Copenhagen Jazz Festival 2022

The concert has finished

Curious about what's happening in the New York Jazz Scene today? Benny Benack III is bringing his new New York Quintet to Musikhuset København. Presenting some of the finest young musicians in the New York Jazz Scene.

The 5 musicians meet in New York before the pandemic, and when the opportunity to perform at the Copenhagen Jazz Festival, presented itself, it seemed obvious to reconnect and once again make music together. Get ready to experience jazz music of the highest quality the band plays hardbop, swing, ballads, bebop performed by leading young musicians on the Danish and American scene.

Benny Benack III
By age 28, trumpeter and singer Benny Benack III has proven to be a rare talent: not only a fiery trumpet player with a stirring command of the postbop trumpet vernacular in the vein of Kenny Dorham and Blue Mitchell, but also a singer with a sly, mature, naturally expressive delivery in the post-Sinatra mold, performing standards and his own astute songs with a thrilling sense of showmanship. Benny performs widely as a frontman for Postmodern Jukebox.
In early 2020, he released A Lot of Livin’ to Do, featuring bassist extraordinaire Christian McBride and drummer/producer Ulysses Owens, Jr., as well as the radiant Takeshi Ohbayashi on piano and Rhodes. Benny’s been showcased in international headliner tours at Jazz at Lincoln Center Shanghai, JALC’s “NY Jazz All-Stars” (Mexico) and extensively all over Asia and Europe. Benny's been featured at Birdland, Mezzrow, Bemelmans Bar at the Carlyle and other leading New York venues. Furthermore, Benny was a 2014 finalist in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Trumpet Competition, and winner of the 2011 Carmine Caruso International Trumpet Competition.

Kaisa Mäensivu
Kaisa Mäensivu is a Finnish jazz bassist who has kicked off an international career in music with a great success by performing, composing, and also currently holding the chair of artistic director for the international Savoy Jazz Festival in Helsinki. Kaisa has recorded two albums as a leader and has performed all over the world, including Ronnie Scott’s in London, Rochester Jazz Festival in New York, and Pori Jazz Festival in Finland. Kaisa and her music have received high praise in the jazz world and she has been awarded a wide range of music prizes, including the first prize at the International Riga Jazz Stage bass contest in 2018 the ’Rising Star’ award at the Pori Jazz Festival in Finland. In 2017 she was amongst the winners in the Esko Linnavalli big band composing contest.

Joe Peri
Drummer, percussionist, and educator Joe Peri is primarily known as a jazz drummer, but he has played with a diverse range of bands and performers all around the world since arriving to New York City in 2009.
Joe performs regularly in many of New York City’s top jazz clubs such as Jazz at Lincoln Center, Smalls, Mezzrow, Smoke Jazz Club, the Blue Note, and the Django to name a few. Since graduating from the Manhattan School of Music in 2015, Joe has collaborated with numerous notable jazz artists like Jerry Weldon, Pat Bianchi, Aaron Goldberg, Sam Yahel, Joel Frahm, Yotam Silberstein, Kevin Hays, and Dave Kikoski. In 2018, Joe recorded with Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga on their Grammy Award-winning album “Love For Sale” released in October of 2021. The album, a tribute to Cole Porter, was Bennett’s final studio recording. Joe also performs regularly as the percussionist in the band of fashion designer and personality Isaac Mizrahi. Currently, Joe performs and tours frequently with trumpeter/vocalist Benny Benack III.

Andreas Toftemark
Andreas Toftemark is a 30-year-old saxophonist and composer who currently lives in Copenhagen. Andreas has performed regularly on the New York jazz scene and been on tour in Denmark, Sweden, Germany, and Spain; both as a sideman and bandleader. Performing at venues including Bimhuis, Concertgebouw, The Danish Radio Studie 3, Giant Steps, La Fontaine and many others. Education; Andreas has a degree from The New School of Jazz in New York where he studied with accomplished musicians such as Joel Frahm, Eric Alexander, Ben Wendel, Peter Bernstein, Marc Mommas and Sam Yahel amongst others. Andreas’ sound is intense but round and clearly reflects the many years he has spent listening to the masters of jazz such as Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Lester Young, Barry Harris, Chet Baker amongst others. Although Andreas’ style reflects traditional jazz musicians, he has been exploring many genres and has played everything from traditional jazz to bebop, hardbop, Afro-Cuban, folk music, and contemporary Jazz. Furthermore, Andreas doubles on alto-saxophone and Clarinet.

Rasmus Sørensen
Born and raised in a musical family in rural Denmark, pianist, composer and improviser Rasmus Sørensen moved to NYC in 2018 and has since gained wide recognition for his accessible yet forward-looking sound both as a musician and composer. Having collaborated with a vast array of artists across genres over the years as well as having toured extensively, his debut trio album "Traits" is due for release in june 2022 and exhibits Rasmus' perception of the world around us through his musical scope.Musik Syndikatet is looking forward to precenting Benny Benack III US/DK Quintet. ...