Jens Winther (29 October 1960 – 24 February 2011) was a Danish

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

trumpeter, composer, arranger and bandleader. He composed for and played in a long line of European big bands and other orchestras. His work includes compositions for

symphony orchestra An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments: * String instruments, such as the violin, viola, cello, ...

chamber ensemble Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of Musical instrument, instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a Great chamber, palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music ...

s and

choir A choir ( ), also known as a chorale or chorus (from Latin ''chorus'', meaning 'a dance in a circle') is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform or in other words ...

s. As a bandleader, he was noted on the international Jazz

scene Scene (from Greek ') may refer to: General * Scene (performing arts), a part of the story held in a single location * Scene (perception), a set of information that can flow from a physical environment into a perceptual system via sensory tran ...

with his ''JW European Quartet'' (originally a quintet), particularly since 2007. In 2008, he founded the fusion band ''JW Electrazz''. From 2009, he was based in Berlin, Germany. Jens Winther was born in Næstved, Denmark, in 1960. At the age of 10 he started to play the trumpet and at 18, he moved to Copenhagen to become a professional freelance trumpeter, playing with such bands as the New Jungle Orchestra, the Erling Kroner Tentet, ''Candentia Nova Danica'' and Ernie Wilkins' Almost Big Band. In 1982, he became a solo trumpeter in the

DR Big Band The Danish Radio Big Band (aka DR Big Band), often referred to as the Radioens Big Band is a radio ensemble and big band founded in Copenhagen in 1964 at the Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR). Band history Originally called the New Radio ...

and in 1985 he also started to compose for it. In 1989, Winther left the Big Band and moved to New York City after receiving an invitation to join the two-year Jazz Composer's Workshop under the direction of

Bob Brookmeyer Robert Edward "Bob" Brookmeyer (December 19, 1929 – December 15, 2011) was an American jazz valve trombone, valve trombonist, Jazz piano, pianist, arranger, and composer. Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Brookmeyer first gained widespread public ...

. At the same time, he worked as a freelance trumpeter, playing with groups and musicians such as the Toshiko Akiyoshi Band,

Eddie Palmieri Eddie Palmieri (born December 15, 1936) is an American Grammy Award-winning pianist, bandleader, musician, and composer of Corsican and Puerto Rican ancestry. He is the founder of the bands La Perfecta, La Perfecta II, and Harlem River Drive. ...

Kenny Barron Kenneth Barron (born June 9, 1943) is an American jazz pianist and composer who has appeared on hundreds of recordings as leader and sideman and is considered one of the most influential mainstream jazz pianists since the bebop era. Early life ...

Max Roach Maxwell Lemuel Roach (January 10, 1924 – August 16, 2007) was an American jazz drummer and composer. A pioneer of bebop, he worked in many other styles of music, and is generally considered one of the most important drummers in history. He wo ...

Tito Puente Ernest Anthony Puente Jr. (April 20, 1923 – May 31, 2000), commonly known as Tito Puente, was an American musician, songwriter, bandleader, timbalero, and record producer. He composed dance-oriented mambo and Latin jazz music. He was also k ...

, Marie Bauza Orchestra,

George Mraz George Mraz (born Jiří Mráz; 9 September 1944 – 16 September 2021) was a Czech-born American jazz bassist and alto saxophonist. He was a member of Oscar Peterson's group, and worked with Pepper Adams, Stan Getz, Michel Petrucciani, Stepha ...

, and Xavier Cugat Orchestra. In 1991, after the end of the workshop, he returned to Denmark. He composed for numerous European bands, mainly in the Nordic countries and Germany, as well as other orchestras, and was a trumpeter in various constellations, including in his band Jens Winther Group. On 5 May 1994, his first

trumpet concerto A trumpet concerto is a concerto for solo trumpet and instrumental ensemble, customarily the orchestra. Such works have been written from the Baroque period, when the solo concerto form was first developed, up through the present day. Although comp ...

for symphony orchestra, ''Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra'', was performed for the first time. In 1998, he toured with

George Gruntz George Gruntz (24 June 1932 – 10 January 2013) was a Swiss jazz pianist, organist, harpsichordist, keyboardist, and composer known for the George Gruntz Concert Big Band and his work with Phil Woods, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Don Cherry, Chet Baker ...

's concert band. On 29 April 1999, Winther and the Århus Symphony Orchestra performed his second trumpet concerto, ''The Eagle'', for the first time in Århus Musikhus. He also collaborated with the Metropole Orchestra in the Netherlands on a number of occasions. In 2007, he experienced an international breakthrough with his JZ European Quintet and went on a worldwide tour which included the United States, Canada, Australia, and China. In 2008, he formed the fusion band ''JW Electrazz'' which had its world premiere on 22 March in

Copenhagen Jazzhouse Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the Øresund strait. The Øres ...

. In 2009, he moved to Berlin, Germany, and formed the ''JW Berlin Quintet''. Winther died in Geneva on 24 February 2011.

Awards

* 1982: Sonning's Music Grant * 1983: Elected as the Danish representative in the European Youth Jazz Orchestra. * 1987 Ben Webster Prize * 1999: Second prize in the International Competition of Jazz Themes, Monaco * 1998: Award from the Danish National Art Foundation for the Album "The Escape" * 1990: First prize in the International Competition of Jazz Themes, Monaco * 1991: First prize in the International Competition of Jazz Themes, Monaco * 1992: 3-year scholarship as a composer from the Danish National Art Foundation * 1995 Honorary Award from the organisation of Danish Jazz, Beat and Folk Authors * * Danish Grammy for the best Danish jazz recording of the year * 1996: First prize in the International Competition of Jazz Themes, Monaco * 2009: Lifelong grant from the Danish Arts Foundation

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Winther, Jens 1960 births 2011 deaths Danish male composers Danish jazz composers Danish jazz bandleaders Danish jazz trumpeters DR Big Band members Male jazz composers Almost Big Band members People from Næstved Municipality Olufsen Records artists Ben Webster Prize recipients