Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (27-05-1946 - 19-04-2005)

[Music] me [Music] what is how do you feel about presenting this celebration for for nerd it's it's an amazing thing when i was called for this i was i sort of wanted to say are you are you sure are you sure you want me i it's just it's such an honor to to be involved in this um you know certainly um especially because of of nils henning you know his his legacy and what you know what he means to jazz music and the fact that i just grew up sort of knowing his name you know even without knowing you know who he was just that's just such a an omnipresent name in in jazz music on every record you know ever it seemed like he played on every record i had or my friends had um but also um you know to get to hang out with uh with teen watts and chris potter and all the amazing musicians all the all the great danish musicians and and some old friends that i i don't get to see that often so it's it's a treat you never met uh neil senning personally but but you're inspired by him in some way how can i well certainly i mean so many i heard so many of the records that he played on as a kid and and you know continue to listen to them i mean all the oscar peterson records were so important um and i also did have a chance to see him play to hear him perform live here in copenhagen several years ago at the jazz festival and uh my friend nils landoki uh was playing piano with him at the time and and so that was pretty cool to sort of have a connection to him you know one step away i never did get to meet him which is is sad for me um and and it is so sad that he that he passed so early um i mean it seems like he had so much left to do at such a young age but uh but he certainly he certainly worked hard while he was alive so he's he left something for us a lot more than most more than most people that's for sure what did he mean to to the jazz in the international jazz scene do you think well i think um one of the things he did was sort of reinvent how to play jazz bass you know he really um i mean he he was a great ensemble player but he also really was an amazing soloist obviously he was able to you know step up um when when asked and be the leader of the group even when he was playing with oscar peterson i mean to be able to keep up with oscar peterson and then to take a solo that's uh you know as impressive as something oscar did you know that that really changed the way a lot of bass players played you know and uh i think that's that's very important i think that's a big part of his legacy plus all the all the young bass players that just sort of play bass because of him [Music] [Music] he was sometimes called the dane with a never-ending name or the viking other times niels peterson and yet other times just nhop oscar peterson wrote about nhop in his memoirs his virtuosity on the base surpasses anyone else that i've ever known he was arguably the internationally best known danish jazz musician and he was instrumental in introducing a modern european way of playing the bass on top of that he was a warm knowing generous interesting funny and clever man tonight musicians from denmark and all over the world are gathered to pay homage to this great dane ladies and gentlemen welcome to a night in the concert hall of the tivoli gardens celebrating nils henning orsted peterson holy hansen is a childhood friend of nhops they played together since their childhood in usted and they shared a fondness of danish folk songs ladies and gentlemen in the quiet of the forest holy coconson on piano kim shugren on violin and the suckalund choir [Music] ah [Music] hey [Music] me [Music] [Music] [Music] um [Music] hmm [Music] he's oh [Music] [Music] is [Music] hmm [Music] [Applause] [Music] is [Music] [Music] foreign [Music] [Music] god [Music] [Music] me [Music] [Music] [Music] nhlt played with some of the greatest in jazz dawn bias sonny rollins 11 dexter gordon johnny griffin and ben webster to mention just a few in 1970 he began his collaboration with canadian pianist oscar peterson and he worked with him continuously until his death oscar peterson has fond memories of their years together [Music] a dear friend of mine who is a very talented vocalist and pianist audrey genovese in chicago played me a dexter gordon record and she said i said who's the baseballer she said he's danish he's neil sending lester patterson i had never heard of him i never heard him play i said well he's fantastic i kept playing the thing over and over and over and again and i heard ray talk about him after that and when ray was getting ready to live in california and be there all the time he recommended he said you know the only guy i think that can be come close to hanging on with you would be needles he didn't get an argument from me i had that in mind anyway [Music] niels had a natural affinity with the base as opposed to some other players around the world i'm calling names that you can say well he's playing the bass niels didn't play the bass niels was the bass you know that that's the only way i can describe it it was part of him musical depth that's what many made neil's set him apart from other players there's a person that had he had it all he had harmonic sense he certainly had rhythmic sense he certainly had solo capacity