SIMON SPANG-HANSSEN SONG BOOK

For this “family” project, Simon Spang-Hanssen is surrounded by the very talented children of his former jazz friends: pianists Ben Besiakov and Niels Lan Doky. A meeting of generations and a wide spectrum of musical styles. “Significant saxophonist Simon Spang-Hanssen seriously proved that jazz in Denmark is alive and splashing when he visited Giant Steps on Thursday evening. He and his band of gifted young musicians offered a wide bouquet of fresh songs. The charming and expressive Mai Lan Doky was at the forefront, supported by the rest of the team with energy and plenty of swing.” He is joined by the talented singer-songwriter Mai Lan Doky Farlot, an important voice on the European R&B and soul scene. With her natural, organic voice, she is often described as a modern-day Sade. Daughter of the famous jazz pianist Niels Lan Doky, she grew up in this musical environment, which is also an important part of her musical universe. She has performed at the Standard (Copenhagen), at the Copenhagen Jazz Festival with Thaddeus Sledge and with musicians such as Victor Jones, François Moutin, Anders Mogensen, Gabor Bolla, Darryll Jones, Bill Evans, Harvey Mason... His brother Ken Linh Doky, a pianist and keyboardist who has won awards at the Victoires de la Musique with SCH, is also on stage, along with Aya Nakamura, Gabe Bridgewater's Zinq, Yahzarah, Camille Sledge, Jordan Jackson, Isildo Novela and even Sister Sledge at the Jazz In Marciac festival. Born in Copenhagen, the contrabassist of this explosive quintet, Anders Fjeldsted, is much sought-after on the Scandinavian jazz scene. He has played with a wide range of leading Danish and international bands, and in 2017 was one of the winners of the Bent Jædig Award. Also born in Copenhagen, David Besiakov is a drummer who is also very active on the Danish scene. Saxophonist, flutist and composer Simon Spang-Hanssen has followed a rich career path since the 70s, punctuated by prestigious collaborations (Andy Emler, Billy Hart and Frank Tortiller to name but a few). In 2015, he released “Stonetown Boogie”, an album imbued with a seductive African flair. He returns in 2016 with “Ear Witness”, a groove-filled album. In addition to these warm mixes, there are a number of ballads in which Spang-Hanssen lives up to his reputation as a great melodist. As for the track that gives the album its name, it's full of thick binary grooves and sharp saxophone riffs bursting with funk. “Bassist and drummer get along like thieves on mischievous grooves, and the leader casually dashes through his always spicy compositions.” (Franck Bergerot, Jazz Magazine).