There is little debate among jazz trombonists when it comes to naming the
greatest of all time – it’s J. J. Johnson! To celebrate what would have been
Johnson’s 100th birthday in 2024, Tobias Stavngaard and Peter Dahlgren have
formed this band, dedicated to performing the finest selections from Johnson's
repertoire. Both musicians are trombonists, and together, as well as individually,
they offer fresh interpretations of how Johnson’s music can resonate in a
modern context.
J. J. Johnson was one of the first trombonists to master the technically
demanding bebop style. He uniquely adapted Charlie Parker’s innovative
approach to the trombone, making Johnson’s recordings a lasting reference and
source of inspiration for jazz trombonists around the world. He was also known
for his brilliant compositions and his collaboration with fellow trombonist Kai
Winding, who was born in Denmark. Their part...

There is little debate among jazz trombonists when it comes to naming the
greatest of all time – it’s J. J. Johnson! To celebrate what would have been
Johnson’s 100th birthday in 2024, Tobias Stavngaard and Peter Dahlgren have
formed this band, dedicated to performing the finest selections from Johnson's
repertoire. Both musicians are trombonists, and together, as well as individually,
they offer fresh interpretations of how Johnson’s music can resonate in a
modern context.
J. J. Johnson was one of the first trombonists to master the technically
demanding bebop style. He uniquely adapted Charlie Parker’s innovative
approach to the trombone, making Johnson’s recordings a lasting reference and
source of inspiration for jazz trombonists around the world. He was also known
for his brilliant compositions and his collaboration with fellow trombonist Kai
Winding, who was born in Denmark. Their partnership, famously titled ‘Jay & Kai,’
showcased a more mellow and lyrical side of the trombone, and it became a
major commercial success.
Tobias Stavngaard (Denmark) is an emerging Danish trombonist considered one
of the most promising young talents on the Scandinavian jazz scene. He has
released two albums under his own name, both of which were selected as
‘Album of the Week’ on P8 Jazz and have collectively garnered over a million
streams. Peter Dahlgren (Sweden) is one of Northern Europe’s leading
trombonists, currently holding the position of principal trombonist with the
prestigious Danish Radio Big Band. In 2021, Peter released his debut album,
“Unicorns First.”

Tobias Stavngaard (2000) is an award-winning trombonist, composer, and
arranger based in Copenhagen, Denmark. Born in 2000, he began his musical
journey in local schools before attending the Danish National Academy of Music
in Odense, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in rhythmic trombone in 2022
and his master’s in composition in 2024.
Tobias is a prominent figure on the Scandinavian jazz scene, leading the Tobias
Stavngaard Sextet and performing across Denmark. The group’s second album,
By the Last Man (2023), was named "Album of the Week" on Danish radio station
P8 Jazz, building on the success of their debut album, Historier om dette og hint
(2022), which has been streamed more than a million times. Tobias has
performed with renowned artists such as Jerry Bergonzi and the Kathrine
Windfeld Big Band, and he has been a member of the Aarhus Jazz Orchestra
since 2020.
Tobias has recently won both the ‘Big Band Composition Contest for Young
Baltic and Nordic Composers 2024’ with his piece To Be and the 2nd prize in the
‘Nordic Composer Contest’ for his big band piece Dead as a Dodo....

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