within him he could play almost anything he thought of i think i got to know niels better than many people did he was a great humanitarian [Music] he was a very warm and decent human being which you can't say about too many people today unfortunately and we had more or less we had a musical love affair but we had a personal level it was respect because i respected him for his warmth and for his stature mentally and as a man and i think he respected me the same way [Music] back in 1979 the brazilian piano player and singer tanya maria recorded an album together with nhop it was simply called tanya maria and nils henning or stead peterson tonight tanya maria will perform two of the numbers from that recording bimbo and refrau popular with tanya maria is percussionist marilyn mazur who also performed often with nhop and the bassist klaus holman [Music] [Applause] [Music] so [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] oh um [Music] [Music] oh [Music] more [Music] oh [Music] one down [Music] [Applause] [Music] merrily messour laos hoffmann me [Music] wow [Music] [Music] you [Music] [Music] foreign [Music] foreign [Music] foreign [Music] is [Music] hell i think foreign [Music] [Music] foreign [Music] foreign [Music] [Music] six [Music] me [Music] [Music] me money [Music] so [Music] [Music] bye [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] we miss you nielsen [Music] [Applause] [Music] foreign i've had the opportunity to play with many many different people and i found out that what i really like and appreciate is the personality and you can have 20 outside saxophonists and you can have only one saying something and you can same thing goes for singers for for everybody [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] so [Music] [Music] prize [Music] so [Music] [Music] [Music] one [Music] um [Music] [Music] so [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] so [Music] [Music] so [Music] so [Music] so [Music] [Music] so [Music] [Music] so [Music] [Music] [Music] so [Music] [Music] so [Music] do [Music] [Music] so [Music] so [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] so [Music] [Music] [Music] now [Music] [Music] so [Music] [Music] so [Music] so [Music] [Applause] [Music] four of nhop's colleagues paying a thankful and respectful musical tribute to a dear old friend it's an awesome sight to see four bases on a stage like that mods vending bow stiff hugo rasmussen and jesper lungard [Applause] [Music] yester lungard stays on stage now and he will be joined by drummer alex real who began working with nils henning in the 60s and the great pianist mulgrew miller who more recently in 1999 began working with nhop they're uh they're going to perform two of nils favorite standards give a warm welcome to jesper lungard alex real and mulgrew miller [Music] [Applause] so [Music] so [Music] [Music] hey [Music] [Music] [Music] my [Music] this so [Music] so [Music] so so [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] so [Music] [Music] so [Music] so [Music] so [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] so [Music] so [Music] so [Music] [Music] so [Music] [Applause] [Music] do [Music] [Music] do [Music] [Music] [Music] so [Music] so [Music] [Music] so [Music] so [Music] [Applause] [Music] so [Music] [Music] so [Music] so [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] hank jones the legendary pianist and big brother of the late thad and elvin jones was in copenhagen this summer to perform with the joe lovano quartet at the yearly copenhagen jazz festival before the concert hank jones had this to say about nils henning [Music] incredible bass player he had fantastic technique uh tonal quality was excellent he sounded as if he was playing guitar when he was playing the bass he had that kind of fluency it was just just amazing and it's going to be missed he's really going to be missed i was hoping i'd have an opportunity to work with him again in fact he did call me about two years ago to do a tour i think oscar was supposed to have done the tour peterson is and oscar couldn't make it so uh he called me i couldn't make it either because i was busy working but i regretted that wonderful bass player just so words should you know it's hard to find words to describe how well he played you know it's going to be missed [Music] danish trumpeter and composer paulie nickelberg grew up musically together with nhop they first met around 1960 and worked together on numerous projects over the years ara with miles davis heart to heart with keyboard player kenneth newton and homage with newton and harpist helen davies are but a few paula nicholberg has rearranged and done some additional composing to a song by nhop and liza freeman uncharted land now i need to take a moment and read something that uh paula asked me to read uh there's quite a bit of intention in what he's arranged here this evening he says in my arrangement of uncharted land i've put three small echoes celebrating our musical relationship over the years one is in common respect for jaco pastorius one is for our heart to heart trio time and one is a glimpse of my composition the wise man dedicated to nils henning all three are an homage to nils handing and are framed by his beautiful waltz uncharted land tonight paulie mikelberg along with the danish