Ole Matthiessen
Pianist, komponist, musikproducer, foredragsholder,
“Ole Matthiessen forstår, som ingen anden dansk pianist jeg kender, at få sit instrument til at synge.”
( Boris Rabinowitch)
CV
contact: ole.matthiessen@gmail.com about concerts, club gigs, lectures on jazz and music history, jazz workshops smaller group (beginners and pros), music producer, radio presenter, author
Active jazzmusician and composer since 1963. Education cand.polit. (economy) 1975, also involved in music politics. At the moment boardmember of The Ben Webster Foundation & Radio Jazz Copenhagen.
Pianist on danish landmark jazz recordings like: Carsten Meinert Quartet To You & C.M. Music Train, Erling Kroner Music Book, John Tchicai Afrodisiaca,, Tordenskjolds Soldater Peace, Rudy Smith Still Around & Time To Move On, Atilla Engin Group Nazár, Karsten Vogel My Old Flame & Leif Johansson Goodbye Pork Pie Hat.
Latest albums with own music: Portraits, Poems & Places - Past & Present - Red Python – Flashbacks & Dedications - Social Distancing Blues (Stunt Records), Rudy Smith Glass World , Cat Pack Cat Walk & Tordenskjolds Soldater Love.
Music: https://soundcloud.com/ole-matthiessen
Interview: https://jazzbluesnews.com/2023/02/08/ole-matthiessen/
Foto: Fie Johansen http://www.fiejohansen.com/FieSite_Okt.2010.html
Activities
CV in Danish:
f. 1946, har spillet klaver siden 1963 bl.a. med Ancher Grøns Big Band, Niels Harrit, Per Carsten, Carsten Meinert kvartet (LP 1968), Nærum Big Band under Svend Baaring, Jens Jørn Gjedsteds kvartet, Erling Kroner Quintet (LP 1970 & 1977), Pierre Dørge Group, John Tchicais Cadentia Nova Danica (LP 1969), samt diverse egne grupper. Medstifter af Jazz i Reprisen og bladet Jazz m.m. (senere MM). Skrev desuden musik til både Radioens Big Band (solist: Ted Curson) samt flere udsendelser med Radiojazzgruppen.
I 1970erne musikpolitisk aktiv bl.a. som formand for Dansk Jazzmusikerforening, medlem af Den danske Jazzkreds, bestyrelsesmedlem i den europæiske jazzføderation (EJF), Det danske Jazzcenter og Nordjazz. Siden 1972 stævneleder på jazzkredsens sommerstævner på Vallekilde Højskole og sammen med Arnvid Meyer stævneleder på de første stævner på Brandbjerg Højskole (1976-80). Sideløbende aktiv som musiker bl.a. med C.M. Music Train (et af de første danske fusionsorkestre, LP 1969, CD 2020), Night Train, Jørn Elniff Trio, Det hemmelige Big Band, Poul Ehlers Kvartet, Sambamani, Captain Easys kvintet, Leif Johanssson kvintet (CD 1976), Erling Kroner og Tordenskjolds Soldater (LP 1970 & 2025). Var i 1971 med til at starte og lede Multi-Musik festivalerne i flere store byer i provinsen.
Siden 1970 aktiv som free lance producer og programmedarbejder hos Danmarks Radio bl.a. for DR Big Band gennem 37 år og store dele af den levende jazz - alt fra Odense Big Band til Miles Davis, Duke Ellington og Sun Ra. Var i en årrække også producer på Svend Nicolaisens middagskoncerter og andre typer programmer med både underholdningsmusik, folk og rock.
Stod sammen med Arnvid Meyer og Herluf Kamp Larsen for musikdriften i det gamle Montmartre i Store Regnegade 1971 - 75. 1975 eksamen som cand.polit. Var i 1976 formand for udvalget, som formulerede betænkningen om jazzens vilkår i forbindelse med forarbejdet til musikloven. Senere medlem af Musikrådets repræsentantskab. Var i 1976 også medlem af initiativgruppen bag etableringen af det ny Montmartre i Nørregade, og i begyndelsen aktivt medlem af konsulentgruppen bag stedets musikdrift. Arbejdede desuden lejlighedsvis som dj på natdiskoteket både her (og senere i Copenhagen JazzHouse de første par år). Samme år medforfatter på bogen Rytmisk Musik (Gyldendal).
Efter fastansættelse i Danmarks Radio 1977 hvor jeg afløste Børge Roger Henrichsen som P3's jazzmedarbejder (redaktør Jazznyt), inaktiv som musikpolitiker.
Begyndte i stedet at undervise i musikhistorie. Først på Det kgl. Musikkonservatorium, og siden starten også på Rytmisk Musikkonservatorium. Har varetaget undervisningen i rytmisk musikhistorie begge steder indtil 2007, og har periodisk også været involveret i kurser omkring sammenspil og musikpædagogik. Har desuden undervist i musikhistorie på folkeuniversitetet og flere musikskoler bl.a. Ishøj og Frederiksberg.
I 1980erne medlem af Odense gruppen White Label (flere turneer i USSR i løbet af 1980erne), Spacetrain (Simon Spang-Hanssen), Fourrunner (med Jens Winther og Uffe Markussen), Tomas Francks kvartet, Jens Søndergaards kvartet, Atilla Engin group (dansk/tyrkisk fusion, LPer 1982, 83, 84)), Copenhagen Jazz, Ninna & The Moodmakers (LP 1989) og Rudy Smith Quartet (LPer 1984, 85, CDer 1999 & 2018). Sammen med Jens Søndergaard og Harvey Sand i 1982 med til at starte jazzaktiviteterne i Sofies Kælder. desuden aktiv som sammenspilslærer 1980 – 91 på Jazzkredsens og op i 1990erne på Fajabefas stævner med ekspertise i begynderhold.I slutningen af 1980erne udpeget af Statens Musikråd til udvalget, som arbejdede med nedlæggelsen af Det danske Jazzcenter, etableringen af jazzsamlingerne i Odense og oprettelsen af Dansk Jazzforbund.
I 1990erne medlem af Københavns musikudvalg i 8 år, her bl.a. medinitiativtager til honorarstøtteordningen, som stadig væk bruges til uddeling af spillestedsstøtte. 1992-2023 skribent og anmelder på tidsskriftet Jazzspecial. Aktiv som musiker med Rudy Smith, Copenhagen Jazz, White Label, Lars Clemmen Kvartet samt diverse freelance jobs med bl.a. Jens Winther, Tomas Franck, Henrik Bolberg, Uffe Markussen, Jesper Thilo, Bent Jædig, Morten Grønvad, Niclas Knudsen og Carsten Meinert. Var desuden omkring årtusindskiftet gennem flere år ugentlig jamsessionvært på Christianshavns Beboerhus. Har desuden medvirket til oversættelsen af John Fordham Jazz (Politikens Forlag 2000), og skrevet ca. 70 jazzbiografier til Den store danske Encyclopædi (Gyldendal).
