Nikolaj Hess

Nikolaj Hess is a rare proposition. An internationally acclaimed virtuoso composer and performer across jazz, new classical, film scoring and electronic music. A prodigy playing piano since young childhood, and later violin among other instruments, he was the youngest to start at the Rhythmic Conservatory in Cph and the first to get extraordinary top-grade 13 in his main subject piano, followed by a long list of prizes and honours, including being chosen as the best European Jazz pianist under 25 at the RAI competition in Rome. Hess’s music is characterized by a captivating Scandinavian melodiousness, transformative creativity and a deeply personal golden touch on the piano and in his compositions.

Nikolaj Hess creates music as a pianist, composer, arranger, producer, music director, artistic director, cultural ambassador, associate professor and is often mentioned as being in the absolute elite of Scandinavian and European jazz and related genres.

Besides international jazz concert series with trio, solo and quartet and an occasional visit to the world of classical music, Hess’s latest projects include: -a commision from the Danish Art Council for composing a concerto for solo violin, string orchestra and bass & drums; -the artistic research project Transformative Reflections supported by the Danish Ministry of Culture and Rhythmic Conservatory about translating and making inspiration tangible from visual art to music, with concerts and talks at a series of museums such as MoMA, The Metropolitan Museum, The Getty Museum, SMK; -a string of acclaimed releases with his own projects and ensembles; -international film scores for Lucy Walker, Lars Von Trier, Juliane Fezer, Anders Refn; -collaborating with his brother Mikkel in the electronic avantgarde artpop band Hess Is More; -collaborating as the music director for American-Scandinavian vocalist Caroline Henderson; -international concert series with his European and American projects and ensembles; holding a part-time associate professor tenure at prestigious RMC in Copenhagen.

Press quotes:

“Simply put, these guys are the best piano trio in Denmark, and Nikolaj Hess is one of the most inventive jazz pianists working today” (Mitch Myers Magnet Magazine 2019)

“A delightful, reflective, almost pastoral use of light and shade. If Chopin had been born in New York and received tuition from say Bill Evans or Keith Jarrett he may have sounded like this” writes ‘Bebop spoken here’ (UK) beautifully about Nikolaj Hess.

“Gold dust. Nikolaj Hess’ fingers on the keyboard is an alchemical affair. An album with a wide range of expression, yet spiritually coherent.” (Chr Munch-Hansen Politiken)

“the mastery of Mommaas and Hess completely overwhelms any feeling of normal. This is art of the highest standard, and a record which will most definitely be a “best of” 2016.” (allaboutjazz 2016)

“Hess’ fluidity, harmonic command and palpable determination at the keys, a compelling spectacle~David R. Adler, AAJ (2010) (LIve @ the Kitano)

“Danish pianist Nikolaj Hess careened between heart-melting delicacy and almost Chopinesque virtuosity. Hess is clearly equipped to face the most gargantuan technical demands, but it was the incredible fecundity of his imagination that impressed the most”(Peter Quinn Art Desk, London)

”No matter whether he is working to unite different musical worlds, or getting down on the anatomy of the groove, Hess’ sound world is one that gathers many different aspects of tradition and culture. Global Motion + and The Champ provide two pieces of the puzzle that makes up his many-faceted vision” Jakob Baekgaard Allaboutjazz

“Bilingual in classical and jazz, Hess moves in both cultures with confidence, so the project is not just jazz-with-strings-tacked-on (or vice versa) but an organic hybrid. Though the strings don’t solo they are used as an autonomous voice, providing chromatically embellished melodies, ‘rubbing’ dissonances (caused by adjacent chord tones), canons, chorales and jousting countermelodies. The leader threads it all together, rippling through the colorful arrangements with a gorgeous feathery effervescent touch, equal parts Murray Perahia and Bill Evans.” (New York City Jazz Record)

“Few jazz albums so perfectly intertwine the classical side with the jazz improv side as Hess does on here…

The title of Hess’ album, Spacelab & Strings, is an apt description of the music on offer, but one that vastly underplays the scope and grand virtuosity he’s achieved.” (Allmusic Matt Collar)

“rich parlor atmospheres on the elegant “Black and White before Hess closes things out with a Debussyesque solo on “ Intro Exit”. Sublime, sophisticated and satisfying” (Jazz Weekly)

“Perhaps that is why Caroline Henderson had allowed herself the luxury of bringing along the golden eagle among Danish jazz pianists, Nikolaj Hess himself. A brilliant musician, who from the first stroke on the black and white keys made the concert heartbreakingly beautiful. Fortunately, all the songs were structured in such a way that there was plenty of room for the piano king’s colossal refined, excellent format.” (digg dk “Hess & Henderson”)

“Drummer/band-leader isn’t often a role you see within a band but then again, there isn’t anything especially normal about Hess Is More. Led by brothers Mikkel and Nikolaj Hess, the New York/Copenhagen act play a peculiar fusion of kraut-rock and jazz with a flair for the percussive.

Their disdain for convention carries on into their live show where Mikkel leads the band with his back to the audience like a conductor would, except most conductors aren’t sitting at a drum kit. The band spread out on stage before him, a bizarre mix of percussion, both acoustic and electric, guitars, saxophones and pianos which are all called upon to form the unique Hess Is More sound. As the beats build and tempo speeds up the sound takes on an almost tribal energy, with drums beats syncopating and colliding in a dramatic fashion. There is a sense of organised chaos about the experience as no matter how loose the compositions feel, you know that it’s going exactly to plan. And that’s what Hess Is More do, combine the percussive rigidity of krautrock with the freeform energy of jazz with unconventional but highly positive results.” Catfromjapan