radio big band will be joined by harpist helen davies guitarist philippe catherine another long time collaborator of nils henning and danish singer seuss finger who sang on the original version of the song ladies and gentlemen uncharted land [Music] huh [Music] uh [Music] um [Music] hey [Music] on the shore [Music] [Laughter] the restless seas seems endless [Music] eternity but those who sail [Music] to the unknown have gentle winds and water birds to take them [Music] home every star [Music] or grain of sand the universe [Music] of uncharted land and [Music] those into the night have gentle winds and waters to take them home [Music] [Music] hey [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] um [Music] [Music] [Music] foreign [Music] [Music] me [Music] [Applause] [Music] tipsy [Applause] [Music] [Applause] me [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] me [Music] [Music] [Music] foreign [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] so [Music] it is hey [Music] [Applause] uh um um [Music] so [Music] [Applause] [Music] uh [Music] me on the shore the restless seems endless as eternity [Music] but those who sail [Music] to the unknown have gentle winds and water birds to take them home [Music] every star or grain of sand a universe [Music] of uncharted land and those who gaze [Music] find diamond skies like children's eyes [Music] did [Music] down [Music] um [Music] [Music] [Laughter] [Music] down [Music] so [Music] [Applause] [Music] welcome back to the second part of this unique celebration of the late danish based genius nils henning orsted peterson it has been said that it could not have been easy to be a drummer playing with nhop as his time was impeccable but drummers from all over the world actually enjoyed immensely working with nils henning perhaps exactly because of his time ladies and gentlemen it is my great pleasure to welcome albert tudy heath ed figpen alex real and jonas handsome yeah [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] penis [Music] [Music] peanuts [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] so [Music] uh [Music] [Applause] [Music] so [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] so [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] so [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] so [Music] so [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] nhop was very much rooted here in denmark and the culture in which he grew up and lived you could hear his danish musical heritage in almost everything he played he chose to live in denmark although much of his work was outside denmark the image of him with his base in its case in front of his home on his way to the airport probably tells the story best his family and his home in denmark were so very important to him they kept him grounded he used to say that his daughters widened his musical horizons all the time now performing my little anna a song nhop named for his daughter ulfvalcanius philip catherine jonas johansen and jesper lungard [Music] so [Music] [Music] do [Music] so [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] bye [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] hmm [Music] hmm [Music] do [Music] [Music] food [Music] boom [Music] [Applause] so [Music] [Applause] [Music] foreign [Music] uh food uh [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] foreign [Music] [Music] foreign so [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] two [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] and jonas johansen performing lines man burning goodness gracious those kids can play the swedish singer lisa nielsen has said that nhop was very good at creating a mixture of confidence and concentration which enabled her to do her very best he often said that the most important thing for him was to tell a story to have something to say both as a band leader and as a side man our next guest is a musician who always tells the story when she performs danish singer cecilia nobi together in a duo performance with lars danielson on bass singing the joni mitchell song both sides now [Music] [Applause] um now [Music] so [Music] [Music] [Music] bows and flows of angel here an ice cream castle's in the air [Music] and feather canyons everywhere i looked at clouds that way but now they only block the sun they rain and snow and snow and snow on everyone so many things [Music] i would have done but clouds got in the way i [Music] [Music] it's clouds illusions i i recall i really don't know clouds [Music] moons and juice and fairies swear the dizzy dancing where you feel as every fairy tale come as me i looked but now it's just another show you leave them laughing when you go and if you can't don't let them know don't give yourself away [Music] still somehow [Music] oh no i really don't know love [Music] at all [Music] so [Music] [Music] foreign [Music] um [Music] do you do [Music] so [Music] now tears and face [Music] i'm feeling proud to say i love you write out loud [Music] and circus crowds i looked at life that way but now old friends are acting strange let's shake their head and say hey you have change well some pain's lost but something's gained in living yeah every day [Laughter] i look down still somehow it's live salute i really don't know clouds [Music] [Music] and i really don't