A rare and highly privileged opportunity to witness one of jazz history's most legendary drummers, Albert "Tootie" Heath, give a master class to top level drum students from the leading jazz schools and conservatories in Denmark and Southern Sweden.
Albert "Tootie" Heath is one of the original artists who back in the day created this music we call jazz alongside innovators like Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins. Don't miss this unique opportunity to see, meet and hear this great master in person as he shares his precious wisdom.
We are proud to offer this opportunity, as our music director, Niels Lan Doky, explains "Many years ago I saw Luciano Pavarotti deliver a master class in front of a live audience at Lincoln Center in New York, to the top eight opera students from the Julliard School of Music. The event was sold out and it was a mind-blowing experience to get a chance to probe the mind of such a creative genius while he shared his knowledge and expertise with the most astute of students." This experience has served as an inspiration for our new masterclass series at the National Museum in Copenhagen and we were honored to have Mike Stern as our first artist to give a master class here last March, and now Albert "Tootie" Heath, while he is in Copenhagen for concert appearance for the Niels Lan Doky International Jazz Collective the day before on July 7.
The selected participating drummers are from the Rhythmic Music Conservatory (Copenhagen, Denmark), the Danish National Academy (Odense,Denmark), Skurups Folkhöjskola (Skurup, Sweden) and Fridhems Folkhöjskola (Svalöv, Sweden). Their names will be announced closer to the date on our facebook page.
Tootie Heath has performed and recorded with the most important artists in jazz, including Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Sonny Rollins, The Modern Jazz Quartet, Coleman Hawkins, Wes Montgomery, Nancy Wilson, Charles Mingus, Cannonball Adderley and Horace Silver to name but a few. Born in Philadelphia he is the youngest of the three musical Heath Brothers. As a teenager he performed in local clubs with Charlie Parker and Lester Young. He followed his brothers Percy and Jimmy to New York, where in 1957 he debuted on John Coltrane’s first record as a leader, “Coltrane” (on Prestige). In 1965, Tootie moved to Scandinavia, often working with Don Cherry, Kenny Drew, Dexter Gordon and Ben Webster. His tenure at the Montmartre Jazzhus in Copenhagen was later celebrated in the 2005 documentary film Between a Smile and a Tear written and directed by noted Danish pianist and composer Niels Lan Doky. On returning to the United States in 1968, Tootie performed with Herbie Hancock’s pre-fusion sextet in 1968-69 and Yusef Lateef from 1970-74. In the mid-1970s, he divided his time between playing with the Heath Brothers Quartet (1975-78) and work in Europe. Tootie later settled in Los Angeles and in 1994, the great pianist and composer John Lewis invited Tootie to become the last drummer for the historic Modern Jazz Quartet of which Tootie’s bassist brother Percy was a founding member.
The event will be held in the National Museum's Cinema Theatre (Biografsalen) from 12:00 to 14:00 Doors open 30 min before the master class begins.
Niels Lan Doky International Jazz Collective are proud to present their concerts at the NATIONAL MUSEUM OF DENMARK located at Ny Vestergade 10, 1471 Copenhagen K.
Visit Denmark's largest history museum and meet the Danes. From the first settlers that hunted the forest-dwelling giant aurochs to the sun worshippers who built towering burial mounds. Meet the Vikings that tamed the seas and raided the four corners of the known world, the workers that built a welfare state, and the freethinking people that legalized pornography and spearheaded the sexual revolution. Discover the history of Denmark and some of the world’s most precious cultural treasures. The National Museum of Denmark is a must-see for every visitor to the city of Copenhagen.www.natmus.dk
Visit also the museum's newly opened restaurant Smör. With clear references to the Danish classic lunch and local dishes, Restaurant Smör serves fresh interpretations of Danish dishes, spiced with the gastronomic taste notes of historical and modern times.The restaurant’s g astronomic universe revolves around the craftsmanship, sustainability and local produce - in season and often organic. During the weekends, the restaurant serves the city's largest cake table, with sweet cake seductions for all ages.www. restaurant-smor.dk