GLOBAL JAZZ EXPLORER INSTITUTE
PRESENTS

Jazz Explorer Trio by Lars Møller, Thor Madsen, Jonas Johansen
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“Jazz-heritage with an innovative global approach”
Lars Møller – Saxophone
Thor Madsen – Guitar
Jonas Johansen – Drums
Jazz Explorer Trio, is formed by the Danish Grammy-awarded saxophonist and composer Lars Møller. Along with guitar-player Thor Madsen and drummer Jonas Johansen this trio presents some of the leading jazz-musicians from Scandinavia.
Jazz Explorer Trio combines a deep understanding of the jazz-heritage with an innovative global approach to being a creative voice in the 21st century. The music is primarily composed by the band-members, combining groovy and bluesy expression with architectural and emotional beauty. The performance of the trio is marked by a creative personal jazz-expression and spell-binding improvisational interplay.
Blues In 5
(composed by Lars Møller)
Mosse
(composed by Jonas Johansen)
Okinok
(composed by Thor Madsen)
Transit
(composed by Lars Møller)
Lars Møller – Saxophone
Lars Møller – saxophone
Virtuoso saxophone-player Lars Møller lived in New York 1987-89, where he studied with master saxophone-player David Liebman and played with many top jazz musicians – including the band of legendary drummer Jimmy Cobb. In the early 90’s Lars Møller spent several prolonged periods in New Delhi, where he was assimilating the highly emotional Indian classical music under guidance from his Shahnei-teachers Pandit Anant Lal and Pandit Daya Shankar.
Today he is regarded a leading figure in Scandinavian jazz, and he has toured all over the world and received numerous awards including a Grammy (DK). Lars Møller’s compositions delicately combine his knowledge of the American jazz tradition with the melodic Scandinavian tradition augmented by a broad knowledge of European classical music. His most recent release “ReWrite of Spring” has been called “a soaring, sprawling conception, combining exquisite detail with monumental vision” (Downbeat-US) and “A milestone in Danish jazz” (Weekendavisen-DK).
Thor Madsen – Guitar
Thor Madsen – guitar
Having spent his formative years in New York, Thor Madsen’s guitar playing is influenced by a broad range of musical genres. He is a highly popular performer in both Europe and USA and has toured extensively with bands from both continents: Wax Poetic with Norah Jones, Butch Morris Conducts The Nublu Orchestra, and Our Theory with French trumpeter Erik Truffaz – to name a few.
His work as a producer includes numerous albums for the New York-based label Nublu Records, Brazilian crossover album Na Farofa with his band Wazzabi, Lars Møller’s ode to Stravinsky, Rewrite Of Spring, as well as music for film and TV, including the original score for the Emmy nominated feature documentary Word Wars.
Jonas Johansen – Drums
Jonas Johansen – drummer
Jonas Johansen is a true orchestral drummer, with a universal sound developed though 35 years of top level performances and more than 170 albums. Jonas’ special gift always delivers the extra touch that lifts the music. His personal and international sound is rooted in his deep knowledge of the jazz tradition and his ability to fluently incorporate inspiration from Latin America, Turkey, Spain, Africa and India.
He has performed with stars like McCoy Tyner, Dave Sanborn, Maria Schneider, John Scofield, Eliane Elias, Enrico Pieranunzi, Mike Stern, Egberto Gismonti, Hermeto Pascoal, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen and Joe Lovano.