25th - 26th SEPTEMBER 2025
Sounds of Denmark returns to the UK for its seventh series, featuring some of the finest musicians from one of Europe’s most creative and vibrant jazz scenes. This year’s event introduces captivating and eclectic new Danish sounds at PizzaExpress Jazz Club in London and Turner Sims Southampton.
PROGRAMME
Thursday 25th September
PIZZAEXPRESS JAZZ CLUB LONDON 8pm
(DOUBLE BILL)
Friday 26th September
PIZZAEXPRESS JAZZ CLUB LONDON 6pm & 9pm
TURNER SIMS, SOUTHAMPTON 8pm
(DOUBLE BILL)
MUSIC
CECILIE STRANGE QUARTET
Internationally acclaimed Danish saxophonist and composer Cecilie Strange presents Beech, her fifth album as a leader, released in May 2025. Rooted in a deep connection to nature, memory, and place, Beech is a contemplative suite of compositions inspired by locations that have shaped Strange’s life and artistry, from the rich cultural landscape of her childhood in Odense and a personal love letter to Copenhagen to impressionable time spent studying with jazz greats in New York and transformative experiences in the awe-inspiring landscapes of Iceland and Norway. At the heart of the album lies the beech tree: a powerful symbol of Danish identity, growth, and renewal.
Cecilie creates melancholic, spacious and meditative music filled with rich textures and understated lyricism. She invites you to slow down and experience a Nordic-jazz reflection on identity, belonging, and the landscapes we carry within us.
Cecilie Strange saxophone
Peter Rosendal piano
Thommy Andersson bass
Bent Clausen drums
"Languid, moody and dreamy…a soundscape painted with tonal colors that are both melancholic and warm…the young Danish saxophonist Cecilie Strange draws a rich, deep tone out of her tenor that blends seamlessly with the minimalist playing of her perfectly modulated quartet.” -
Downbeat USA
ASTRAL CINEMA
Cinematically influenced and dreamy original soundscapes, and enticing jazz and trip-hop grooves. Astral Cinema is a quartet of renowned musicians and film composers based in Copenhagen and London. They have collaborated on various projects since the early nineties forming an ensemble in 2022. Their musical references range from Francis Lai to the downtempo electronica of Air, Portishead and a touch of Jan Johansson.
The group features award-winning Danish film composer Jonas Struck on guitar, member of The Specials and Grammy-winning musician and composer Nikolaj Torp Larsen on keyboards, renowned jazz bassist Anders ‘AC’ Christensen (Paul Motian’s Electric Bebop Band and Tomasz Stańko) and special guest Mercury Prize-nominated Scottish drummer and Polar Bear band leader Sebastian Rochford. The band was nominated for the prestigious DMA ‘Composer of the Year’ award in Denmark in 2024.
JASPER HØIBY'S 3ELEMENTS
Copenhagen-born bassist Jasper Høiby first gained international acclaim as the founding member of the trailblazing trio Phronesis—a band that redefined the possibilities of the piano trio format and captivated audiences across the globe. Known for his energetic presence, rhythmic innovation, and melodic clarity, Høiby has built a reputation as one of the most distinctive and forward-thinking voices in contemporary jazz.
His ongoing project, 3Elements, explores the expressive potential of the piano trio with a fluid line-up that brings together some of Europe’s finest young talents. This Sounds of Denmark 2025 performance marks the UK debut of his third and latest trio formation, featuring two exceptional Spanish musicians: Xavi Torres on piano and Naima Acuña on drums. Both are rising stars in their own right—deeply expressive, technically dazzling and in high demand across the European scene.
Together, this new incarnation of 3Elements channels Høiby’s signature blend of groove-driven energy, intricate melodic lines, and improvisational daring—interweaving contemporary jazz, folk-rooted lyricism, and genre-defying textures. Expect music that’s bold, nuanced, and alive with interaction.
Jasper Høiby – double bass
Xavi Torres – piano
Naima Acuña - drums
Sounds of Denmark is an exciting musical partnership between Denmark and the UK. The project was launched in 2016 as a collaboration between JazzDanmark, PizzaExpress Jazz Club and Sue Edwards Management with support from the Royal Danish Embassy in London. Sounds of Denmark is one of many Danish initiatives taking place in the UK, which includes the launch of ‘Dangerous Sounds’ - an English language version of award-winning podcast ‘Farlige Toner’ (covering 100 years of jazz in Denmark).
Thanks to: JazzDanmark, PizzaExpress Jazz Club, Turner Sims Southampton, the Royal Danish Embassy in London, Augustinus Fonden and the Danish Arts Foundation.
