Danish composer/guitarist Torben Waldorff and his quartet perform on Wednesday, June 27 at the Rochester Jazz Festival
The jazz guitar master will perform with pianist Jon Cowherd, bassist Drew Gress, drummer Jon Wikan
“Waldorff is a supple, respectful player and a composer of breadth and depth.”—Carlo Wolff, JazzTimes
“A virtuoso guitarist with a great sensitivity for image, emotion and expression.”—Raul D’Gama Rose, All About Jazz
“…intellectually captivating and aurally stimulating…”—Dr. Matt Warnock, Modern Guitarist
The transition established Waldorff as an international artist. His first ArtistShare release, the 2006 Brilliance, was recorded live at NYC’s 55 Bar and featured Donny McCaslin, Matt Clohesy and Jon Wikan. It revealed Waldorff’s talent for assembling a stellar band to present his own songs. As the Village Voice put it, “Waldorff’s interactions with the rhythm section and particularly saxophonist Donny McCaslin twist apart any and all orthodoxies.”
In 2008 the band went on to record Afterburn which added Sam Yahel on keys. The album solidified Waldorff’s position as an ace songwriter and showed off his almost telepathic rapport with McCaslin. It made several international best-of-the-year lists. Critic Doug Ramsey wrote, “expansive jazz of the kind that thrives in downtown Manhattan and Brooklyn and is spreading around the world. Waldorff, McCaslin, and Yahel are leaders among the articulate standard bearers of the movement.” American Rock Beauty followed in 2010, with Jon Cowherd added to the lineup. JazzTimes wrote, “American Rock Beauty has earfeel as a fine Burbundy has mouthfeel.”
Waldorff’s most recent recording, the 2017 Holiday on Fire, marks his 10th year and 5th CD with ArtistShare. Recorded after a tumultuous and celebrated gig at Smalls Jazz Club in NYC, it features Ingrid Jenson on trumpet, Johnathan Blake on drums, Drew Gress on bass, and Maggi Olin on piano. The album received accolades including a four star review in DownBeat and an All About Jazz review which raved “one—he rips like a rock star; and two—the band he has put together has a sharply distinctive, modern, maybe even futuristic sound.”