Efter årtusindskiftet blev aktiviterne præget af at DR i 2006 nedlagde sin jazredaktion og afskedigede flere jazzmedarbejdere. Nogenlunde samtidig stoppede både Rytmisk Musikkonservatorium og Det Kgl. Danske Musikkonservatorium forelæsningerne i rytmisk musikhistorie. Begyndte i stedet en mere intensiv forfattervirksomhed, samt at spille med egne grupper og dokumentere egen musik på en række cd'er på Stunt Records. Blev desuden tilknyttet progamvirksonheden på Radio Jazz, og gik igen ind i musikpolitik.
Udgav i 2006 bogen Tromernes rejse – den rytmiske musiks historie, som ifølge bibliotekscentralens lektørudtalelse vil ”udfylde et stort hul i dansk musikhistorie, hvor den bliver et fremtidigt standardværk”. Medforfatter på Dansk Jazzhistorie 1950-2010 (Politikens Forlag 2011), og sammen med Erik Mosehom på We Came To Play - DR Big Band gennem 50 år (Wilhelm Hansen 2014). Har desuden leveret materiale til Jens Jørn Gjedsteds Jazz i Reprisen og Tore Mortensens Fortællingen om jazzen i DR. Har desuden sammen med Jens Jørn Gjedsted og Aage Hagen påbegyndt hjemmesiden Stævnemøder omhandlendende historiesn om de danske jazzstævner, som er en vigtig ikke så kendt understrøm i dansk rytmisk musik.
Siden 2002 bestyrelsesmedlem i Ben Webster Fonden, og 2007-2013 bestyrelsesmedlem i Dansk Jazzforbund, var med til at ændre organisationen til Jazz Danmark, derefter medlem af repræsentantskabet indtil 2020. Siden 2010 bestyrelsesmedlem i Radio Jazz. Producerer p.t. flere serier på Radio Jazz, bl.a. Trommernes Rejse - historien om den Rytmiske musik, som i 2026 er nået til udsendelse 100.
Aktuelle musikalske aktiviteter. I 2026 spiller Catpack på 9..år i Hvide Lam, og runder sommeren 2026 750 jobs på stedet. Er desuden medlem af Rudy Smith Quartet, Skriver Kvintetten. Søndergaard-Sørensen, Jazzbanden, Testmann Jazz, Det hemmelige big Band samt leder egne grupper.
Aktiviteter med udenlandske musikere har omfattet medlemsskab og/eller afløsning i Ted Curson Group 1968-69, Charles Tolliver Quartet 1971 og Opposite Corner (1969-70). Huspianist i længere perioder på Jazz Galerie i Berlin 1969 og 1971.
Har spillet løse jobs og eller turneer med Art Farmer, Carmell Jones, Dusko Gojkovic, Richard Boone, Eddie Bert (LP 1977), Putte Wickman, Leo Wright, Lee Konitz, Earle Warren, Buddy Tate (CD 2021), Dexter Gordon, Budd Johnson, Tomas Franck, Bud Freeman, Ernie Wilkins, Jimmy Heath, Bob Rockwell, Bernt Rosengren, Sahib Shihab, Pepper Adams, Willem Breuker, Lee Schipper, Harvie Swartz, Jimmy Garrison, Philly Joe Jones, Elvin Jones, Adam Nussbaum, Ed Thigpen, J.C. Moses, Billy Brooks, Eliel Lazo, Georgie Fame og Babs Gonzales.
Har desuden jammet med bl.a. Max Roach, Rory Callagher, Jimmy Knepper, Billy Hart, Eddie Harris, Roscoe Mitchell, Joseph Jarman, Gary Bartz, Dick Oatts, Johnny Griffin, Johnny Dyani, Harry Sweets Edison, Thad Jones, Joe Lovano m.fl.
Udover i DR at redigere, optage og udsende koncerter til programmet Jazz Live samt med DR Big Band, og i forbindelse hermed medvirke til produktion af pladeudgivelser primært med dansk jazz (i alt omkring 200, 2 har været nomineret til amerikanske grammies, en anden har vundet en dansk ditto), har aktiviteten også omfattet undervisning i musikproduktion, EBU samarbejde, jazzcauserier, dj programmer, redaktør for radiomagasinet Jazznyt 1977 - 85, flere store radioprojekter bl.a. producer for Erik Wiedemanns 10 udsendelser om den tidlige danske jazz, projektleder og programmedarbejder på Jazzens historie (10 udsendelser sendt på P2 i år 2000), flere temaaftener på P2.
Research/konsulentvirksomhed på dokumentarfilmene My Name is Albert Ayler (2004) og Play Your Own Thing – historien om den europæiske jazzscene (2006). Redigeret DVDer med Svend Asmussen (2006) og Ben Webster (2007), samt leveret materiale og research til prisbelønnede internationale CD Box sæt som Albert Ayler – The Holy Ghost (2004) og Dig Ben (2007).
Har gennem årene siddet i flere priskomiteer vælgende henholdsvis: Årets danske jazzmusiker, P2Jazz Prisen, årets nye danske jazznavn (DPAs jazzkompositionskonkurrence), Jazzformidler prisen og Ben Webster Prisen.
English Version
Gigs with:
Art Farmer, Carmell Jones, Charles Tolliver, Tom Kirkpatrick, Dusko Gojkovic, Ted Curson, Eddie Bert, Richard Boone, Earle Warren, Lee Konitz, Leo Wright, Jackie McLean, Budd Johnson, Bud Freeman, Buddy Tate, Dexter Gordon, Jimmy Heath, Sahib Shihab, Jimmy Garrison, Billy Brooks, Babs Gonzales, Philly Joe Jones, Elvin Jones, Adam Nussbaum, J.C.Moses, Ed Thigpen, Georgie Fame, and jammed with several other players.
Has played festivals in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, Trinidad, Barbados, Antigua, Russia, Belarus, Georgia, Adzerbajan, Armenia, Sukhumi, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Germany, Turkey, South Africa and The Netherlands.
