Jesper Lundgaard

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Born 1954 in Hilleroed, Denmark.
Started to play bass at the age of 16.
Studied music at Aarhus University from 1976, and played at the local jazzclub Tagskaegget with many American jazz-greats, e.g Roy Eldridge, Harry Sweets Edison, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Doug and Jimmy Raney.

In 1978 was with the Thad Jones Mel Lewis Orchestra doing a 3 months Europe tour.

In 1979 moved to Copenhagen, played at the jazz clubs of La Fontaine, Slukefter, and Montmartre.

Has performed with Benny Carter, Teddy Wilson, Tommy Flanagan, Stanley Turrentine, Joe Henderson, Chet Baker, Duke Jordan, Michel Petrucciani, John Scofield, just to mention a few.

Has played as a member of the Thad Jones Eclipse, The Radio Jazz Group, the Ernie Wilkins Almost Big Band, the Bob Rockwell Quartet, and the Bent Jaedig Quartet.

Has toured in Europe with the Tommy Flanagan Trio, and in Japan with the Duke Jordan Trio.

During the nineties Jesper was member of the Danish Radio Big Band, the Svend Asmussen Quartet, the Anders Widmark Quartet, and the Thomas Clausen Trio.

In 1994 he formed his own "Repertory Quartet" with Bob Rockwell, releasing 6 albums until 2000.

Toured in Europe with the Hank Jones Trio, the "Trumpet Kings" (Clark Terry, Harry Sweets Edison, Snooky Young & Joe Wilder), the Benny Green Trio, and many others.

Jesper has played with hundreds of famous jazz musicians - among others: Lee Konitz, Paul Bley, Wharne Marsh, Clark Terry, Doc Cheatham, Wild Bill Davidson, Freddie Hubbard, Phil Woods, Art Farmer, Larry Coryell, Wynton Marsalis, Putte Wickmann, Eddie Harris, Barry Harris, Benny Bailey, Kenny Drew, Richard Boone, Horace Parlan, Jan Lundgren, Dannie Richmond, Bent Jaedig, Daniel Humair, Eartha Kitt, Joachim Kühn, James Moody, Kirk Lightsey, Toots Thielemanns, Curtis Fuller, Billy Hart, Diana Krall, Benny Golson, Mose Allison, Howard McGhee, Joe Newman, Hal Singer, Jay McShann, and Dexter Gordon.

Appears on hundreds of albums, mainly as a sideman.

Since the eighties Jesper has also worked as a sound engineer, producing many albums, and from 1991 at his own "Loft Studio" where more than 50 albums have been produced.

In 1975 Jesper was part of the team that established the jazz club in Herning called "Nicodemus", now the "Fermaten".

In 1996 he initiated the musicians controlled project called "Paradise Jazz", which opened in 1999 and is still an important part of the Copenhagen jazz scene, giving many musicians a place and opportunity to perform.

From 2004 developing a new amplifier concept, and in 2007 establishing the ARCO-amplification I/S, a small company that produces a small, lightweight, and very powerfull amplifier for double bass and electric bass.

Jesper was awarded the Ben Webster Prize 1982 and the JASA prize in 1992.

He has given master classes in Rotterdam, Zürich, and Helsingfors.

In 2005 he formed the "Jesper Lundgaard Trio", released the album of "Celluloid", and in 2007 two more albums called "Sculpting" and "Plays Cornelis" respectively.

Inspiration: Ron Carter, Ray Brown, Sam Jones, Scott LaFaro, Eddie Gomez, and Niels Henning Orsted Petersen.

Jesper combines Scandinavian bass virtuosity with American sense of rhythm and foundation.

He has worked in almost every style known in jazz, but is known as a modern bebopper.

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