The Rifftides wrapup report on the Ystad Sweden Jazz Festival included a brief, enthusiastic comment about a performance by the Kathrine Windfeld Big Band of her piece “Aircraft.†This young Danish composer, arranger and pianist writes for 15 young musicians from Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Poland. They negotiate her demanding charts with aplomb, intensity and obvious appreciation for one another’s talents. Following the video, I’m including their names for you to remember because we are undoubtedly going to be hearing further important work from Ms. Windfeld’s band. There is no video from the Ystad concert, but here is “Aircraft†from an earlier appearance in Copenhagen.
Again, the solists on “Aircraft†were Göran Abelli, trombone; Erik Kimestad, trumpet; and Henrik Holst Hansen, drums. Here are the names, instruments and countries of all the members.
TRUMPETS: Rolf Thofte (DK); Erik Kimestad (NO); Magnus Oseth (NO).
TROMBONES: Göran Abelli (SE); Johan Norberg (SE); Anders Malta (DK).
SAXES: Jakub Wiecek (PO); Søren Høst (DK); Roald Elm Larsen (DK); Marika Andersen (DK); Toke Reines (DK).
RHYTHM SECTION: Viktor Sandström, guitar (SE); Johannes Vaht, bass (SE); Henrik Holst Hansen, drums (DK) Kathrine Windfeld, piano, leader (DK).
Ms. Winfield studied piano with Jan Lundgren, the festival’s artistic director and one of its stars. I asked him if he also taught her arranging. “No,†he said. “Playing the piano and arranging are the same thing.â€