From 1970 – 2007, producing the Danish Radio Big Band, broadcasting concerts and studio productions with among others:
Ted Curson, Don Cherry, Roffe Ericson, Miles Davis, Art Farmer, Dizzy Gillespie, Dusko Goykovic, Carmell Jones, Leroy Jones, Tom Harrell , Red Rodney, Idrees Sulieman, Clark Terry, Kenny Wheeler (trumpet)
Bob Brookmeyer, Slide Hampton, Rob McConnell, Åke Persson, Chris Pyne, Phil Wilson, Kai Winding (trombone)
Pepper Adams, Tony Coe, Jan Garbarek, Kai Ewans, Herb Geller, Stan Getz, Benny Golson, Dexter Gordon, Johnny Griffin, Peter Gullin, Joe Henderson, Bobby Jones, Lee Konitz, Joe Lovano, Charlie Mariano, Bob Mintzer, Brew Moore, Dick Oatts, Gunnar Ormslev, Jerome Richardson, Bernt Rosengren, David Sanborn, Sahib Shihab, John Tchicai, Ben Webster, Phil Woods, Leo Wright, Lennart Åberg (saxophones)
Phillip Catherine, Pierre Dørge, John Scofield, Mike Stern, Toots Thielemans, (guitar)
Toshiko Akyoshi, Django Bates, Kjeld Bonfils, Michel Camilo, Eugen Cicero, Kenny Drew, Eliane Elias, Børge Roger Henrichsen, Hod O'Brien, Hermeto Pascoal, Enrico Pieranunzi, Renee Rosnes, Martial Solal, McCoy Tyner, Kenny Werner (keyboards)
Steve Swallow, Aladar Pege (bass)
Muhal Richard Abrams, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Nikolaj Bentzon, Niels Viggo Bentzon, Carla Bley, Gustav Brom, Bob Brookmeyer, Don Cherry, Alan Cohen, Graham Collier, Robert Cornford, Django Bates, Michael Gibbs, Ib Glindemann, George Gruntz, Ole Kock Hansen, Ole Kurt Jensen, Thad Jones, Jan Kaspersen, Erling Kroner, Paul Kuhn, Arne Lamberth. Holger Laumann, Jukka Linkola, Michael Mantler, Rob McConnell, Jim McNeely, Bob Mintzer, Joze Privcek, Bent Ronak, Niels Jørgen Steen, George Russell, Maria Schneider, Bengt-Arne Wallin, John Warren, Phil Wilson, Jens Winther, Ernie Wilkins, Finn Ziegler (bandleaders, arrangers & composers)
Jytte Abildstrøm, Freddy Albeck, Hanne Boel, Richard Boone, Otto Brandenburg, Birgit Brüel, Rebecca Brüel, Sanne Brüel, Debbie Cameron, Etta Cameron, Natalie Cole, Josefine Cronholm, Daimi, Monica Dominique, Kurt Elling, Georgie Fame, Lone Kellermann, Tommy Körberg, Mona Larsen, Lill Lindfors, Anne Linnet, Ivan Lins, Birgit Lystager, van Morrison, Allan Mortensen, Malene Mortensen, Mark Murphy, Stephanie Nakashian, Lisa Nilsson, Cæcilie Norby, Eivør Palsdottir, Matty Peters, Nannie Porres, Raquel Rastenni, Sanne Salomonsen, Peter Thorup, Bjørn Tidemand, Sylvia Vrethammar, Östen Warnerbring, Magni Wentzel, Gustav Winckler, Norma Winstone, Monica Zetterlund (vocal)
Matthiessen was also in charge of the radio programme Jazz Live on The Danish Broadcasting Corporation for 37 years, recording many international jazz musicians in concert, studio and club performances.
Among them, including some of the above playing with their own groups:
Jan Allan, Milton Batiste, Anders Bergcrantz, Steven Bernstein, Lester Bowie, Randy Brecker, Cecil Brigdewater, Don Cherry, John Chilton, Johnny Coles, Miles Davis, Wild Bill Davison, Harry Sweets Edison, Roy Eldrigde, Roffe Ericsson, Jon Faddis, Art Farmer, Dizzy Gillespie, Dusko Goykovic, Tim Hagans, Barry Lee Hall, Gunnar Halle, Graham Haynes, Eddie Henderson, Carmell Jones, Thad Jones, Marc Levin, Hugh Masekela, Ron Miles, Niels-Petter Molvær, Milo Pavlovic, Hannibal Marvin Peterson, Gerard Presencer, Enrico Rava, Herb Robertson, Red Rodney, Wallace Roney, Claudio Roditti, Arturo Sandoval, Lew Soloff, Gregg Stafford, Tomasz Stanko, Markus Stockhausen, Idrees Sulieman, Clark Terry, Kid Thomas Valentine, Cootie Williams (trumpet).
Ray Anderson, Eddie Bert, Richard Boone, Bob Brookmeyer, Chuck Connors, Gene Mighty Flea Connors, Robin Eubanks, Wendell Eugene, Curtis Fuller, Al Grey, Slide Hampton, Wayne Henderson, Jimmy Knepper, Nils Landgren, George Lewis, Tom Malone, Big Eye Louis Nelson, Åke Persson, Jim Pugh, Eje Thelin, Steve Turre, Gary Valente, Fred Weasley, Kai Winding , Britt Woodman (trombone).
Dave Bargeon, Big Al Carson, Howard Johnson, Anthony Tuba Fats Lacen, Marcus Rojas, Bob Stewart (tuba).
George Adams, Gato Barbieri, Gary Bartz, Ian Bellamy, Bob Berg, Jerry Bergonzi, Tim Berne, Michael Blake, Seamus Blake, Arthur Blythe, Don Braden, Anthony Braxton, Michael Brecker, Peter Brötzman, Harry Carney, Thomas Chapin, Chris Cheek, Emanuel Cisi, Al Cohn, Ornette Coleman, Steve Coleman, Ravi Coltrane, Ronnie Cuber, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Jerry Dodgion, Arne Domnerus, Paquito D'Rivera, Pee Wee Ellis, Ellery Eskelin, Bill Evans, Wilton Felder, Fiete Felsch, Sigudur Flossason, Sonny Fortune, Frank Foster, Tomas Franck, Chico Freeman, Jan Garbarek, Kenny Garrett, George Garzone, Jacques Gauthé, Stan Getz, Benny Golson, Paul Gonsalves, Johnny Griffin, Steve Grossman, Peter Gullin, Mats Gustafsson, Jimmy Hamilton, Eddie Harris, Jimmy Heath, Gregory Herbert, Vincent Herring, Chris Hunter, Ove Ingmarsson, Javon Jackson, Bruce Johnstone, Trevor Koehler, Eero Koivistoinen, Lee Konitz, Steve Lacy, Oliver Lake, Azar Lawrence, David Liebman, Anders Lindskog, Charles Lloyd, Cesar Lopez, Joe Lovano, Macae, Rudesh Mahanthrappa, Herbie Mann, Charlie Mariano, Branford Marsalis, Rick Margitza, Warne Marsh, Jackie McLean, Joakim Milder, Roscoe Mitchell, Liudas Mockunas, James Moody, David Murray, David Fathead Newman, James Newton, Dick Oatts, Greg Osby, Evan Parker, Maceo Parker, Jukka Perkko, Odan Pope, Chris Potter, Russell Procope, Dewey Redman, Joshua Redman, Herman Riley, Mario Rivera, Bob Rockwell, Sonny Rollins, Bernt Rosengren, Marc Russo, Davis Sanchez, Louis Sclavis, Tom Scott, Andy Sheppard, Wayne Shorter, Hal Singer, Tommy Smith, Gary Smulyan, Sonny Stitt, John Stubblefield, Stan Sulzman, John Surman, Lew Tabackin, Gregg Tardy, Buddy Tate, Gary Thomas, Mark Turner, Norris Turney, Stanley Turrentine, Sadao Watanabe, Bobby Watson, Peter Wettre, Putte Wickman, Phil Woods, Leo Wright, Lennart Åberg (saxes & reeds).
