NIKOLAJ HESS
“A delightful, reflective, almost pastoral use of light and shade. If Chopin had been born in New York and received tuition from say Bill Evans or Keith Jarrett he may have sounded like this” writes ‘Bebop spoken here’ (UK) beautifully about Nikolaj Hess.
“Gold dust. Nikolaj Hess’ fingers on the keyboard is an alchemical affair. An album with a wide range of expression, yet spiritually coherent.” (Chr Munch-Hansen Politiken)
“the mastery of Mommaas and Hess completely overwhelms any feeling of normal. This is art of the highest standard, and a record which will most definitely be a “best of” 2016.” (allaboutjazz 2016)
“Hess’ fluidity, harmonic command and palpable determination at the keys, a compelling spectacle~David R. Adler, AAJ (2010) (LIve @ the Kitano)
“Danish pianist Nikolaj Hess careened between heart-melting delicacy and almost Chopinesque virtuosity. Hess is clearly equipped to face the most gargantuan technical demands, but it was the incredible fecundity of his imagination that impressed the most”(Peter Quinn Art Desk, London)
”No matter whether he is working to unite different musical worlds, or getting down on the anatomy of the groove, Hess’ sound world is one that gathers many different aspects of tradition and culture. Global Motion + and The Champ provide two pieces of the puzzle that makes up his many-faceted vision” Jakob Baekgaard Allaboutjazz
Latest works releases:
Spacelab “Bugs – Live In London” 2017, Nikolaj Hess Micro Chapters (Gateway), solopiano/effects and a section with Praghs symphonys string section (all music by NH), Nikolaj Hess “Rhapsody”, Impressions Of Hammershøi, (Japanese release on Yoko Yoneyamas Cloud Feb 2016), written by NH for his concert series ”Impressions Of Hammershøi” at SMKs Hammershøi udstilling i New York, Hess/Mommaas Ballads and Standards (Sunnyside Records 2016), Mikroskop (april 2016) duo with Sissel Vera Pettersen, 3xHess Music for Mum and Dad (winner DMA 2014 best jazz album), Hess/AC/Hess Spacelab (nominated best jazz album DMA 2014), Nikolaj Hess “Trio” (chosen as best jazz album by Politiken 2013, nominated best jazz album DMA 2013), Global Motion+ (nominated best jazz album DMA 2011), Sissel Vera Pettersen/Nikolaj Hess “A Word” (nominated best jazz album DMA 2011) Nikolaj Hess Spacelab The Champ, Hessismore “Demoncrazy” (2011), Hessismore My Head Is A Ballroom” (2014), Caroline Henderson “Lonely House (co-producer, pianist), Caroline Henderson “Jazz Collection” (pianist, co-producer, arrangør). Furthermore NHs jazz piano can be heard on a long line of international jazz releases.
Nikolaj Hess written music for film, a.o. “Meeres Stille” Juliane Fezer (nominated “Best Music In Film at International Filmmakers Festival, London), “Melancholia” Lars Von Trier, and made music for cross-genre project with a.o. Mie Olise, Rose Eken, Krueger & Pardeller (Austria), Peter Kyle (USA), Tim Rushton (UK/DK)
NH has composed and arranged for various projects and settings, solo piano, duo, trio, quartet to tentet, cross-over ensembles, classical ensembles, symphony orchestra, choir, etc.
NH’s music can also be found around the world in installations, at other peoples performances, short-films and websites.
NH has toured extensively in DK, Norge, Sverige, Island, Færøerne, Finland, Grønland, Holland, England, Tyskland, Italien, Frankrig, Ungarn, Bulgarien, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Tanzania, Sydafrika, Tyrkiet, USA, Kina, Japan.
NH has worked and/or recorded with Lee Konitz, Benny Golson, Marc Mommaas, Jay Anderson, Ambrose Akinmusire, Tony Scherr, Kenny Wollesen, Chris Cheek, Ben Monder, Greg Hutchinson, Thomas Morgan, Jeff Ballard, Tim Rushton, Donny McCaslin, Jochen Rueckert, Clarence Penn, Chr McBride, Hal Wilner, Robert Wilson, Folkloric Selamta, Caroline Henderson (music director/producer), Etta Cameron, Palle Mikkelborg, Marilyn Mazur, Fela Kuti, Dele Sosimi, Dennis Charles, Hessismore, and many many others
Finished his studies magnum com laude at RMC 1991, followed by private studies in West-Africa (West-African drumming and folclore music in general), (6 months 92/93) and USA (93, 97/98, 01, 05) focusing on composition and piano.
