In the 1930s, jazz became quite popular in Denmark; major figures of the period include pianist
Leo Mathisen, violinist
Svend Asmussen, trombonist
Peter Rasmussen, saxophonist
Kai Ewans, bassist
Niels Foss, and pianist/vibraphonist
Kjeld Bonfils. Many of these musicians played in Valdemar Eiberg's band. Jazz went underground in 1940 as a result of the Nazi
occupation of Denmark when jazz was discouraged by the regime. Nevertheless, it continued to be performed and recorded, even more so as Danish musicians began to fill the void created by the lack of foreign players touring through the area. Musicians such as Eiberg, Bonfils and Asmussen (who played in a band together), along with
Uffe Baadh,
Bruno Henriksen and
Bertel Skjoldborg continued to make jazz music as a form of political protest. Many singers, such as
Freddy Albeck,
Ingelise Rune, and
Raquel Rastenni, found it necessary to escape to
Sweden in the later years of the occupation. (2008) Following
World War II, Danish jazz musicians began to split into an older guard, which maintained the style of traditional
New Orleans jazz, and newer musicians who favored the
bebop style of
Charlie Parker and
Dizzy Gillespie that was emerging in
America. The former were represented by musicians such as pianist
Adrian Bentzon, trombonist
Papa Bue, and trumpeter
Theis Jensen, while the latter included saxophonist
Max Brüel, bassist
Erik Moseholm, drummer
Uffe Baadh and trumpeter
Jørgen Ryg. and T. S. Høeg
Copenhagen Jazz Festival In the early 1960s, a club called the
Jazzhus Montmartre opened in Copenhagen, which was intended to recreate the atmosphere of jazz clubs in
Paris and
New York City. It became a major venue for both Danish and American jazz musicians. Many American jazz players moved to Copenhagen from the 1950s when
Stan Getz and
Oscar Pettiford moved there. They were followed by
Dexter Gordon,
Kenny Drew, and
Ben Webster in the 1960s, and
Duke Jordan,
Horace Parlan,
Ed Thigpen,
Bob Rockwell, and
Thad Jones (who became the leader of the
DR Big Band in 1977) in subsequent decades. Kenny Drew formed a trio with
Alex Riel and
Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen which became a staple at Jazzhus Montmartre. in
Aarhus In the 1960s, Danish musicians began to explore
free jazz with saxophonist
John Tchicai as the most prominent proponent. In parallel, a more mainstream wing evolved, including saxophonist
Jesper Thilo. As
rock music became more popular in the 1970s, jazz's popularity waned, but it continues to be supported in venues such as the and the annual
Copenhagen Jazz Festival. The organization JazzDanmark, funded by the Danish government, works to promote jazz in Denmark and Danish jazz abroad. ==Musicians==