Monty Alexander, Geri Allen, Mose Allison, Jon Balke, Kenny Barron, Jim Beard, Richie Beirach, Marc Bernstein, Ran Blake, Carla Bley, Paul Bley, Stefano Bollani, Alexis Bosch, Joanne Brackeen, Rainer Brüninghaus, Michael Caine, Michel Camilo, Eugen Cicero, Chick Corea, Robert Cordford, Marilyn Crispell, James Dapogny, Wolfgang Dauner, Anthony Davis, Chano Dominguez, Kenny Drew, Kenny Drew Jr, Eliane Elias, Duke Ellington, Andy Emler, Russell Ferrante, Bobby Few, Tommy Flanagan, Hal Galper, Lazlo Gardony, Egberto Gismonti, Robert Glasper, Ruben Gonzalez, Bennie Green, Don Grolnik, Al Haig, Bengt Hallberg, Herbie Hancock, Sir Roland Hanna, Kevin Hays, David Hazeltine, Andrew Hill, Adam Holzman, Abdullah Ibrahim, Robert Irwing III, Lars Jansson, Keith Jarrett, Hank Jones, Duke Jordan, Jacob Karlzon, David Kikoski, Kenny Kirkland, Joachim Kühn, Butch Lacy, Art Lande, Anna-Lena Laurin, Kirk Lightsey, Ellis Marsalis, Lyle Mays, John Medeski, Thelonious Monk, Leszek Mozdzer, Mike Nock, Walter Norris, Hod O'Brien, Arturo O'Farrill, Makoto Ozone, Horace Parlan, Hermeto Pascoal, Danilo Perez, Michel Petrucciani, Willie Pickens, Enrico Pieranunzi, Elvira Plenar, Don Preston, Renee Rosnes, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Joe Sample, Jovinho Santos, Lars Sjösten, Mark Soskin, Bobo Stensson, Ralph Sutton, Craig Taborn, John Taylor, Richard Tee, Stan Tracy, McCoy Tyner, Mal Waldron, Cedar Walton, Kenny Werner, Bugge Wesseltoft, Joe Zawinul, Pablo Ziegler (piano/keyboard).
Joey DeFrancesco, Larry Goldings, Shirley Scott, Jimmy Smith, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Dan Wall (organ).
John Abercrombie, George Benson, Bobby Broom, Paul Brosseau, Hiram Bullock, Kenny Burrell, Al Casey, Steve Cardenas, Philip Catherine, Joaquin Chacon, Larry Coryell, Al DiMeola, Marc Ducret, Cornell Dupree, Kevin Eubanks, David Fiuczynski, Robben Ford, Bill Frisell, Eric Gale, Nicolai Gromin, Rune Gustavsson, Jim Hall, Jerome Harris, Toninho Horta, Michael Gregory Jackson, Jinmo, Krister Johnsson, Randy Johnstone, Rodney Jones, Albert King, N'Guyen Lê, Yoshiaki Masuo, Pat Metheny, Bernie Nix, Joe Pass, Doug Raney, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Bjarne Roupé, Otis Rush, Terje Rypdal, Sonny Sharrock, Quique Sinesi, Mike Stern, Rodolfo Stroeter, David Tronzo, James Blood Ulmer, Ulf Wakenius, David T. Walker, Eyvind Aarset (guitar).
Nico Assumpcao, Arild Andersen, Jay Anderson, Victor Bailey, Roscoe Beck, Joe Benjamin, Keeter Betts, Pierre Boussager, Ron Carter, Stanley Clarke, Avishai Cohen, Ira Coleman, Scott Colley, Palle Danielsson, Lars Danielsson, Ray Drummond, Malachi Favors, Steve Gilmore, Eddie Gomez, Larry Grenadier, Charlie Haden, Jerome Harris, Jimmy Haslip, Percy Heath, Dennis Irwin, Chuck Israels, Mike Henderson, Dave Holland, Paul Jackson, Marc Johnson, Anders Jormin, Kristin Korb, Bill Laswell, John Lee, Cachaito Lopez, Etienne Mbappé, Cecil McBee, Christian McBride, Ron McClure, Al McKibbon, Marcus Miller, Red Mitchell, Charnet Moffett, Mark Mondessir, George Mraz, John Pattitucci, Aladar Pege, Gene Perla, Lonnie Plaxico, Mike Richmond, Vernon Reid, Georg Riedel, Tony Scherr, Avery Sharpe, Sirone, Esperanza Spalding, Jamaladeen Tacuma, Angus Thomas, Miroslav Vitous, Peter Washington, Eberhard Weber, Buster Williams, David Williams (bass).