DMA winner 2015 best jazz release, Politiken best jazz release of 2013, DMA nominated best jazz release 2013, 2015, best vocal jazz release 2012. Winner in the category best European Jazz Pianist under 25 at the RAI competition in Rom 1991, gold winner of Berlingske Tidendes young talent competition 1989. Nominated for best music in Film at The International Filmmaker Festival i London (23-28 feb 2015) for his music for German movie Meeres Stille
NH is the artistic director of Jazz Denmarks prominent Summer Session since 2013, and has taught composition, piano, ear-training, theory, ensemble playing, arranging and artistic development at RMC, DJM, DKDM, New School University USA, William Paterson University USA, Conservatoire Superieure National De Paris, New York Jazz Workshop, Bogazi University Istanbul, etc. He currently holds a part time associate professorship at RMC.
Quotes:
“Denmark’s Nikolaj Hess has combined with Scherr and Wollesen to produce an album that emphasizes the lyrical and poetic, mood-filled and simple, raw, unpolished and yet virtuosity and refined.” “a delightful, reflective, almost pastoral use of light and shade. If Chopin had been born in New York and received tuition from say Bill Evans or Keith Jarrett he may have sounded like this ” (bebop spoken here UK)
“a mesmerizing level of intensity at low volume and slow pace” (jazzword blogspot)
“a subdued and elegant new set featuring interpretations of Bob Dylan songs, as well as his own engaging originals” (Time Out New York)
“Gold dust. Nikolaj Hess’ fingers on the keyboard is an alchemical affair. An album with a wide range of expression, yet spiritually coherent.” (Chr Munch-Hansen Politiken)
“Organically overwhelming piano playing, rhythmically plush, with long beautifully formed lines, contrasting left hand playing and a never ending richness of ideas. The piano keys is like an extensions of Hess’ body. Flying energy and juicy bite” (Chr Munch-Hansen Politiken)
“Hess’ fluidity, harmonic command and palpable determination at the keys, a compelling spectacle~David R. Adler, AAJ (2010) (LIve @ the Kitano)
“Danish pianist Nikolaj Hess careened between heart-melting delicacy and almost Chopinesque virtuosity. Hess is clearly equipped to face the most gargantuan technical demands, but it was the incredible fecundity of his imagination that impressed the most” (Peter Quinn Art Desk, London)
“Improvisational art at the higest level… B Rabinowitch Politiken”
“Hess version of the music by Carl Nielsen is simply Danish music at its best -T Sjogren Pol”
”Whether working as a sideman or as leader of his own groups, the hallmark of Hess’ work has been his refusal to repeat the set patterns of the past. So it comes as no surprise to find him pursuing two radically different sound worlds that, nonetheless, are tied together by his choice of material and aesthetic sensibility”
“Hess and his unit create a musical language of their own, one which combines the worlds of East and West, Eruope and Amerca into a dusty multicultural stew of bouncing rhythms and complex melodies.”…. ”No matter whether he is working to unite different musical worlds, or getting down on the anatomy of the groove, Hess’ sound world is one that gathers many different aspects of tradition and culture. Global Motion + and The Champ provide two pieces of the puzzle that makes up his many-faceted vision” …. (Jakob Baekgaard All About Jazz 09)….
Nikolaj Hess er et kendt navn i dansk jazz. Han roses for sit musikalske overskud og hjertesmeltende fingerspil, og har gennem sin lange karriere spillet over hele verden og på tværs af genre-spektret fra jazz, verdensmusik og klassisk musik. Til Vinterjazz spiller Nikolaj Hess solo med udganspunkt i sine Impressions of Bob Dylan og Hammershøi projekter, blandet med hans virtuose og filmiske univers med indflydelse fra både dansk, jazz og klassisk.
og lidt citater:
A delightful, reflective, almost pastoral use of light and shade. If Chopin had been born in New York and received tuition from say Bill Evans or Keith Jarrett he may have sounded like this” writes ‘Bebop spoken here’ (UK) beautifully about Nikolaj Hess Solo piano.
“Gold dust. Nikolaj Hess’ fingers on the keyboard is an alchemical affair. An album with a wide range of expression, yet spiritually coherent.” (Chr Munch-Hansen Politiken)
“Hess’ fluidity, harmonic command and palpable determination at the keys, a compelling spectacle~David R. Adler, AAJ (2010) (LIve @ the Kitano New York)
“Danish pianist Nikolaj Hess careened between heart-melting delicacy and almost Chopinesque virtuosity. Hess is clearly equipped to face the most gargantuan technical demands, but it was the incredible fecundity of his imagination that impressed the most”(Peter Quinn Art Desk, London about Hess solo piano)
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