Jens Winther

Who was Jens Winther?

Jens Winther was a Danish jazz trumpeter, composer, arranger and bandleader. He composed for and played in a long line of European big bands and other orchestras. His work includes compositions for symphony orchestras, chamber ensembles and choirs. As a bandleader, he was noted on the international Jazz scene with his JW European Quartet, particularly since 2007. In 2008, he founded the fusion band JW Electrazz. From 2009, he was based in Berlin, Germany.

Jens Winther was born in Næstved, Denmark, in 1960. At the age of 10 he started to play the trumpet and at 18, he moved to Copenhagen to become a professional freelance trumpeter, playing with such bands as the New Jungle Orchestra, the Erling Kroner Tentet, Candentia Nova Danica and Ernie Wilkins' Almost Big Band. In 1982, he became a solo trumpeter in the DR Big Band and in 1985 he also started to compose for it.

In 1989, Winther left the Big Band and moved to New York City after receiving an invitation to join the two-year Jazz Composer’s Workshop under the direction of Bob Brookmeyer.