Carl Allen, Steve Arguelles, Jeff Ballard, Han Bennik, Art Blakey, Ed Blackwell, Brian Blade, Tom Brechtlein, Ronnie Burrage, Terri Lyne Carrington, Ngududu Chandler, Michael Carvin, Mike Clark, Jimmy Cobb, Ornette Denardo Coleman, Keith Copeland, Jon Christensen, Jack DeJohnette, Hamid Drake, Billy Drummonf, Bobby Durham, Peter Erskine, Al Foster, Martin France, Steve Gadd, Bill Goodwin, Omar Hakim, Billy Hart, Roy Haynes, Jeff Hirschfield, Ari Hoenig, Daniel Humair, Gregory Hutchinson, Egil Johansen, Elvin Jones, Rufus Jones, Will Kennedy, Audun Kleive, Pheeroan ak Laff, Mel Lewis, Victor Lewis, Louis Mohollo, Paul Motian, Alphonze Mouzon, Famadou Don Moye, Lewis Nash, Nené, Fredrik Noren, Adam Nussbaum, Melvin Parker, Clarence Penn, Ben Perowsky, Portiño, Alvin Queen, Ben Riley, Max Roach, Aldo Romano, Joel Rosenblatt, Robertino Silva, Marvin Smitty Smith, Bill Stewart, Nasheet Waits, Kenny Washington, Jeff Tain Watts, Dave Weckl, Calvin Weston, Lenny White, Vince Wilburn, Kenny Wollesen, Petur Ôstlund (drums),
Don Alias, Cyro Baptista, Lennie Castro, Minu Cinelu, Manolo Badrena, Miguel Anga Diaz, Sue Evans, Guilherme Franco, Ralph Irizarry, Ahmadu Jarr, Eliel Lazo, Airto Moreira, Mtume, Okyerema Pra, Mongo Santamaria, Bobby Thomas Jr., Steve Thornton, Arto Tuncboyacian, Nana Vasconcelos (percussion),
Didier Lockwood, Jean-Luc Ponty, L. Shankar (violin),
Gary Burton, Khan Jamal, Mike Manieri (vibraphone),
Rudy Smith, Anise Hadeed, Othello Molineaux (steel pans),
Celso Adolfo, Mose Allison, Patricia Barber, Bea Benjamin, Marie Bergman, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Jack Bruce, Joao Bosco, Debbie Cameron, Etta Cameron, Urzula Dudziak, Kurt Elling, Sidsel Endresen, Ella Fitzgerald, Neenna Freelon, Joyce, Per Jørgensen, Aina Kemanis, Jeanne Lee, Ivan Lins, Karen Mantler, Tania Maria, George Melly, Phil Minton, Anita Moore, Mark Murphy, Charmaine Neville, Rosa Passos, Omara Portuondo, Zizi Possi, Don Preston, Flora Purim, Sammy Massamba, Curtis Stigers, Koko Taylor, Svante Thuresson, Marcos Valle, Vocal Summit, Tony Watkins, Lena Willemark (vocal).
Irene Aebi, Carl Craig, Maurizio Einhorn, Richard Galliano, Rufus Harley, Marcello Nissinmann, Bobby Previte, Hank Roberts, Robert Routch, Dino Saluzzi, Sivuca, Abdul Wadud (miscellaneous).
Abercrombie/Wall/Nussbaum, Monty Alexander Ivory & Steel, Geri Allen Quartet, Arild Andersen Group, Art Ensemble Of Chicago, Baltic Jazz Orchestra & Vince Mendoza, Gato Barbieri Group, Django Bates Human Chain, George Benson/McCoy Tyner, Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, Carla Bley Band, Gary Burton Group, Michel Camilo Trio, Don Cherry/Ed Blackwell/L. Shankar, John Chilton's Feetwarmers, Al Cohn/Bob Brookmeyer, Ornette Coleman (Quartet & Prime Time), Chick Corea (Return to Forever, Remembering Bud Powell & Origin). Crusaders, Miles Davis Group, Jack DeJohnette Special Edition, Arne Domnerus Group. Eliane Elias Trio, EBU Jazz Orchestra, Egba, Eleventh House, Duke Ellington Orchestra, Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, Gil Evans Orchestra, Farmer-Golson Jazztet, Robben Ford Trio, Steve Gadd Gang, Jan Garbarek Orchestra, Gateway, Stan Getz Quartet, Dizzy Gillespie United Nations Orchestra, Don Grolnick Quintet, Groove Collective, George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band, Herbie Hancock New Standards & Gershwin Project, Hazmat Modine, Heath Brothers, Joe Henderson Quartet, Woody Herman Orchestra, Dave Holland Quartet, Ronald Shannon Jackson & the Decoding Society, Lars Jansson Trio, Keith Jarrett Trio, The Jazz Giants, Elvin Jones Jazz Machine, Thad Jones/Mel Lewis & The Jazz Orchestra, Albert King Blues Band, Oliver Lake Jump Up, Last Exit, Herbie Mann Jasil Brazz, Tania Maria Group, Pat Metheny 80/81, Medeski/Martin Wood, Mingus Big Band, Airto Moreira/Larry Coryell, Maceo Parker & Roots Revisited, Michel Petrucciani/Jim Hall, Michel Petrucciani/Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Enrico Pieranunzi Space Jazz Trio, Polish Radio Jazz Group, Preservation Hall Band, Bobby Previte Empty Suits, Django Bates Quiet Nights, Rebirth Brass Band,Max Roach Quartet, Sonny Rollins Group, Gonzalo Rubalcaba Quartet, Dino Saluzzi Group, Mongo Santamaria, John Scofield Trio, John Scofield/Eddie Harris, Wayne Shorter Group, Jimmy Smith Fourmost, Steps Ahead, Mike Stern Trio, Sun Ra Solar Myth Arkestra, Super Diamono de Dakar, Eje Thelin Quintet, Timbalaye, Trio Toykeät, McCoy Tyner Trio & Quartet, James Blood Ulmer/Jamaladeen Tacuma, Koko Taylor Blues Machine, Vienna Art Orchestra, Miroslav Vitous Group, Vocal Summit, Phil Woods Quartet, Zawinul Syndicate, Yellowjackets, a.m.o.
Since 2007 also work as live a music producer at Radio Jazz, recording and broadcasting many danish groups.
Involved in almost 200 cd- releases as producer, researcher, contributor, liner note writer, etc.
Of international historic interest are:
The Albert Ayler Box - The Holy Ghost 1962-1970 (Revenant) – provided the recordings from Copenhagen with the Ayler Group and the “missing link” recording with Cecil Taylor/Albert Ayler.
Cadentia Nova Danica & John Tchicai: McGubGub/Ode to St. John/Pladepip (Formalibra)
Bill Evans Treasures: Solo, Trio and Orchestra Recordings from Denmark '65 - '69 (Elemental).
Bill Evans Trio: Tales - Live in Copenhagen 1964 (Elemental)
Michel Petrucciani: Solo in Denmark (Storyville)
KB-Hallen – Hall of Fame (Stunt Records). A compilation of historic recordings from the best concert venue in Copenhagen in the 1950´s with Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson, Stan Kenton, Count Basie, Woody Herman, Sarah Vaughan, Illinois Jacquet, Mary Lou Williams, Coleman Hawkins, Lionel Hampton, Duke Ellington, Kid Ory/Henry Red Allen & Art Blakey
A Good Time was had by all (The DR Big Band 1964 – 2014). A 6-cdbox compilation of recordings with the Danish Radio Big Band. Among its chief conductors are Thad Jones, Bob Brookmeyer and Jim McNeely.
Oscar Pettiford & Jan Johansson featuring Stan Getz 1959 – 1960 (Stunt). A compilation with never before released music from the formative years of the 60’s Danish Jazz scene.
