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Kathrine Windfeld

Kathrine Windfeld is considered one of the most exciting and refreshing new Scandinavian jazz composers and arrangers in many years.

Her breathtaking compositions thrive on a rare combination of delicacy and strength:
A colorful meeting of sophisticated harmonic passages, driving grooves and poetic ballads in explosive arrangements.

Kathrine Windfeld has been leading her big band and sextet for more than 10 years and has been touring in more than 15 countries. In 2022 she went on two tours in Brazil, performing her music with a Brazilian orchestra in sold out concert halls in Sao Paulo and Savassi.

With her four multiple awarded 4 big band releases AIRCRAFT (2014), LATENCY (2017), ORCA (2020) and DETERMINATION (2021) Kathrine Windfeld’s name quickly exceeded the borders of her Scandinavian home, leading to raving reviews in countless international publications like Le Monde (F), Jazzwise (UK) and Downbeat (USA).

Her 5th studio album is released in March 2024: Kathrine Windfeld Sextet - "Aldebaran"

Her big band has shared stage with international greats like Mike Stern, Seamus Blake Immanuel Wilkins and Gilad Hekselman.

As the only European musician, she won the prestigious “Rising Stars Jazz Award” in London 2020, followed by a tour on seven top festivals. In 2022 she received the honorable “Ben Webster Prize” for her unique revitalisation of the big band genre.

Besides touring with her own big band and sextet, Kathrine Windfeld is an in-demand guest composer. Her ambitious work has led to highly acclaimed collaborations with international top-class orchestras like Frankfurt Radio Big Band (DE)
Bohuslän Big Band (SE) and UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra (FI).

Read more on www.windfeldmusic.dk

Awards

2023 - Odense Live Main Prize

2022 - Ben Webster Prize

2020 - Rising Stars Jazz Award, European Edition

2020 - Arne Hammelboe Scholarship

2019 - Danish Arts Foundation: The large 1-year grant

2018 - Carl Nielsen Prize: Talent of the Year. Nominated "Jazz Composer of the year"

2018 - Jazz Special Magazine: "Danish Jazz Album Of The Year"

2018 - Danish Arts Foundation: The 1-year grant

2017 - Danish Arts Foundation: The 1-year grant

2016 - Danish Grammy Award: "New Jazz Artist Of The Year"

Nominations: "Jazz album of the year"

"Jazz composer of the year"

2015 - "The large Piano Scholarship" - Malmö Academy of Music (Sweden)

2013 - "Stand By" Scholarship - Harry Arnold Sällskapet (SE)

Recent Listening: Kathrine Windfeld Big Band

Source: Rifftides by Doug Ramsey
January 13, 2018

Kathrine Windfeld Big Band, Latency (Stunt Records) Kathrine Winfeld’s second album further establishes the 30-year-old Dane in the vanguard of new arranger-composers and bandleaders. Her young, experienced, adventurous musicians from Denmark, Sweden and Norway may be considered an all-star Scandinavian aggregation, but not in the sense that Ms. Winfeld’s music dwells on Scandinavian themes. Rather, her work is in a league with bands like those of Maria Schneider, Darcy James Argue, Christian McBride and John Beasley’s Monkestra—outfits unafraid to be ...
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“Kathrine Windfeld is a rising star on the European jazz scene, not least for her bold writing for her adventurous big band”
Jazzwise Magazine (UK)

“Windfeld's band of leading young Scandinavian musicians is as tight and sharp as any you'll hear"
The Guardian (UK)

"In the musical substance of the compositions, Kathrine Windfeld can compete with the big names in the business”
JazzPodium (DE)

"Kathrine Windfeld has quickly established herself on the Danish jazz scene with her outstanding skills as composer and arranger, primarily in the modern big band genre. Her talent is combined with a fantastic musical enthusiasm and a strong drive."