Bassist, composer, jazz enthusiast, producer and teacher at the Rhythmic Music Conservatory, Copenhagen

Torben Westergaard is one of Denmark’s most respected musicians, though his role is mostly as a facilitator to others. Since he learned to play bass-guitar and acoustic bass in the 80s, he has toured in over 20 countries and played with a myriad of Danish and foreign artists.

Westergaard is an initiator and project-maker, and with his pleasant manners and good sense of how to nuance others’ sound and expression, he can be credited for how Danish artists such as Søren Kragh-Jacobsen and Lotte Andersen have recovered or found their sound and audience.

There is also great demand for Torben Westergaard internationally. With nearly 7 years spent in New York and several longer stays in South America, he has, in addition to creating a huge network, also refined the role of the bass as a link between the rhythmic and melodic in many genres. Westergaard’s role as a solid, social and musical anchor of meaningful products is long since cemented.

Besides having produced six of his own acclaimed jazz albums, Torben Westergaard is a prolific composer; some examples of this are that he has composed the theme-song for Søs Egelind and Kirsten Lehfeldts ‘Kongeriget’ and the music for several documentaries, television programs, commercials and ensembles including the Danish Radio Big Band.
At the Rhythmic Music Conservatory, Copenhagen, Torben Westergaard is, as an educator, busy developing the student’s human potential both as individual musicians and groups.

Has performed and/or recorded with a.o.:
Scandinavia:
Lotte Andersen, Frans Bak, Bent Fabricius-Bjerre, Otto Brandenburg, Dario Campeotto, Thomas Clausen, Eva Dahlgren, Poul Dissing, Jørgen Emborg, Flemming Enevold, Erling Erlang Trio, Jan Glæsel, Niels Hausgaard, Heidi (Herløw), Fini Høstrup, Søren Kragh-Jacobsen, Jodle Birge, Steen Jørgensen, Holger Lauman, Silvana Malta, Marilyn Mazur, Bobo Moreno, Lars Muhl, Lars Møller, Nanna Luders, Karen Lise Mynster, Musicals/shows (Roserne bryder ud, Tiggeroperaen, Skatteøen, Linie 3, Gøngehøvdingen, Rocky Lorry Picture Show, Grease, Atlantis, Guys and Dolls, Tivolirevyen, Trold kan tæmmes, Cirkusrevyen, The Wiz, Allan Olsen, PS 12, Radioens Big Band, Radioens Underholdningsorkester, Kurt Ravn, Alex Riel, Niels Jørgen Steen, Nikolaj Steen, Paprika Steen, Uffe Steen, Henning Stærk, Grethe Sønck. Lis Sørensen, Frederik Thaae (A kid hereafter), Bjørn Tidmand, Tivolis Big Band, TV2, Hans Ulrik, Kasper Winding, Jens Winther, Sylvia Wrethammer, Finn Ziegler, Yasmin

International:
John Abercrombie, Airto Moreira, Cecil Bridgewater, Jimmy Cobb, Marc Copland, Armen Donelian, Billy Drewes, Manfredo Fest, Chano Dominguez, Dario Eskenazi, Gil Goldstein, Chico Hamilton, Kip Hanrahan, Eddie Henderson, Jeff Hirshfield, Adam Holzman, Toninho Horta, Chris Hunter, Arnie Lawrence, David Liebman, Vic Juris, Edy Martinez, Hendrik Meurkens, Adam Nussbaum, Hermeto Pascoal, Portinho, Dom Um Romao, Mark Soskin, Haru Takauchi, Arto Tunçboyaciyan, Mal Waldron, Kenny Werner, Larry Willis, Zap Mama

Tours:
Argentina, Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Bulgaria, Estonia, France, Germany, Holland, Island, Japan, Martinique, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Switzerland, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and USA.


Projects:

• The Tangofied Ensemble
• Søren Kragh-Jacobsen
• Oktober
• The HASS’ters
• Third Voyage
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