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Claus Waidtlow

Prolific, adventurous and a true virtuoso and visionary, Claus Waidtløw has been one of the most highly respected jazz musicians in Denmark for nearly two decades. Originally an alto saxophonist, Waidtløw is primarily known today for his tenor work and audacious compositional sense. Internationally celebrated, Waidtløw has long been one of the leading trendsetters in European jazz.

Born in 1967 and a presence on the Danish music scene since 1989. He is educated from the Rhythmic Conservatorium in Copenhagen, where he also studied modern composition with Bob Brookmeyer.

In 1995 he won the international jazz competition in Gexto, Spain, with the group Science Fiction Quartet.

In 1997, Waidtløw released his debut as a leader, Claustrophobia (Stunt Records), which featured the Danish trumpet player Jens Winther. Waidtløw followed that release with 2005’s From the Story Book (Calibrated Records), cut with the Claus Waidtløw Group, and, most recently, last year’s Flavours, recorded by the same musicians but now calling themselves the Claus Waidtløw Quartet. The album has received glowing reviews, including one that called Waidtløw “one of the most proficient in the art of playing the saxophone in Denmark today” and added that Waidtløw “is in a league of his own.”

Both From the Story Book and Flavours present Waidtløw not only as a world- class saxophonist but also as a superb composer with advanced, contemporary sensibilities and a mastery of accessible melodic ideas. Said one reviewer, commenting on the eight tracks on From the Story Book, “Every single composition has a perfectly consistent and forward-moving story, which the listener will follow with great interest from the beginning to the end.” Although the music is always melodic and structured logically, Waidtløw has succeeded in mixing the complex with the simple. As a result, his music possesses profound substance but also a freshness and lightness that ensures that the expression of the artists’ concepts becomes neither too difficult nor unapproachable.   

Listening to Flavours confirms without a doubt that Claus Waidtløw is a supremely talented writer who brings a personal touch to all of his work. Acknowledgement of his compositional gifts has resulted in several grants through the years, including a two-year grant from the Danish Arts Foundation in 2001.

Waidtløw has written not only for small ensemble but also for big bands. As a big band composer he has been commissioned to compose for, among others, Aarhus Jazz Orchestra, the New Music Orchestra, Aarhus Art Ensemble and The Orchestra.

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20
Album Review

Martin Lutz Group: LoLife/HiLife

Read "LoLife/HiLife" reviewed by Chris May


Danish pianist and composer Martin Lutz spent much of his childhood in Eastern and Southern Africa and elements of those regions' music are to the forefront of his writing, grafted on to a Northern European folk and neo-classical base. On LoLife/HiLife, Lutz leads a sextet with a three-saxophones frontline and the African influence is most clearly heard in his horn voicings. The result is a lyrical and redemptive sound which somehow, despite this being a purely instrumental ...

4
Jazz Journal

Summer 2020

Read "Summer 2020" reviewed by Doug Collette


Jazz Journal is a regular column comprised of pithy takes on recent releases of note, spotlighting titles that might otherwise go unnoticed or that deserve special attention. Claus Waidtløw The Game Self Produced 2020 A saxophonist who, over the last 3 decades, has recorded and toured with a who's who of jazz, including Toots Thielemans, John Scofield, Christian McBride, and Chris Potter, the in-demand Danish musician Claus Waidtløw presents The Game, his ...

2
Album Review

Claus Waidtlow: A New Beginning

Read "A New Beginning" reviewed by Jakob Baekgaard


Saxophonist Claus Waidtløw has been a vital part of the Danish jazz scene for many years. At the beginning of the '90s, he was already established on the scene and in 1997 he released his debut as a leader, Claustrophobia, on Stunt Records (notice the use of the pun on the saxophonist's name in the title). Since then, Waidtløw has continued to challenge himself. He plays both the tenor, soprano and alto saxophone fluently and has recorded with his own ...

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The CD, Flavours (Gateway Music), has received glowing reviews, including one that described Waidtløw as: “one of the most proficient in the art of playing the saxophone in Denmark today” and added that Waidtløw “is in a league of his own.” (Kjeld Frandsen, Berlingske tidende)

“Every single composition has a perfectly consistent and forward-moving story, which the listener will follow with great interest from the beginning to the end.” (Boris Rabinowitch, Politiken)

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

LoLife/HiLife

Gateway
2023

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The Game

Self Produced
2020

buy

A New Beginning

Gateway Music
2018

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Videos

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