first time when he, Peter, was 15 years old at an amateur contest where he, Kroner, was one of the jurors alongside NHØP. Then he lost contact with him, but stumbled across him at a jam session with a/o Luther Thomas at Børneteatret in Christiania. Invited him to come by Niels Jørgen Steen's Monday Night Big Band the following Monday as they always needed subs and it was a great chance to get 'inside'. He stole the 4th trumpet book and has been there ever since . . . . when plans were made for the new band, there was no doubt that the fiery, Armstrong-cum-bebop trumpeter should be one of the two soloists in the trumpet section. Also plays with the Erling Kroner Folk Dance Organization/TENTET and Niels Gerhardt's new Creole Tuband. Was running his Generation Band with grand old masters Bent Jædig and Steen Holkenov until the sad demise of Jædig 2005. Currently studies at the Rhythmic Conservatory and plays his trumpet anywhere he can get away with it. Learn more about Peter here: www.petermarott.dk

Morten Højring

Guitar

Morten joined the EKNMO for the Mariposa Tango Project in October 2006 and has been with us since. He has played with various Kroner groups throughout the years, from the EKQ to the Dark Side Orchestra and the Tentet. He has been a main-stay with Niels Jørgen Steen's A-Team since its inception. Apart from playing the guitar, Morten is in charge of the booking and logistics, helping Gerhardt and Kroner with the running of the band, an arduous task to say the least. He is a very original guitarist who has developed a unique fingering technique on the guitar and also tunes his guitar differently from the norm, using heavy gauge strings for sake of sound.

Marie Louise Schmidt

Piano

Marie Louise also plays with the Erling Kroner Folk Dance Organization/TENTET and in a variety of settings and bands, like The Sophisticated Ladies Trio & Sextet. Is currently co-leading the quartet Play Ground with Pernille Bévort. She is not just another great pianist, but a very personal one with this very special 'knack' for music out of the ordinary. She is also the chairman of the Paradise Jazz organization. Learn more about Marie Louise here: www.sophisticated.dk

Graig Earle

Bass

The bass chair was preordained for Jesper Bodilsen alternating with Klavs Hovman. However they were (are) busy so Pernille suggested this young Canadian bass player, currently studying at the Rhythmic Conservatory. He was on the very first rehearsal - and has been there since. He is now first call for the bass-chair with Bodilsen and Hovman (graciously) lurking in the background. Also plays with the Erling Kroner Dream Quintet. His interplay with Drud is excellent and his gut-stringed bass in arco and pizzicato lays down a strong yet transparent foundation. The band's book contains many bass solos so he really gets a chance to shine. And takes it.

Dennis Drud

Drums

The band's beat, heart, anchor, has never gotten the acclaim due him. He was awarded the Fuen Jazz Musician of the Year in 1994, eventually moved to Copenhagen where he had a hard time breaking through, basically because he doesn't play like your average European drummer. Much more Africa and New York in his playing. Doesn't ride on the bass player but sets the groove, is the time, and poly-rhythms the band like a propeller. Think Elvin, Richmond. Loves playing latin, is getting his tango-chops together and plays jazz drums deep into the pans. Wood, skin, metal. Loves playing with Hovman, Earle and Bodilsen, so he is feeling no pain now. Also plays with Epstein-Kroner Bari-Bone Connection and with the Erling Kroner Folk Dance Organization/TENTET, Dark Side Orchestra/NONET and the Erling Kroner Dream Quintet. In the late nineties he had a quintet with Bent Jædig and Erling Kroner as the front-line. Short-lived but very good. He also reads extremely well. Was part of Niels Jørgen Steen's band performing the very demanding ballet-music of Wynton Marsalis at the Royal Theatre some years back, alongside Erling Kroner, Mårten Lundgren and Bob Rockwell a/o.

Kurt Larsen

Accordion - our guest-star soloist for all occasions

Larsen played baritone sax in the original, short-lived Erling Kroner Big Band in 1975. A great, Lasse Gullin-inspired player, Larsen took up his first love, the accordion in the early eighties and started pestering Erling about using the accordion in his tango-inspired groups. Eventually, in 1995, when Erling heard Larsen's latest CD, he was convinced and built his Dream Quintet around Larsen's accordion and Bévort's saxes. Since the inauguration of the EKNMO Larsen has been the regular guest-star soloist with the band. His touch on the tangos and his deep jazz roots are an experience to behold.

Niels Christensen

Live Sound

Niels is the man when it comes to live sound. Whenever we can afford it, he'll be there. A former bass player and booker for many years at the now defunct Montmartre under the charismatic Jazz Kay in the eighties, he also for many years ran his own booking company, Musicline and to this day is one of the most resourceful, enigmatic creative minds when it comes to creating musical events of a rare, visionary nature. He runs a string of concerts at the petite Byggeriets Hus in Frederiksberg year round and brings us a host of out-door concerts during the Copenhagen Jazz Festival at Haveselskabets Have, also Frederiksberg. His fertile mind is also of great benefit to the EKNMO where he, outside his sound-engineering, also functions as a kind of free spirit of great visions and advice.