The unfailing knack

Bassplayer, born 7 December 1948 in Copenhagen. An example of world-class Danish jazz. One of the absolute “bas-aces” with more than 800 record releases behind him.
Professional at the age of 16 and house bassplayer in the legendary original jazz club Montmartre, Copenhagen.
He holds an impressive “record list” of working with jazz masters like
Herbie Hancock-Wayne Shorter-Stan Getz-Gary Burton-Hank Jones-Tony Williams-Dexter Gordon-Ben Webster-Joanne Brackeen-Sonny Stitt-Sir Roland Hanna-Benny Goodman-Dizzy Gillespie-Dollar Brand-Clark Terry-Chet Baker-Art Farmer-Woody Shaw-Benny Bailey-Dusko Goykovich-Ed Thigpen-Alvin Queen-Billy Hart-Bruno Castelucci-John Engels-Daniel Humair-Sangoma Everett-Enrico Pieranunzi-Roger Kellaway-Tete Montoliu-Horace Parlan-Fred Hersch-Martial Solal-Renée Rosnes-Gordon Beck-Dee Dee Bridgewater-Meredith D’Ambrosio-Deborah Brown-Mark Murphy-Etta Cameron-Toots Thielemans-Lee Konitz-Johnny Griffin-Sahib Shihab-Stuff Smith-Don Byas-Charlie Mariano-Ernie Wilkins-Philip Catherine-Bob Brookmeyer-Monty Alexander-Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis-Peter Herbolzheimer-Janne Schaffer-Quincy Jones-Svend Asmussen-Istanbul Express-Thomas Clausen-Alex Riel-Kim Sjøgren-Finn Savery-The Danish Radio Big Band-etc, etc..

“The ballet has the third act of Naples, the classical music has Michala Petri, the opera has Inga Nielsen and Poul Ming, and Jazz has bassists. No one has as the doublebass players made Danish jazz world known and highly respected, and although you can count here today between a half and a dozen bassists at international level, it is the trio Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Mads Vinding and Jesper Lundgaard, that has given it its real world fame.

Of these three, Mads Vinding is the central axis-a little younger than NHØP, a little older than Lundgaard, divinely virtuoso as the first, thoughtful as the last. He has handled the big instrument from the time he was eleven, and he was only sixteen when he became a professional musician in 1964 – first in a series of orchestras in traditional jazz and swingmusic, later along with musicians of recent observances.
Among the prominent Danish musicians, who early saw his immense talent and who exploited the rhythmic resilience and great soloist power that he puts into any jazz group, were Svend Asmussen and the pianist and composer Finn Savery.

Vinding has also left his mark on experimental groups such as Secret Oyster and Burnin’ Red Ivanhoe and has been a prominent member of the guitarist Mehmet Ozan’s Turkish inspired Istanbul Express, the Danish Radio Big band, Ernie Wilkins ‘ Danish-American Almost Big Band and, in recent years, the pianist Thomas Claus ‘ highly acclaimed trio.

These few names, along with a duo with the violinist Kim Sjøgren, show the colossal span of his art. There is not a niche within the framework of the domestic, serious rhythmic music that he has not been into, and at the same time there is not the American jazz celebrity who has not wished him at his side during a visit to Denmark, a recording session or a longer tour in Europe.
The list of the Jazz stars he has worked closely with is a catalogue of the most important artists in today’s jazz, and here we just  highlight a few, with whom the collaboration has been particularly rewarding: Johnny Griffin, Gerry Mulligan, Dexter Gordon, Hank Jones, Stan Getz, Kenny Drew, Bob Brookmeyer, Toots Thielemans, Gary Burton and Clark Terry.

In parallel with the doublebass, he has refined his playing on electric bass, but what today makes Mads Vinding a unique artist and sought-after soloist is the superb musical overview and the great maturity that 55 years of working with the finest jazz people have given him.
He can play faster and smarter than most others, but he does it only when there is musical justification for it.
He has played with the majority of those in jazz that are worth playing along with, but now he only plays with those who also satisfy his ideas of how the music should sound.
He has had a great influence on the overall musical concept and in that role – as one who controls the music in a particular direction, he is now more and more involved, also as a producer.

Thus, Mads Vinding’s strength as a musician is not his formidable instrumental technique or his record list.
It is his awareness that the simplest statement can often be the strongest and his open-minded attitude towards music and musicians in the genres that have arisen in the wake of jazz. Of the more than 800 records he can be heard on, several place themselves far from jazz. However, in his playing you can always hear the beat of a jazz heart. ”

Peter H. Larsen, editor.

“The ballet has the third act of Naples, the classical music has Michala Petri, the opera has Inga Nielsen and Poul Ming, and Jazz has bassists. No one has as the doublebass players made Danish jazz world known and highly respected, and although you can count here today between a half and a dozen bassists at international level, it is the trio Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Mads Vinding and Jesper Lundgaard, that has given it its real world fame.

Of these three, Mads Vinding is the central axis-a little younger than NHØP, a little older than Lundgaard, divinely virtuoso as the first, thoughtful as the last. He has handled the big instrument from the time he was eleven, and he was only sixteen when he became a professional musician in 1964 – first in a series of orchestras in traditional jazz and swingmusic, later along with musicians of recent observances.
Among the prominent Danish musicians, who early saw his immense talent and who exploited the rhythmic resilience and great soloist power that he puts into any jazz group, were Svend Asmussen and the pianist and composer Finn Savery.

Vinding has also left his mark on experimental groups such as Secret Oyster and Burnin’ Red Ivanhoe and has been a prominent member of the guitarist Mehmet Ozan’s Turkish inspired Istanbul Express, the Danish Radio Big band, Ernie Wilkins ‘ Danish-American Almost Big Band and, in recent years, the pianist Thomas Claus ‘ highly acclaimed trio.

These few names, along with a duo with the violinist Kim Sjøgren, show the colossal span of his art. There is not a niche within the framework of the domestic, serious rhythmic music that he has not been into, and at the same time there is not the American jazz celebrity who has not wished him at his side during a visit to Denmark, a recording session or a longer tour in Europe.
The list of the Jazz stars he has worked closely with is a catalogue of the most important artists in today’s jazz, and here we just  highlight a few, with whom the collaboration has been particularly rewarding: Johnny Griffin, Gerry Mulligan, Dexter Gordon, Hank Jones, Stan Getz, Kenny Drew, Bob Brookmeyer, Toots Thielemans, Gary Burton and Clark Terry.

In parallel with the doublebass, he has refined his playing on electric bass, but what today makes Mads Vinding a unique artist and sought-after soloist is the superb musical overview and the great maturity that 55 years of working with the finest jazz people have given him.
He can play faster and smarter than most others, but he does it only when there is musical justification for it.
He has played with the majority of those in jazz that are worth playing along with, but now he only plays with those who also satisfy his ideas of how the music should sound.
He has had a great influence on the overall musical concept and in that role – as one who controls the music in a particular direction, he is now more and more involved, also as a producer.

Thus, Mads Vinding’s strength as a musician is not his formidable instrumental technique or his record list.
It is his awareness that the simplest statement can often be the strongest and his open-minded attitude towards music and musicians in the genres that have arisen in the wake of jazz. Of the more than 800 records he can be heard on, several place themselves far from jazz. However, in his playing you can always hear the beat of a jazz heart. ”

Peter H. Larsen, editor.