Prior musical activities

Dr. Dopo Jam
I started my musical career in Denmark playing with a progressive rock band from Roskilde called Dr. Dopo Jam, lead by keyboard player and composer Kristian Pommer. I recorded two albums with Dopo Jam: “Entrée” and “MAD Dogs and Danishmen.” I played with Dr. Dopo Jam at the Roskilde Festival for the first time in 1971

Buki Yamaz
At the age of 16 I was asked to play with the first funk/ fusion/latin band in Denmark – Buki Yamaz. Kasper Winding was the first drummer in the band, and when he left I was asked to join.

I played drums and percussion on the first two albums recorded by the band: “Buki Yamaz” and “Segundo.” These albums are considered to be milestones in the progressive instrumental fusion style of music in Denmark in the 1970s and 80s.

Danish Radio Big Band
I played percussion with the Danish Radio Big Band (also called the Danish Radio Jazz Orchestra) for 27 years. I started when I was 18 years old, as the latin-percussionist of the band, under the leadership of Thad Jones. I have recorded over 35 albums with this band, and have toured and recorded with such artists as Miles Davis, David Sanborn, Van Morrison and many more.

I played with the Danish Radio Big Band until 2003.

Cox Orange
I played drums with Cox Orange for many years and recorded the first albums during this period. This band was one of the leading funk and latin bands of the 1980s. It was a large, dynamic band with a horn section, and it became one of the most popular bands of its time on the dance scene, due to our mixture of funky instrumental arrangements and own versions of popular vocal tunes from, among others, the Beatles’ songbook.

Entrance
I played as percussionist and second drummer in the version of Palle Mikkelborgs Entrance with which we recorded the album “Journey To… in 1984. The line-up was Palle Mikkelborg, Jesper Nehammer, Thomas Clausen, Bjarne Roupe, Bo Stief, Lennart Gruvstedt and I. Entrance in this version was the foundation for the Danish Radio Big Band productio o of the recording “Aura” with Miles Davis. This album was recorded after Miles Davis had been awarded the prestigious Sonning Music Prize in 1984. The recording took place in Easy Sound Studio on Østerbro in 1985.

Crème Fraiche
Creme Fraiche is known in Denmark as a big band that was established in the late 1970s through the 80s, lead by trumpet player and acomposer/arranger Lars Togeby.

Crème Fraiche in its original form was a medium-size ensemble, with three horns and rhythm section. The rhythm section had Ben Besiakov on keyboards, Bent Clausen on drums, Kim Daugård on bass. I played congas and percussion.

Blast
Trombone player and bandleader Bjarne Thanning started the funk big band Blast in the beginning of the 1980s, after an inspiring music semniar at the Brandbjerg music summer school. I was the first drummer on the band, along with, among others, Birger “Krølle” Sulsbruck (leader of Salsa Na Ma) on percussion. With three female vocalists in front – Lise Dandanell, Tine Schaefer and Hanne Boel – and with a full big band line up, this was the biggest and best funk and soul big band in Denmark.

Flair
The vocal pop group Flair, lead by Lasse Lunderskov and with lead vocalists Sanne Salomonsen, Tamra Rosanes and Jannie Høeg, recorded two albums at the Abbey Raod Studio in London, released in 1977 and 1978. I became the drummer for the band in 1978, with among others Gert Rostock on bass. We played a big concert at the Tivoli Garden’s concert hall during this period. And somewhere out there, there is a video recording from the Bellevue Theater studio, with this band, featuring us all with helmet-hair and collars the width of the wings on a jumbo jet!

Flair played power pop, with intricate vocal arrangements. With three of the best female vocalists in Denmark, this was an impressive band.

Ethan Weisgard

Telefon 4086 3212

ethan@weisgard.com