Kai Peter Anthon Ewans (né Nielsen; April 10, 1906 – April 4, 1988) was a Danish-American

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, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a majo ...

reedist. Ewans was born in Hørsholm, Denmark. He played initially as a banjoist, but switched to saxophone in 1923 when he formed the Blues Jazz Band. The group disbanded in 1924, after which Ewans was with

Valdemar Eiberg Valdemar Eiberg (August 23, 1892 – July 4, 1965) was a Danish jazz musician. Eiberg formed what is thought to be the first Danish jazz orchestra in 1923, and in 1924, his ensemble recorded the earliest known examples of Danish jazz, "I've Got a C ...

's ensemble from 1924 to 1926. He adopted the name Ewans in 1927, and led Denmark's first

big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s ...

in 1927–28, thereafter leading bands in Belgium and Germany through 1931. Following this he played with Bernard Etté, Kai Julian (1931–32), and Eric Tuxen (1932–36). He founded a new big band including mostly musicians from Tuxen's ensemble in 1936, and recorded with

Benny Carter Bennett Lester Carter (August 8, 1907 – July 12, 2003) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader. With Johnny Hodges, he was a pioneer on the alto saxophone. From the beginning of his career ...

that year. The band recorded copiously in the 1940s.

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the dat ...

wrote: "Ewans was a potent force behind the development of interest in jazz, and in particular in big band, swing-era-style music in Denmark. His bands were always disciplined, well-rehearsed and enthusiastic outfits, reflecting the best qualities of the leader." The big band dissolved in 1947, and after this Ewans worked in business in the U.S., moving to California in 1956. From 1960 to 1964 he ran a restaurant with Carter in Beverly Hills, and later in the decade returned to Copenhagen to play again. He retired to Connecticut late in life, and died there on April 4, 1988. His granddaughter,

Vanessa Trump Vanessa Kay Trump (née Pergolizzi, later Haydon; born December 18, 1977) is an American former model. She married Donald Trump Jr. in 2005 and they divorced in 2018. She was born in New York City. Early life She grew up in a townhouse on the ...

, was married to Donald Trump Jr., and Kai Trump, their daughter, Ewans' great-granddaughter, is named after him.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ewans, Kai 1906 births 1988 deaths Danish jazz saxophonists Male saxophonists Danish emigrants to the United States Trump family 20th-century saxophonists Male jazz musicians 20th-century male musicians

See also

References