Copenhagen Sessions Vol. 1 Scandinavian Art Ensemble

• 1 One O´clock Junk 09:06
• 2 Before the Rain 08:04
• 3 Circles 05:38
• 4 Dark Eyes of Martha Hirsch 12:22
• 5 The Bridge That Broke on a Blue Monday 08:15
• Total Runtime 43:25

Info for Copenhagen Sessions Vol. 1

For years, whispers circulated through the jazz scenes of Denmark and Poland—rumors of a lost recording session featuring the legendary Polish trumpeter Tomasz Stańko and a group of Scandinavian and Polish musicians. Now, nearly a decade after the session and seven years after Stańko’s passing, these long-awaited recordings are finally seeing the light of day. The first of two albums, ‘The Copenhagen Sessions Vol. 1’ is set for release on May 16th, 2025 on April Records.

The project originated at Vallekilde Højskole in Denmark, where Stańko was invited to teach at JazzDanmark’s annual Summer Session. A storied program that has hosted luminaries including Bill Frisell and Anat Cohen, the summer school became the birthplace of this unexpected ensemble. Here, alongside a dynamic ensemble of young musicians, Stańko found renewed inspiration, embracing their compositions as much as his own—a rare occurrence for an artist known for leading his own groups.

Scandinavian Art Ensemble with Tomasz Stańko is the result: two albums of expansive, deeply expressive music that merge the melancholic depth of Polish jazz with the spacious, atmospheric qualities of the Scandinavian sound. As trumpeter Tomasz Dąbrowski recalls, Stańko wasn’t just a mentor—he was an equal, driven by curiosity and the desire to push boundaries. “He wanted to play our music. He was always listening, always searching.”

Across these two albums recorded at The Village Recordings in 2016, listeners will hear Stańko’s unmistakable tone interwoven with compositions by both himself and the ensemble members. Pieces like ‘The Dark Eyes of Martha Hirsch’ and ‘Before the Rain’ showcase not just his signature lyricism, but also his willingness to step back, listen, and let the younger generation shape the sound.

Beyond his unmistakable sound, Stańko’s influence was about energy—his presence elevated those around him. Bassist Richard Andersson put it simply: “He brings together the energies, and makes us all play better than usual.” This project captures that essence: a legendary artist meeting the next generation on equal footing, creating something entirely unexpected.

A decade after the session, the members of the Scandinavian Art Ensemble have forged their own paths, shaping the jazz landscapes of Copenhagen, Malmö, Reykjavik, and beyond. But the impact of their time with Stańko remains profound. "Releasing these albums is about more than just the music," Dąbrowski says. "It’s about preserving the spirit of Stańko—his generosity, his curiosity, his way of bringing people together. Even after all these years, his presence can still be felt in every note we played."

Johanna Elina Sulkunen, vocals
Tomasz Dąbrowski, trumpet
Snorri Sigurðarson, trumpet
Tomasz Stańko, trumpet
Thomas Hass, saxophone
Martin Fabricius, vibraphone
Artur Tuźnik, piano
Richard Andersson, double bass
Radek Wośko, drums

The Scandinavian Art Ensemble
is a group of musicians of several nationalities from both Scandinavia and Poland, that emerged from a collaboration on the Danish jazz workshop “Summer Session” in 2015. They were brought together by accident by a common interest, desire and opportunity to spend a week of creating music together with legendary Polish trumpet player Tomasz Stańko .

All the musicians are professional established jazz artists with numerous releases behind them. The positive chemistry and energy of this group was evident to everyone from the first note and led to that Stańko wanted to arrange both a concert and recording with the group. Their first concert in “Hotel Cecil” in Copenhagen February 2016, was marking the official formation of the ensemble and was followed up by a live recording in The Village Studio. The ensemble channels on this recording the spirit of Tomasz Stańko, emphasizing individualism, courage, and a commitment to improvised music reflecting the influence of Stańko’s legacy while also showcasing the talents of its diverse members.

This music is now set to be released on the Danish label April Records in the late spring of 2025 followed up by two concerts in Poland and a tour in Scandinavia.

Line up: Tomasz Stańko – trumpet (PL) (On record) Johanna Elina Sulkunen – vocal (FI) Thomas Hass – tenor sax (DK) Stian Victor Lervik Swensson – guitar (NO) Snorri Sigurðarson – trumpet (IS) Richard Andersson – double bass (DK) Radek Wośko – drums (PL) Martin Fabricius – vibrafon (DK) Artur Tuźnik – piano (PL) Tomasz Dąbrowski – Music – trumpet (PL)

The Scandinavian Art Ensemble first release, spring 2025, has been long under way due to the passing of Tomasz Stanko in 2018. It will mark the beginning of a collaboration with the danish label April Records, and be the first relase of three albums. All of course released on vinyl. Following his death, tributes and celebrations of his work have continued, highlighting his role as a masterful artist and a key figure in the evolution of European jazz. And in that spirit, the following albums will feature the talented and promising artists of The Scandinavian Art Ensemble, and down the road maybe a surprice guest of honor will appear.

Here is a little insight into the history of the orchestra, and a taste of it’s music.

Martin Fabricius
is a Danish vibraphonist and film composer. He graduated Suma Cum Laude from Berklee College of Music with a major in film scoring in 1996. While at Berklee, Martin studied the vibraphone with Ed Saindon and multi grammy award winner Gary Burton.

Building on the legacy of Gary Burton and his pianistic 4-mallet approach, Martin is considered a leading exponent of a new generation of vibraphone players, exploring the use of electronics, composing new repertoire and inventing new playing techniques in the quest of expanding the expressive possibilities of his instrument. Martin’s music has by many been described as calm, image invoking Nordic jazz. His 4 trio albums has received international critical acclaim – including 5 of 5 star reviews in All About Jazz and JazzThetik. Martin Fabricius Trio have become one of the most played jazz bands on Danish National Radio.

Martin has also released 4 albums in his own name, most noteworthy the album One, which is the worlds first solo vibraphone album done without overdubs.

Martin has a love for fusion and latin music which can be heard on albums like São Paulo Panicby the group of the same name and on Neff Irizarry’s newly released Cambio with multi grammy award winner Jimmy Haslip on bass.

Martin has also ventured into the world of free improvisational music. He’s a member of Fiil Free (Everything is a Translation, Under Overfladen) , The Scandinavian Art Ensemble, who will release an album with the late Tomasz Stanko in the spring of 2025, and has just released the album Clouds with his long time musical companion, vocalist Randi Pontoppidan.

Martin has toured Europe, Asia, Africa, south America and the U.S. and has played with artist like Tomasz Stanko, Steve Swallow, Lew Soloff, Jimmy Haslip and Jamaaladeen Tacuma.

Martin lives in Copenhagen Denmark where he teaches percussion, composition and film- scoring. He’s a proud father of two. In his spare time he enjoys nature and the practice of Taoist Tai Chi.

This album contains no booklet.