Erling Kroner

ERLING KRONER

A Condensed Biography

Erling Kroner, born April 16, 1943 in Copenhagen, Denmark, started playing the trombone in 1959 with various Dixieland bands. Went to Germany 1961 with Danish Trad Band Dixieland Stompers and again 1962 playing with Jack Duff's Jazztet and Ken Sims' Vintage Jazzband. The former including the late Danish trumpet ace Per Ringkjøbing Hansen, piano player the late Alex Shaw and the young bassist Ronnie Matthewson. Participated the European avant garde movement of the early- to mid sixties, performing with a.o. John Tchicai and Rosswell Rudd. 1966-67 toured Denmark with Melvis & his Gentlemen until the Fall of 1967 when he founded his first Erling Kroner Quintet. Appeared with 'Philly' Joe Jones and Phil Woods, and in 1969 won a Down Beat Hall of Fame Scholarship to Berklee College of Music in Boston, USA. Same year performed with George Russell Sextet 'Electronic Sonata for Souls Loved by Nature', and attended Berklee 1969 - 1970, where he founded the original Erling Kroner Tentet. After returning to Denmark Fall of 1970, released his first LP Erling Kroner Quintet 'MUSIC BOOK', dedicated to the late Booker Ervin. 1971 he joined the Danish Radio Big Band. His tentet aka the Erling Kroner Folk Dance Organization played Monday nights at legendary Montmartre in St. Regnegade. Left the Radio Big Band in 1973 for further studies at Berklee, this time with legendary Herb Pomeroy (73-74). 1976 conducted the NDR Big Band in Hamburg in a program of Charles Mingus compositions arranged by himself with soloists, the late Bobby Jones and German trumpet player Manfred Schoof. 1977 recorded his second album 'THE FORGOTTEN ART', participated in and recorded with the Creme Fraiche Big Band (78). Re-joined the Danish Radio Big Band, now under the leader-ship of Thad Jones, in 1978 (2 LP's). Was awarded the third annual Ben Webster Prize 1979 and formed a new Tentet. From 1979 musical director/trombonist with Leif Johansson's Orchestra (various LP's). Simultaneously working with Swedish drummer/composer/arranger Lars Beijbom's group White Orange, which featured American trumpeter Tim Hagans and Uruguayan sax-player Hector 'Finito' Bingert. From 1980 - 1991 key member of Ernie Wilkins Almost Big Band. 1982 recorded third album 'ENTRE DOS CIELOS'. 1983 he left the Danish Radio Big Band for good. Appeared at various festivals around Europe with the Ernie Wilkins ABB the Montreux Festival, Juan-les-Pins etc. Same year Kroner went to Argentina for the first time to study the tango.

Presented his music at a concert at the Centro Cultural Gral. San Mart Show less