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Simon Spang-Hanssen
saxophonist/composer, free-jazz, modern jazz, "world"-jazz, bandmember and leader of own groups
About Me
1970, starts playing alto-saxophone, later also tenor and soprano
1976, member of ”Strange Brothers” with Peter Danstrup , Ole Rømer and John
Tchicai.
1978, receives the annual Ben Webster Price and creates his own quartet
”Spacetrain” with Ben Besiakov, Jesper Lundgaard and Alex Riel.
1979, plays in many different groups with among others Jan Kaspersen, Pierre
Doerge, Marilyn Mazur, Atilla Engin, Okay Temiz, Mozar Terra, Jesper Zeuthen, the
Voodoo Gang (Cameroun)….
1983, joins the sextet of Brazilian drummer and composer Néné, tours in Denmark
and France(double-concerts with Hermeto Pascoal).
1985, moves to Paris and plays with a.o.: Denis Badault ( National Jazz
Orch.,quartet,duo,)Andy Emler, Nguyên Lê, Quintet Moutin, Ramuntcho Matta and
with his own projects including musicians such as: Richard Bona, Billy Hart, Bojan Z.,
Alain Jean-Marie, Simon Goubert, Xavier Desandre
1995, release of ”Mardi Gras, Chez Toi” and creation of ”Maaneklar” (a quintet with
sax,flute, bass and two percussionists).Release of”Ekwata”, duo with D. Badault.
1998, moves back to Copenhagen and creates the tentet ”Central Earth” with among
others: Poul Reimann, Fredrik Lundin, Bjarne Roupé, Anders Mogensen…records
”Wondering” with Maaneklar for Dacapo.
1999, concerts and recording with a new quartet with Thomas Clausen, Jesper
Lundgaard and Billy Hart. ( ”Identified” Dacapo ).”Ear Witness”with Emil Spányi,Linley
Marthe and Felix Sabal-Lecco.
2000, creation of ”Flower Machine” with Thomas Agergaard, Klavs Hovman and
Marilyn Mazur.
2001, concerts in quintet with a.o. Anders Bergcrantz and Kasper Villaume.
2002, ”French Quartet” with Franck Tortiller, Yves Torchinsky and Francois Laizeau (
”Noctiflore”Altrisuoni ).Release of ”Dancing on Monday” with Flower Machine.
Member of the ”United Notions” saxophone-quartet.
2003, release of ”Ear Witness” and ”Live in Copenhagen Jazzhouse” with Central Earth
(Music Mecca ). Member of Niels Præstholm’s octet ”Embla”.
2005, New 5-tet with Bob Rockwell, Peter Dahlgren, Jeppe Skovbakke/ Yasser Pino
and Karsten Bagge.”Rainbow Spirit” with Dawda Jobarteh, Thomas Fonnesbæk and
Ayi Solomon.
2006 Member of Edouard Ferlet’s ”l’Echarpe d’Iris” with Alain Grange and Xavier
Desandre. Creation of Alisio Ensemble with a.o. Kristian Jørgensen, Bent Clausen,
Benita Haastrup, Mariane Bitran.Member of Emil Hess Evolution Nonet. Quartet with
Mario Canonge, Michel Zenino and Tony Rabeson.
2007 Start of the record label Alisio ( Spangster Records), release of Rainbow Spirit
and ”Coexistence” with the 5-tet. Member of Alain Apaloo's API PIPO.
2008, release of The Riddle with Ear Witness. Nominations for Danish Jazz Awards:
Composer of the Year,Album of the year: Coexistence, cross-over album of the year :
Rainbow Spirit.
2009, Alisio Ensemble, concerts and recording. Member of Art Ensemble Syd, Niels
Praestholm Gyroscope String Trio + , concerts with Special Quartet ( Kristian
Joergensen, Jesper Lundgaard and Kaare Munkholm). Recordings with Hiroko Komyia
and Ramunntcho Matta.
2010,11 tour with Alisio Ensemble...concerts and recording in Brazil with Mariane
Bitran, Irio Junior, Enéias Xavier and André Limao Queiroz. Recording with Special
Quartet.Tour with Alain Apaloo's
Api Pipo.
2012, Tour in Brazil and Denmark, release of Bird in Space. New trio with Sébastien
Boisseau and Christophe Lavergne.Concerts and recordings with Michael Gregory
Jackson/Chris Stover,Stefan Meinberg and Art Ensemble Syd.Simon Spang Band
Rainbow Spirit at the Jahazi Jazz and Literary Festival in Zanzibar.
2013, release of Luna Moon and concerts in France with the trio. Duo concerts in
N.Y. and Boston and recordings with Michael Gregory Jackson.
2014, tour in Brazil with Brazilian Project. New Quartet with Ben Besiakov, Thomas
Fonnesbech and Niclas Campagnol.
2015, release of Stonetown Boogie with Simon Spang Band. Jahazi Jazz & Literary
Festival, Stonetown, Zanzibar with Ear Witness
2016, Creation of the septet Café Central with Claudia Campagnol, vocals/piano
Alain Apaloo, vocals/guitar - Mariane Bitran, flute - Aske Drasbaek, barytone-
saxophone - Yasser Morejon Piano, bass - Niclas Campagnol, drums. Debut as a
lyricist. Recording of Back To Earth
2017, new quartet Middle Earth with Maher Mahmoud, oud - Yasser Pino, bass and
Ayi Solomon, percussion. Recording of Midnight Again.
2018, new septet with Tobias Wiklund, trumpet, Frederick Menzies, tenorsaxophone,
Mikkel Aagaard, trombone - Artur Tuznik, piano - Yasser Pino, bass - Anders
Mogensen, drums - S.S.H. alto & soprano-saxophones, comp.
My Jazz Story
I love jazz because of the freedom to invent at the moment. I was first exposed to jazz when listening to Duke Ellington's "Money Jungle."