Doug Raney & Nicolai Gromin Live at Sabines (Stunt). Remembering two giants of the guitar, who made Copenhagen their home.
John Tchicai: Beautiful United Harmony Happening/The Education of an Amphibium (Formalibra)
Others include:
Thomas Agergaard The Time Span Band, Thomas Agergaard JazzPar 2008 Octet, Thomas Agergaard & Kathrine Windfeld Big Band Black Swan, Freddy Albeck Please Don't Talk about Me When I'm Gone, Altissimo (Gary Bartz/Lee Konitz/Charlie Mariano/Jackie McLean), Jacob Anderskov Scraggly Music, Lotte Anker/Craig Taborn/Gerald Cleaver Triptych, Albert Ayler The Copenhagen Tapes, More Lost Performances Revisited, With Don Cherry 1964 Recordings First Visit Completed.
Django Bates Like Life, Beijbom Kroner Big Band Opposites Attract, Eddie Bert The Skeleton of the Band, Pernille Bévort Back in Business, Henrik Bolberg/Uffe Markussen Final Call, Allan Botschinsky The Bench, Live at the Tivoli Gardens 1996, Bob Brookmeyer Quartet Old Friends, Christoffer Burmeister Siddhartha II,
Joaquin Chacon/Uffe Markussen European Quintet Time, Tony Coe, Bob Brookmeyer & The DR Big Band Captain Coe's Famous Racearound,
Jakob Davidsen Crossover Ensemble Sange, Carsten Dahl JazzPar 2000 Quintet, Miles Davis Unissued '85, Wild Bill Davison/Ralph Sutton Together Again, Jakob Dinesen/Kurt Rosenwinkel Everything Will Be All Right, Jakob Dinesen/Ben Besiakow/Eddie Gomez/Nasheet Waits Lady With a Secret, Niels Lan Doky/Bill Evans An Evening of Standards, DR Big Band Ways of Seeing - Live in Sydney, First U.K. Tour Crackdown, The Great One, Plays Ellington, DR Big Band, Leroy Jones & Jim McNeely The Power and The Glory, DR Big Band & Niels Jørgen Steen The Govenor, DR Big Band, David Sanborn & Maria Schneider DR Klassisk, Kenny Drew Solo/Duo,
Harry Sweets Edison/Eddie Lockjaw Davis In Copenhagen, Duke Ellington Copenhagen 1964, Willy Egmose Trio Bare det swinger, Atilla Engin Melo Perquana, European Youth Jazz Orchestra 2007 & Lars Møller,
George Fame & The DR Big Band Endangered Species, Tommy Flanagan Flanagan's Shenanigans, Tomas Franck Quartet Live at the Circus,
Ib Glindemann & DR Big Band Talk of The Town, Per Goldschmidt Saxophoria, Dexter Gordon/Ben Webster Tenor Titans, Johnny Grifiin/Art Taylor in Copenhagen, Johnny Griffin/Eddie Lockjaw Dawis Tough Tenors Back Again!, Gunde on Garner Live at Jazzcup, Gypsy Jam, Anders Gaardmand La Fontaine Live,
Jens Haack Smokers Lounge, Steen Hansen Quartet Under The Surface, Steen Hansen/Mads Vinding Bass & Bones, Tomas Hass Quartet Live at Copenhagen Jazzhouse, Michael Heise Trio On Location, Andrew Hill The Day The World Stood Still, Maria Hiorth Petersen & Bossa Quatro Amor, Ned Holder Mane Stream,
Martin Jacobsen/Doug Raney at The Jazzhouse, John Abercrombie/Lars Møller + James Moody/Ole Stolle-Jørgen Svare + Jerry Bergonzi / Thomas Hass + Ray Anderson/Fessor + Art Farmer/Bent Jædig 12 Jazz Visits In Copenhagen 1996, Carla Bley/Steve Swallow + Chano Dominguez/Søren Siegumfeldt + Phil Woods, Jim McNeely & DR Big Band + Adam Nussbaum + Paul Jackson/Mike Clark/Nikolaj Bentzon More Jazz Visits 1997 - 1999, JazzPar All Winners 1992-2004, Theis Jensen Love & Jazz, Jonas Johansen Move Up!, Bent Jædig The Free Spirit,
Jan Kaspersen Special Occasion Band Live at Copenhagen Jazzhouse, Jan Kaspersen & DR Big Band Live at Copenhagen Jazzhouse, NWK Quintet Sonority, Jens Søndergaard/Lee Konitz Konitz In Denmark ´89, Søren Kristiansen Trio Very Early...Very Late,
Mads LaCour á La Cour, Butch Lacy - but not alone, Last Exit Cassette Tapes '87, Fredrik Lundin/Trine-Lise Væring People, Places, Time & Faces,
Michael Mantler Songs and One Symphony, Cerco Un Paese Innocente, The School of Understanding, Review, Warne Marsh/Lee Konitz Two Not One, Live at The Montmartre Club, Warne Marsh Marshlands, Lasse Matthiessen Wildfire, Dead Man Waltz, Carry Me Down, Marilyn Mazur All The Birds, Jim McNeely & DR Big Band Dedication Suite, Nice Work, Jim McNeely Trio In This Moment, Jens Melgaard Stolen Moments, Palle Mikkelborg The Voice of Silence, Thelonious Monk In Copenhagen, Lars Møller Quartet with Billy Hart, Lars Møller /Geri Allen / Buster Williams/Billy Hart JazzPar Concerts 2003,
Phineas Newborn Tivoli Encounter, New York Art Quartet Old Stuff, Vincent Nilsson Jazz Trombone Spirituals, Cæcilie Norby/Kurt Elling I Had A Ball,
OK Nok Kongo Plays John Tchicai & Thomas Agergaard, Jens Skou Olsen September Veje, Orbit Big Band Musical Fairytales, Organizers Live at Sofie's Cellar & 10'eren, Gunnar Ormslev Jazz i 30 år,
Palæ Bar All Stars 1990 - 2000, Leonardo Pedersens Jazzkapel Edison/ Lockjaw/ Boone, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen & DR Big Band Ambiance, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen/Ole Kock Hansen Natten er så stille, Michel Petrucciani/Niels-Henning Østed Pedersen, Chris Potter This Will Be, Peter Poulsen/Jens Søndergaard Jazz & Poesi,
Enrico Rava JazzPar Sextet Happiness is..., Peter Reim Cutting The Final Cheese, Alex Riel The Riel Deal, Riel Time, Celebration, Alex Riel/Charlie Mariano Live at Stars, Red Rodney & the Danish Jazz Army, Aldo Romano The JazzPar Prize, Renee Rosnes, Jim McNeely & The DR Big Band, Bjarne Roupé Light And Dark,
Finn Savery Shunting, Zoot Sims In Copenhagen, Martial Solal & The DR Big Band Contrastes, Simon Spang-Hanssen & Central Earth Live at Copenhagen Jazzhouse, Sound of Choice Ensemble & Ixi String Quartet Invisible Correspondance, Special Venture, Hugh Steinmetz Sextet The Cherry Blossom, Hugh Steinmetz Octet City Music, Ralph Sutton Trio & Quartet, Swingstyrke 7 1978-1982,
Buddy Tate Tate's Delight, John Tchicai & Strange Brothers Darktown Highlights, John Tchicai Quintet I.C.P, Joe Lovano/Ed Thigpen The Element of Swing, Jesper Thilo/Dennis Mackrell/Klüvers Big Band Hot House, Timeless Inc, Radka Toneff Group Some Time Ago, Torden Kvartetten Devil's Last Call, Laura Toxværd No. 1,
Hans Ulrik /John Scofield/Lars Danielsson/Peter Erskine Short Cuts,
Vestnordisk Big Band & Maria Schneider Live at Katuaq,
Ben Webster Plays Duke Ellington, Plays Ballads, No Fool No Fun, The Brute & The Beautiful, Dig Ben, First Concert in Denmark Putte Wickman/John Lewis Slukefter Blues, Ernie Wilkins & DR Big Band Suite For Jazz Band, Kathrine Windfeld Big Band Latency, Carl Winther Sonic Shapes, Jens Winther/IASJ Big Band/David Liebman/Suzanne Brøgger Four Elements, Jens Winther & DR Big Band /Danish National Radio Choir Angels, Jens Winther Trio Standards.
