Sounds of Denmark (UK)
INTRODUCTION
Sounds of Denmark is a Danish jazz initiative in England that has been strengthening the connections between the Danish and English jazz scenes since 2016.
Contact
Focus on the UK
Festival for Danish Jazz in London
The Sounds of Denmark festival is an annual event held at the legendary PizzaExpress Jazz Club in Soho, London. As the festival’s opening, a popular reception for the city’s jazz professionals fosters lasting relationships between the two nations.
All the music during the festival is Danish and is selected by a British panel consisting of journalists, managers, promoters, and others, usually through an open call on JazzDanmark’s website. The project is locally coordinated by manager Sue Edwards.
Media Coverage as a Key Component
The festival has attracted a number of British jazz media outlets and has been broadcast live on BBC Radio 3, Jazz Now, and has received extensive coverage in Jazz Journal, JazzWise, and London Jazz News over the years. Media exposure has been a key success factor for the project, as British jazz media serves as an important voice on the global stage.
Key Activities in the Project
- The annual Sounds of Denmark festival at PizzaExpress Jazz Club in London.
- Fringe concerts at venues like Turner Sims in Southampton and Watermill Jazz Club in Dorking.
- Collaboration with the Danish Embassy in London on a reception for professional music actors in England.
- Collaboration with Newcastle Festival of Improvised Music.
- Collaboration with Jazz North on development and learning projects.
- Collaboration with JPN – Jazz Promoters Network on visit programs during Copenhagen Jazz Festival.
- Collaboration with Baxter PR on marketing Danish jazz in the UK.
- Collaboration with Jazz Fuel on workshops for Danish musicians about the UK music market.
Kathrine Windfeld presents Kathrine Windfeld Big Band during Sounds of Denmark 2018. Photo: Cat Munro.
Live Foyn Friis plays at Pizza Express Jazz Club during Sounds of Denmark in 2018. Photo: Cat Munro
Reaching Beyond London’s Borders
The project has also established formal collaborations outside of London, including with Newcastle Festival for Improvised Music, Turner Sims in Southampton, Jazz North, and Watermill Jazz Club in Dorking.
The partnership with the British association of promoters, Jazz Promotion Network (JPN), brought a larger group of UK promoters to visit Copenhagen Jazz Festival between 2019-2021 as part of a dedicated program.
Sounds of Denmark 2022. Photo: Cat Munro
Girls in Airports plays live during Sounds of Denmark at Pizza Express in 2018. Photo: Cat Munro
Funding and support
The project has received ongoing funding from the Statens Kunstfonds Projektstøtteudvalg for Musik and IKP – The International Cultural Panel, which was a collaborative forum involving the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Business. Additionally, Augustinus Fonden has supported several editions of the festival.
Embassy Collaboration
Each year, the Danish Embassy in London has played a significant role in the opening reception at Pizza Express in London, where the Ambassador delivers the opening speech, among other activities.
Janne Mark plays live at Sounds of Denmark at PizzaExpress Jazz Club, Soho i London. Photo: Cat Munro
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