ERLING KRONER NEW DREAMS QUINTET 2009
About the musicians

ERLING KRONER
- trombone, composer, arranger, bandleader (1943). Erling Kroner, born April 16, 1943 in Copenhagen, Denmark, started playing trombone in 1959 with various Dixieland-bands. 1962 played with Jack Duff's Jazztet  and Ken Simms' Vintage Jazzband  in Germany. The former including the late Danish trumpet-ace Per Ringkjøbing, pianoplayer Alex Shaw and the young bassist Ronnie Matthewson. Participated in the European avant garde movement of the early- to mid-sixties, performing with a.o. John Tchicai and Rosswell Rudd. 1967 he founded his first original  Erling Kroner Quintet. Appeared with 'Philly' Joe Jones and Phil Woods, and in 1969 won a Down Beat Hall of Fame Scholarship to Berklee College of Music in Boston, USA. Same year performed with George Russell  'Electronic Sonata for Souls Loved by Nature', and attended Berklee 1969 - 1970, where he founded the original Erling Kroner Tentet. After returning to Denmark Fall of 1970, released his first LP Erling Kroner Quintet 'MUSIC BOOK',  dedicated  to  the late Booker Ervin . . . . . . . . . . .
- for further details check out Erling Kroner's  Biography  & Discography

PERNILLE BÉVORT
- tenor, alto & soprano (1966) since making her breakthrough as a member of the EKQ she has come a long, long way. A consummate artist on reeds, main axes her strong tenor and exquisite soprano, and a very original composer/arranger. From 1997 with Beijbom Kroner Big Band ("Opposites Attract" 1998) and now is the anchor-(wo)man of the reed-section in the Erling Kroner NEW MUSIC ORCHESTRA. She is a very personal musician with a wonderful sound and feeling, and a rhythmic 'bite' and sense of direction in her solos.
- and her horns are the perfect foil for Kroner's trombone.

KURT LARSEN
- accordion (1941) has played the accordion for more than 40 years, but first made an impression on the Danish jazz-scene as a Lars Gullin-inspired baritone-player in the early seventies and in 1975 actually played baritone in the short-lived Erling Kroner Big Band. In later years he has concentrated his efforts on the accordion and is a much in demand accompanist and theatre-musician because of his huge stylistic span from French Musette music, Balkan music, Argentine Tango music to Jazz music. In 1992 he premiered his new quartet and recorded two CD's, Nuages (1992) and 51 (1994), presenting a wide variety of music from originals over Lars Gullin to jazz standards. He has also published the Kurt Larsen Songbook - 19 jazz compositions (1995) and continues to put out CD's with distinct musical approaches that defy categorization. He is heard much too rarely, (but check out his excellent playing on a new cd by Nils Vinding Kvartet, released 2000) a fact his involvement with the EKQ and strong affiliation with the EKNMO, where he often appears as special guest soloist, will hopefully help to rectify. He is an extremely personal and mature musician whose refined harmonizations and melodicisms sparkle on his unorthodox instrument. He is a master 'comper' and, even more so, soloist and improviser, the quintet's third horn.

Eva Malling
- double bass
was introduced to Erling by Kurt Larsen in early 2009 when they formed the Kroner Malling Larsen Trio which had its world premiere on January 24th, 2009. The chemistry and empathy between the three was so overwhelming that Erling just had to invite Eva to fill the bass chair in the EKQ, which she luckily accepted. Her enormous Charlie Haden-esque sound and feeling, her melodicity and rhythmic drive was just what Erling had been searching for - in vain - since Jeff Czerbinski put his bass into the closet - bass in the closet? - in 1971. And Dennis gets just the presence and commitment that he wants/needs to perform - and be happy. A mighty rhythm-team, Malling and Drud. And then she's also a great soloist to the point of being the quintet's fourth horn

DENNIS DRUD
- drums
was awarded the Fuen Jazz Musician of the Year prize 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. Also plays with the EKNMO, Epstein-Kroner Bari-Bone Connection and with the Erling Kroner Folk Dance Organization - the TENTET and Dark Side Orchestra - the NONET. About 10 years ago 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..