know life [Music] at all [Music] [Applause] two's attack [Music] during his more than 40-year career an hop played on somewhere between 700 and 800 records and he did a huge number of radio and tv recordings too he also recorded with a very eclectic and varied range of musicians singers and ensembles next up we have another fine trio this time we feature pianist and former conductor of the dr big band jim mcneely along with bassist mods vending and drummer jonas johansson [Applause] [Music] so [Music] [Music] bye do [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] do [Music] so [Music] so [Music] [Music] so [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] so [Music] so [Music] so [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] so [Music] [Applause] [Music] so [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] on the nils henning orsted peterson album this is all i ask phil woods was featured on the alto saxophone here's what phil woods has to say about nhop he was probably one of the greatest bass players that the world has ever seen a virtuoso from the age of 16 he was just god put him here to be a bass player one of the greatest jazz musicians and he and he made uh i think he played with every american star that ever was and and every european jazz star there when you needed a bass player he was the first person you called and i was very sad to uh there's no words to say uh how much the music world will miss his talent and i don't think we'll ever see a better bass player [Music] jazz musicians are our tribe of people they're very special people and we don't say you're the best or you win the polls other people do that we we are either good friends and have the respect for each other and if you're at the top of the pile that's enough you don't have to be different or it doesn't matter what kind of style you have if you're a good improviser and he was a great improviser in other words great ears great technique great knowledge great heart that's that's the important part and you play some solos he'd like to laugh and i like to laugh and we we had we had a yeah we had a good time on the bandstand then off the bass and he was the the total professional the consummate master of of his instrument and the music and he was my dear friend and i miss him [Music] as phil wood said nhop was in the top pile of his tribe and he shared his gifts with his tribe nhop was a revered teacher both privately and at the music academy and he was very influential on the next generation of bass players in denmark one of the brightest lights from this next generation my old friend chris ming doki leads the next group of amazing musicians celebrating nhop the group is chris potter on saxophone ulfvalcanius on guitar george witty on keyboards jeff tayne watts on drums and of course chris mingdoki on base the chris mingoki group [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] uh [Music] [Music] uh [Music] [Music] foreign [Music] me [Music] hey me [Music] foreign ah [Music] foreign uh [Music] uh [Music] [Music] oh [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] foreign [Music] foreign [Music] [Music] [Music] so [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] to chocolate [Music] [Music] [Music] so [Music] down [Music] so [Music] um [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] me ready [Music] me [Music] so [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] foreign [Music] so [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] oh [Music] so [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] uh my [Music] [Music] foreign [Music] oh [Music] oh [Music] oh [Music] huh [Music] [Music] uh hey [Music] my [Music] m [Music] [Music] [Music] so [Music] so [Music] [Music] this [Music] [Music] [Music] thank you [Applause] [Music] foreign tonight's celebration of the danish based genius nils henning orsted peterson is nearing its end it's been an evening full of warmth generosity great music great musicians fond memories and some fun i personally feel honored to have been here among all this greatness this evening it's it's been one of the great joys of my life to be here i'm going to say goodbye this evening by singing along with the chris ming dokey group one of nhop's truly great and beautiful songs with some lovely lyrics by liza freeman the song is called those who were [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] thank you very much [Music] sometimes a thing can change your life forever [Music] someone you don't know is at your door who bring into your life a little magic [Music] and then become [Music] and every moment [Music] [Music] and those then not love at all [Music] remembering the times we spent together [Music] [Music] everything we love [Music] do it all again and again [Music] [Applause] and then [Music] joy that's filled with every man i'd rather love it and lose than not no love [Music] so [Music] ah [Music] i [Music] the joy the joy that's filled with [Music] i'd rather love and lose than not no love at all [Music] hello [Music] oh oh [Music] oh [Music] thank you [Music] [Music] [Applause] uh [Music] [Music] me [Music] [Applause] you

Channel: Per Hvidbjerg

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Id: uBGhNqE5J10

Length: 135min 36sec (8136 seconds)

Published: Sun May 01 2022