Jonathan Andersen

He attended the Academy of Music in Esbjerg/Denmark from where he graduated in 2006 and studied with great bassists Thommy Andersson, Morten Ramsbøl and Kaspar Vadsholdt. He also studied Composing, Arranging, a. o. with Butch Lacy, Lars Jansson, Thomas Clausen, Frederik Søegaard, Christina Dahl and Marc Bernstein.

His influences count various artists including: Dave Holland, Scott Colley, Larry Grenadier, Michael Formanek, Hugo Rasmussen.

He has toured Japan, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Russia and Estonia and has played with various national and international artists like: Jesper Løvdal, Jacob Anderskov, Jens Winther, Bjarne Roupe, Claus Waidtløw, Peter Rosendal, Espen Laub Von Lillienskjold, Maria Faust, Martin Andersen, Marc Bernstein, King Size Big Band, Thomas Hass and Thomas Maintz.

He was nominated for a Danish Music Award Jazz 2020 in the category "Composer of the year", for his debut album: “Tiny Grass Is Dreaming”, featuring Jacob Anderskov, Magnus Thuelund and Espen Laub Von Lillienskjold.

Balance is the overall idiom in his music. Calm should contain elements of chaos. Distress can be mixed up with a little bit of warm and tender. The kind of duality that keeps music interesting is important to him.

“The idea for this album came about a notion of how these musicians would sound together in my musical universe. It had buzzed around in my head for years and suddenly there was an opportunity to set up a recording session”

The musicians each influence the music in a unique way. It is played with bubbly presence, intense empathy and an interplay that is commentary in its accompaniment and weaves the music together for a great intense experience. The 12 compositions move stylistically from the Scandinavian/Nordic lyrical tradition to the influences of American contemporary artists and culminate as an indication of how contemporary jazz may sound today.

“A high degree of empathy interweaves the interplay and leaves an intensity in the listener”- Claus Friede, Kulturport.de

“Tiny Grass is Dreaming is no stiff listening experience, compelling us to recognize Andersen as a viable voice willing to explore several branches of the jazz tree” - Filipe Freitas, JazzTrail.net

“the way in which they improvise each other gracefully and let everything flow together harmoniously, is more than meritorious” Georges Tonla Briquet, JazzHalo.be

“Not one of the tracks is derivative of any other, but they form a complete whole because of the soul- searching love that consistently pours from each musician into the same pitcher” - Debbie Burke, Jazz Author

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