Copenhagen Jazz Orchestra creates playful jazz experiences in the moment. The band’s musical works thrive in collective presence and the spark of improvisation—performed with both power and elegance.
Rooted in the jazz tradition of renewal, global outlook, and curiosity, the orchestra invites the audience into a contagious musical community that opens toward the world while touching upon something fundamentally human.
The band’s expression combines a swinging energy with a transparent, sophisticated sound that is both caressing and edgy.
Deep Roots and Modern Sound With roots stretching back to the mid-1990s, Copenhagen Jazz Orchestra comprises some of Denmark’s strongest jazz musicians and composers. For nearly three decades, the orchestra has helped define the modern Danish and Scandinavian big band and ensemble sound—characterized by a fluid, chamber-music approach and significant compositional depth.
In a series of diverse projects, Copenhagen Jazz Orchestra has explored the meeting between jazz and other musical traditions—including flamenco, Afro-Cuban, and Indian music. These projects focus on immersive artistic collaborations that reflect the history of jazz as a living, diverse, and evolving cultural form.
The Band
- Saxophones: Peter Fuglsang, Kasper Wagner, Hans Ulrik, Lars Møller, Aske Drasbæk
- Trumpets: Christer Gustafsson, Jesper Riis, Maj Berit Guasora, Rolf Tofte
- Trombones: Steen Hansen, Mia Engsager, Niels Gerhardt, Kim Aagaard
- Rhythm Section: Thor Madsen (guitar), Thommy Andersson/Yasser Pino/Mathias Petri (bas), Jonas Johansen (trommer)
- Composers/conductors: Lars Møller, Jesper Riis, Jacob Riis
- Subs: Lars Vissing, Jan Harbeck, Frederik Menzies, Christian Holm-Svendsen
Planning and oranizing: Lars Møller, Kasper Wagner, Johans Johansen and Thor Madsen.
Webmaster: Thor Madsen.
CJO is supported by Augustinus Fonden and Statens Kulturråd.