Own Discography - year of (recording , release):
Carsten Meinert To Tou (1968), John Tchicai & Cadentia Nova Danica Afrodisiaca (1969, McGubGub/Ode to St. John/Pladepip (1969/70, 2024), C.M. Music Train (1969, CD 2020), Tordenskjolds Soldater Peace (1970), Love (1972, 2025), Erling Kroner Music Book (1970), Eddie Bert The Skeleton of the Band (1976), Leif Johansson Goodbye Pork Pie Hat (1977), Erling Kroner The Forgotten Art (1977), Atilla Engin Nazar (1982), Buddy Tate & White Label Tate's Delight (1982, 2015), Rudy Smith Still Around (1984), What Pan did for Me (1984), Atilla Engin Istanbul Memories (1984), Lars Kjær Live at Sophus Ferdinand (1984), Rudy Smith Live at Fasching (1985), Atilla Engin Marmaris Love (1985), Atilla Engin No Money, No Honey (1986), Ninna & The Moodmakers You Have My Heart (1988), Rudy Smith Time to Move On (1998), Ole Matthiessen Portraits, Poems & Places (2006), Karsten Vogel My Old Flame (2009, Ole Matthiessen Past & Present (2010), Red Python (2013), Flashbacks & Dedications (2017), Rudy Smith Glass World (2017), Cat Pack Cat Walk (2018), Ole Matthiessen Social Distancing Blues (2021), Subcurrents (1969-2025)
DVD productions:
Ben Webster in Denmark 1965-1971, Svend Asmussen – A Life in Music, consultant on Play Your Own Thing – A Story of Jazz in Europe. (Julian Benedict)
Books (in Danish):
Rytmisk Musik (Gyldendal 1978), Trommernes Rejse (Afro-American Music History) (Husets Forlag 2007), Co-writer on Danish Jazz 1950 – 2010, (Politikens Forlag 2011), co-Author on We Came to Play (The DR Big Band 1964 – 2014 (Wilhelm Hansen 2014), jazz critic at the Danish magazine Jazz Special 1992-2023.
Matthiessen worked as a music instructor at many clinics since 1972, specializing in beginner’s jazz and improvisation.
Lectures on Afro-American music history at The Royal Conservatory of Copenhagen and The Rhythmic Conservatory from 1977 to 2007.
Broadcasting the bi-monthly programme Trommernes Rejse (on Afro-American music history) at the Copenhagen based Radio Jazz www.radiojazz,dk
Interview og foredragsvirksomhed
JazzBluesNews.com:
Interview with pianist Ole Matthiessen
– First, let’s start out with where you grew up, and what got you interested in music.
Ole Matthiessen: – I grew up in Gentofte, a suburb a few miles north of Copenhagen. Basically, I think that my first experience with music was my mother singing lullabies. A little later as a small kid I listened to her 78 records with mostly 1940’s swing music. I especially remember Happiness is just a Thing called Joe with Woody Herman.
My first own record was Louis Armstrong plays W.C. Handy in the middle 1950’s, in my opinion to this day a masterpiece. Satchmo’s feeling, his fantastic time and the trompet solos, always playing directly up in the sky, so Gabriel could hear him.
In 1960 I went to my first jazz concerts: Cannonball Adderley Quintet and The Gerry Mulligan Concert Jazz Band. My first visit to a jazz club, 15 years old, was at Vingaarden, september 1961. A concert with Eric Dolphy and a Danish trio with Bent Axen, Erik Moseholm and Jørn Elniff. His sound was so big, that he overruled the rhythm Section.
The event, that changed my life, was the John Coltrane Quintet in November 1961. It made a lasting impression. The spirituality, the way he assembled all the concentration from the audience without doing anything else than just standing there and play, the purity of McCoy Tyner and the raw energy from Elvin. I was stunned, couldn’t figure out what was happening, but immediately bought a ticket for an extra concert a week later to experience the magic energy once more. I decided, that I would go into music myself at that moment.
In the 1960s Copenhagen was the place to be, if you want to listen to jazz, The Montmartre opened in 1962. That year I heard Bud Powell, Brew Moore, Lasse Gullin, Cecil Taylor, Lucky Thompson and Dexter Gordon. And the following years learning from hearing many of the best visiting jazzmen, who often played for two weeks at the jazz house. Today many groups often just play one concert each place touring Europe, but at that time, you could go to the club and listen the first day, come back later in the week and maybe at the end of the gig and check out, how the music developed (or in a few cases didn’t). We had the old veterans, the swing and bebop giants and the new generation with Cecil Taylor, Albert Ayler, Don Cherry and Archie Shepp playing. It was like having Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Debussy and Stravinsky living among us.
Montmartre was my conservatory at that time. There was no formalized jazz education at all, no Real Books. It was learning by doing, and a way to learn was to play with somebody better than yourself. I started playing in a couple of groups during 1963.
JBN: – How has your sound evolved over time? What have you been doing to find and develop your own sound?
