Torben is a celebrated composer by critics and fellow musicians

4/2/2011 10:03:37 AM - Torben is a celebrated composer by critics and fellow musicians. His 2 recent CDs “No Bass/hello world” from 99 and “Squealfish” from 04 has great reviews. Stateside reviewers (Cadence, AllaboutJazz) says: Waldorff knows the importance of space to incite drama.


Exciting and urgent heights, driving rhythm goaded by Waldorff’s peppery contributions. ..the group was truly a collective in the sense that the Second Great (Miles)Quintet was a collective, with ideas being shared and egos being subjugated for the sake of the whole. Mr. Waldorff himself is a modern guitar player, solos rhythmically interesting, and he manages to employ different dynamic ranges in his solos for color.

In Europe:

intriguing, the music varies from the lyrical and severely melodic to the more open and free. Waldorff solos with zeal on the fast pacers, bouncing his sound against the intensity coming from the band. Much recommended. it's a just dose of musical personality. exclusively at original base, whose freedom and lyricism is immediately seductive. Waldorff kicks and sings on the guitar with distinction…. the lack of the over-self-evident; the themes are not nailed down by force. Instead the musicians seem to happen to bump into each other along the way and as if a coincidence play the same trails of melody. Torben Waldorff´s music breathes with style and thoughtful elegance.
(SvD, Sydsvenskan)

Torben Waldorff, born in Denmark, is based in the Oresund region of Malmo, Sweden and Copenhagen, Denmark. After having attended Berklee College of Music from 1984 to 88 studying with Herb Pomeroy and Charlie Banacos and gigging the Boston clubs with Sam Newsome, Jim Black a.o.


Torben moved to Copenhagen in 89 and gigged the Denmark festival and club scene with a.o. Tomas Franck, Anders Bergcrantz, Bob Rockwell, Chris Minh Doky, Ben Perowsky, brought over Sam Newsome and Ingrid Jensen from New York for Festival activities. Wrote and performed orchestral works on commision and self-organized in Sweden and Denmark at Copenhagen and Malmos jazzfestivals and club venues.

Torbens first CD in his own name was released in 1999 for Swedish label LJ-Records, Torben Waldorff No Bass/Hello World. LJCD 5221 The disc earned critical appraise in a wide spread of european countries, north america and Japan, and propelled Torbens music and concert schedule over the atlantic.


TW has done about a tour to US and Canada a year since 2000 with schedules coast to coast, much in New York but also repeated visits to prominent clubs in Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, Madison WI, clinics at Berklee College and a broadcasted performance at Earshot Jazzfestival in Seattle. Musicians TWs performed with here are Ingrid Jensen, Jon Wikan, Allison Miller, Donny McCaslin, Dave Berkman. Matt Clohesy, Hans Glawischnig.

Torben contributed as a co-producer, soloist and composer to the 2 Maggi Olin CDs ”Land Of Me” 95 and ”Dreams” 99 also featuring Ingrid jensen and Hans Ulrik on Prophone/Naxos label.

The No Bass Band, PA Tollbom, Henrik Frisk, TW and Maggi Olin toured in both US and Scandinavia in the first years of the new millenium, and performances with Gary Thomas in Sweden and Denmark and Ingrid Jensen in US lead up to the start of the composition work for the 2004 Torben Waldorff Quartet CD ”Squealfish” LJCD 5236 for LJ-Records, with players Karl-Martin Almqvist, PA Tollbom and Mattias Svensson.

TW has done numerous jazzshowcase radioshows for Danish and Swedish national radios and in US.

At concert appearances in Canada, Vancouver, Nanaimo, Montreal, Toronto in 2004 and 2005 Torben performed with Joel Miller, Ingrid and Christine Jensen, Jon Wikan, Maria Schneider, Geoff Keezer, Fraser Hollins, Matt Clohesy and more.

 
Torben Waldorffs new and third CD of original music Torben Waldorff Quartet ”Brilliance” live at the 55 Bar, NYC. AS0054 (one piece by McCaslin) was recorded during concerts at Philadelphias Chris´Jazz Café and the 55 Bar club in New York City with Donny McCaslin, Jon Wikan, Hans Glawischnig and Matt Clohesy. Torben and Donny went to Berklee College together and after meeting up and jams in New York the idea came up to put the group together with Jon Wikan and Matt Clohesy which Torben had recently worked with in different settings.

In april 2006 Torben Waldorff Quartet with Karl-Martin Almqvist, Christian Spering and Peter Nilsson was chosen to tour Sweden and record for national radio -P2 jazzlive- under the ”PulseBeat Tour” parole, organized by the Swedish Jazz Association.

In October 2006 Canadian saxist Joel Miller and Torben Waldorff will tour Sweden and Denmark following up on the earlier Canada tour, mixing their compositions.
In 2007 spring Torben will be in US again to play following up the release of the ”Brilliance” CD on ArtistShar.