Tomas Franck with , & ALBERT „TOOTIE“ HEATH THE CONNECTION

These days, while many young musicians of post-Coltrane and something particularly on many albums with my idols - Coltrane and discover new expressions in crossover pro- Scandinavian. I think Tomas is an outstanding Rollins - and here he was, and I was playing jects and experiments, and grind out hund- musician, and working with him, Mads and with him!” reds of CDs from alternative studios and cold ‘Tootie’ is a great thrill. THE COPENHAGEN basements, calling it ‘’, it is most intere- CONNECTION is an old-fashioned blowing “It’s important to me not to imitate or steal sting to experience a (still young) musician session, and a tribute to a period that I only licks, but let myself be inspired by the sax- like Niels Lan Doky with dedication and sin- experienced the tail-end of - but enough to players we are paying tribute to. But of course cerity reaching out with hands, ears and heart become fascinated by jazz people, their craft I thought about them while we played, Stan toward the past in celebration of a tradition. and their personalities – THE COPENHAGEN Getz, , Bent Jædig, Ernie Wil- Doky’s very warm and charming film ’Between CONNECTION is my way of repaying that.” kins, , , Joe Hen- A Smile And A Tear’ brought musical witnes- derson, Wayne Shorter, Sonny Rollins and ses from the famed ’Montmartre Jazzhouse’ Jimmy Heath - so they are there someplace in Copenhagen forth. Johnny Griffin, Tootie – or nearby.” Heath, Mads Vinding, Toots Thielemanns and A whole generation of jazz aficionados was others were united to relive happy and wild lucky enough to receive their musical up- memories from the 60’s and 70’s in the ’Jazz bringing when a large handful American Center of Europe’. musicians chose Copenhagen as their new home and the Montmartre club as their base “That period created the foundation for what - or just stopped by for a short or prolonged we play now and, yes, I am deeply fascinated visit. On THE COPENHAGEN CONNECTION by the myth of ’The Old Montmartre’ which I Tomas Franck pays homage to many of the was too young to experience”, says Lan Doky, saxophonist that visited Copenhagen. The who is also the man behind THE COPENHA- spirit from back then inspires his large and GEN CONNECTION. powerful sound to new heights. THE COPEN- HAGEN CONNECTION bursts in a vibrant and This session tips its hat to several tenor sax- vital tribute, not only to a past era, but to jazz men, who at some time performed on the in general. small stage in Montmartre during the 15 years the party lasted. The tenor on centre stage THE COPENHAGEN CONNECTION is Tomas here is Tomas Franck (b. 1958 – the year Mont- Franck’s fourth STUNT release. martre opened). It is especially his homage to Previous releases are BEWITCHED (1988), those sax-men who came before him. CRYSTAL BALL (1994) and AT THE CIRCUS Tomas Franck – with the leading role on this (1999). This luxurious CD is more than just mu- However, two of the important musicians album – also enjoyed the session. “Of course sic - Hans Sørensen from Focus Recording from that period are very present here, bas- this was Niels Lan Doky’s idea. I had never is the man behind the exceptional recording sist Mads Vinding (b.1948) and drummer Al- played with ‘Tootie’ Heath before - unique. sound, and the booklet includes numerous bert ’Tootie’ Heath (b.1935). ’Tootie’ would take Lan and I have known each other for 20 ye- photographs by Jan Persson and knowled- the chair when house drummer was ars. He suggested a lot of things, and I sug- geable and entertaining notes by Henrik off, and Vinding often stood in for Niels Hen- gested a few. The Apartment, for instance, Iversen - both first class witnesses from back ning Ørsted Pedersen along with and was on a Dexter Gordon record that I bought then, and very much alive! others. Back then would play the in my youth and was crazy about, and it was grand piano in the smoke-filled 160 m2 - in- the same for him. That was the golden era - Tomas Franck (ts), Niels Lan Doky (p), Mads cluding kitchen and checkroom. most of the songs were already in my bag,…. Vinding (b), Albert ‘Tootie’ Heath (dr) Producer and pianist on THE COPENHAGEN We had the repertoire, so we met up in the CONNECTION, Niels Lan Doky (b.1963) has a studio and talked, ate lunch - and then it hap- STUCD 06082 thorough knowledge of the many tenor sax- pened. Everything fell into place - that’s the --- ophonists that took the stage for long or short great thing about jazz: there are never pro- For more information please contact spells - Brew Moore, Don Byas, Yusef Lateef, blems with trends and generation gaps. And Laura Littauer +45)3333 8720/ , - but on this album he we were several generations with the same drect line (+45)3318 9092 chose to pay homage to those of them, who musical language. Mads played with every- [email protected] were a natural inspiration to the big Swede, body, back then. He must have been a very Tomas Franck . “Tomas is a perfect blend young boy!.. And ‘Tootie’ played the drums

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