OM: – In the beginning I was very influenced by McCoy Tyner’s power, but also dug the swing of Wynton Kelly, the lyrical feeling of Bill Evans, the logic lines of Bud Powell, the melodic phrases of Paul Bley and the sound of Duke Ellington.
I like my piano to sing. It’s been a long time, since I tried to copy any special style. Maybe it was Buddy Bolden who said: Don’t play what you can’t sing. I have played anything from swing to avantgarde, some fusion and Turkish jazz, mostly on acoustic or electric piano.
JBN: – What routine practices or exercises have you developed to maintain and improve your current musical proficiency, in terms of both rhythm and harmony?
OM: – I don’t have a great talent for practicing, so my development has mostly been through the many bands I have played and rehearsed with, picking up pieces here and there. As a music producer at the Danish Radio working with many different great musicians, bandleaders and composers, I of course picked up a lot of ideas.
JBN: – How do you keep stray, or random, musical influences from diverting you from what you’re doing?
OM: – It’s not a problem. If you hear something you like, maybe try to incorporate it in your own music. In the old days I went to many concerts to listen and learn. Today I listen to a lot to records, but I am a bad concert goer. If I’m not involved in the activities, I either get impatient or tend to fall asleep. I have heard or worked together with so many great musicians during my days, that I feel my concert quota is kind of used up.
JBN: – In your opinion, what’s the balance in music between intellect and soul?
OM: – 50-50, but not divided, and 100% working together at the moment, when the music is created. As Steve Lacy once said: “As a composer I have all the time in the world to create 15 seconds of music. As a soloist I have 15 seconds”.
JBN: – It is unfortunate that for you intellect and soul are arithmetic.
OM: – In my view a jazz composition embraces both aspects. I can use many months composing music, that will contain some kind of idea, mood or whatever. Create a strong melodic line with a mood or structure, that the soloist can use for soloing, combined with a clear and durable harmonic structure, also open for interpretation. It is a dualism between the composer and the soloist.
When we did the recording, of Social Distancing Blues, it was the first time, the whole group was assembled, except for a few rehearsals with the horns. The music was recorded in first or second takes. It is often a paradox, that the more spontaneous the performance is made, the more timeless the music will be.
JBN: – There’s a two-way relationship between audience and artist; are you okay with delivering people the emotion they long for?
OM: – For me it is important to catch an audience, who in the first place may come more for the ambience of the place, than the music itself. If you get a receptive audience, it affects the performance in a positive way. I don’t know, what an audience long for. There might be as many different moods as there are people in the room. So, I just try to be true to myself and the group, when we play.
JBN: – How can we get young people interested in jazz when most of standard tunes are half a century old?
OM: – That’s one of the reasons why I try to make some new tunes, that can be played by everybody, both experienced and inexperienced players, and also make the scores available as pdf files on my cd’s. You can print out the parts, and maybe play along and get the feeling of the music.
I don’t care about the age of standards. There are still so many possibilities in them. Exploring the relations between melody and chords. The first jazz record ever made was Back Home in Indiana, and I still like to find new ways to improvise on the tune.
But jazz is of course more than just old standards. Hopefully the young musicians will create their own music along the way.
JBN: – John Coltrane once said that music was his spirit. How do you perceive the spirit and the meaning of life?
OM: – That’s to deep for me. I think, that playing music is a great thing in life, and I wouldn’t miss it for a second. But humans operate on different levels. I think that jazz and Buddhism has a lot in common. I feel that we are sat on this planet to collect wisdom. The folk singer Stig Møller, one of the original hippies in Demark once sang: Det at være, det at lære, det at gi’, det gør dig fri – translated: To be, to learn, to give. That makes you free.
JBN: – If you could change one single thing in the musical world and that would become reality, what would that be?
OM: – Better possibilities for creative musicians.
JBN: – Let’s take a trip with a time machine: where and why would you really want to go?
OM: – In the studio listening to Louis Armstrong and his Hot Five recording, the famous jam session at Kansas City with Coleman Hawkins, Black, Brown and Beige with Duke Ellington at Carnegie Hall or be at Massey Hall with Bird, Bud and Diz.
Interview by Simon Sargsyan
ole.matthiessen@gmail.com kan kontaktes om:
FOREDRAG
1. Hvad er rytmisk musik? Introduktion til rytmisk musik belyst via musikeksempler. Varighed ca. 90 minutter. Kan udbygges.
2. Hvad er jazz? Introduktion til jazz med eksempler på forskellige improvisationsformer, store musikere etc. Varighed ca. 90 minutter.
3. Da jazzen kom til Danmark. De første år, pionererne, de første besøg af amerikanske jazzmusikere. Musik og video klip, 2 timer.
4. Hvad er en jazzkomponist? Hvordan adskiller han sig fra en partiturkomponist eller en singersong writer? Med udgangspunkt i egne kompositioner beskrives processen og intentionerne bag et relativt enkelt lydende oplæg.
5. Legenden Rudy Van Gelder. Lydteknikeren, som indspillede mange tusinde jazzplader og definerede lyden af jazzen gennem 20 år, belyst gennem hans indspilninger for Blue Note, Savoy, Impulse, Prestige, CTI, High Note og mange flere.
WORKSHOPS
1. Improvisation for begyndere Improvisationsteknikker udviklet gennem 20 års praksis med sammenspil i jazz for begyndere. Nodekendskab ikke nødvendigt, men gerne kendskab tonernes beliggenhed på instrumentet.
2. Sammenspil i Jazz. Har arbejdet som instruktør på Jazzkredsens og Fajabefas stævner gennem 20 år, samt undervisning i sammenspil på Rytmisk Konservatorium og Det kongelige danske Musikkonservatorium 1977 - 2007. Sammenspilsinstruktion på alle niveauer fra begyndere over øvede, til konservatorieniveau.
MUSIKPRODUCER 1971 - 2007, flere tusind musikoptagelser, både studieoptagelser og koncerter for Danmarks Radio, fortrinsvis jazzgrupper og DR Big Band. Har desuden mixet store dele af flersporsbåndene fra DR's Duke Ellington samling.
Har produceret ca. 150 cd'er fortrinsvis med dansk jazz. Har derudover kurateret vigtige jazzhistoriske udgivelser med Svend Asmussen, Ben Webster, Albert Ayler, DR Big Band, New York Art Quartet, Carsten Meinert Kvartet, KB-Hallen og Oscar Pettiford.
MUSIK Kan kontaktes vedrørende jobs med Søndergaard-Sørensen, Ole Matthiessen Duo/Trio/kvartet, Rudy Smith Quartet, Testmann Jazz og Cat Pack.
Undervisning Peking Midi School of Music. Foto: Jan Persson.