Pierre Dørge
&
New Jungle Orchestra
In the American music magazine, Down Beat, journalist Bill Shoemaker writes:
“The Danish guitarist creates an exotically hued, rhythmically vibrant music that is simultaneously sophisticated and accessible. Pierre Dørge’s NJO has been one of jazz’s most consistently engaging big bands of the last decade.”
In the book, “A Night in Tunisia - Imaginings of Africa”, by Norman C. Weinstein,
Pierre Dørge’s New Jungle Orchestra are the only Europeans portrayed side by side with top American jazz luminaries like John Coltrane, Archie Shepp, Yusef Lateef and Duke Ellington.
A few excerpts from the book:
“It is unabashedly one of Europe’s most sophisticated jazz bands”
“Dørge and band don't simply reverently imitate the Ellington jungle-sound,
but ironically and humorously carry that sound to its logical musical conclusion.”
“His (Dørge’s) imaginative play with African styles and instrumentation
is unparalleled by any other musicians not of African descent”
Donald Elfman of AAJ once remarked, “Pierre Dørge has what seems like a magical ability - he can re- imagine and re-think the way that music is voiced thus creating entire new worlds out of worlds we think we know.”
His magical ability is at full throttle here on this extraordinary musical depiction of a fascinating country.
Line-up:
Pierre Dørge (Denmark) conductor & guitar
Gunnar Halle (Norway) trumpet
Morten Carlsen (Denmark) taragot & sax
Jakob Mygind (Denmark) saxes
Anders Banke (Denmark) bass clarinet & sax
Kenneth Agerholm (Denmark) trombone
Irene Becker (Denmark) piano & synthesizer
Thommy Andersson (Sweden) bass
Ayi Solomon (Ghana)
congas & percussion
Martin Andersen (Denmark)
drums
Pierre Dørge is one of the most prolific and wide-ranging figures on the Danish scene today.
He has been interested in modern jazz from as far back as the beginning of his career in 1960. Through the years, however, he has also displayed an unremitting curiosity about other cultures and genres.
Accordingly, elements from European, Asian, African and Afro-American music traditions have been assembled by Dørge into a most original synthesis. He has been working in bands with John Tchicai, Shashank Subramanyam, Yusef Lateef, Yu Jun, Sainkho Namtchilak, Niels Henning Ørsted Petersen, Svend Asmussen, Johnny Dyani, Don Cherry, Billy Hart, Jim Pepper, Horace Parlan, David Murray, Peter Brötzmann, Harry Beckett, Marilyn Mazur, Ray Anderson, Han Bennink, Herb Robertson and Hugh Masakela, among others. (artists with NJO are in bold)
New Jungle Orchestra was formed in 1980 and named after the legendary growling “jungle” sound of the early Duke Ellington Orchestra, some of whose compositions have appropriately been covered by NJO. Other major jazz influences that can be heard are Charles Mingus’ experiments with combining improvisation and large-scale forms with the mobility of a group that is sized somewhere between a traditional combo and a big band; the Gil Evans flux between forceful anarchy and carefully layered, complex structures; and the ironic cabaret touch of Carla Bley. The mere mention of names like these also indicate the level of innovation and artistry on which the NJO, in its 30-years of existence, has distinguished itself as one of the most original, intense and enjoyable groups to be heard on today’s global music scene. As things stand today, however, these are not the only jazz giants who – along with a large array of non-Western musics – have contributed to the New Jungle Orchestra’s sound.
What we have here is “World Music”, in the most literal sense of the term.
NJO has been touring in India, Australia, Bali, Brazil, Japan, Malaysia, Syria, China, Korea, Thailand, Belgium, New Zealand, Vietnam, South Africa, England, Singapore, Java, Ghana, Spain, Portugal, Greece, France, Scotland, the Netherlands, Great Britain, Ireland, Luxembourg, Poland, Finland, Sweden, Norway, the Faroe Islands, the Virgin Islands, Iceland, California, Washington, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Washington D.C., Texas, New York, Canada, Germany, Argentina, Mexico, Russia, Slovakia, Italy, Austria, Estonia, Latvia and Denmark.
Discography
23. PIERRE DØRGE & NEW JUNGLE ORCHESTRA
SKETCHES OF INDIA
Steeple Chase SCCD 31728 (2011)
22. PIERRE DØRGE & NEW JUNGLE ORCHESTRA
PIERRE DØRGE presents NEW JUNGLE ORCHESTRA
Steeple Chase SCCD 31701 (2010)
21. PIERRE DØRGE & NEW JUNGLE ORCHESTRA
featuring Shashank Subramanyam & Dawda Jobarteh
AT THE ROYAL PLAYHOUSE
Steeple Chase SCCD 31693 (2009)
20. PIERRE DØRGE & NEW JUNGLE ORCHESTRA
Whispering Elephants
Steeple Chase SCCD 31652 (2008)
19. PIERRE DØRGE & NEW JUNGLE ORCHESTRA
JAZZ IS LIKE A BANANA
Steeple Chase SCCD 31636 (2007)
18. PIERRE DØRGE & NEW JUNGLE ORCHESTRA
featuring Herb Robertson
NEGRA TIGRA
ILK ILK112CD (2005)
17. PIERRE DØRGE & NEW JUNGLE ORCHESTRA
featuring Ray Anderson & Josefine Cronholm
Dancing Cheek to Cheek
Stunt STUCD 04062 (2004)
16. PIERRE DØRGE & NEW JUNGLE ORCHESTRA
LIVE AT BIRDLAND
Stunt STUCD 03012 (2003)
15. PIERRE DØRGE & NEW JUNGLE ORCHESTRA
ZIG ZAG ZIMFONI
Stunt STUCD 01022 (2001)
14. PIERRE DØRGE & NEW JUNGLE ORCHESTRA
featuring J. Tchicai & J. Cronholm
GIRAF
DACAPO DCCD 9440 (1999)
13. PIERRE DØRGE & NEW JUNGLE ORCHESTRA
featuring YU JUN
CHINA JUNGLE
DACAPO DCCD 9427 (1997)
12. PIERRE DØRGE & NEW JUNGLE ORCHESTRA
featuring AVIAJA
MUSIC FROM THE DANISH JUNGLE
DACAPO DCCD 9423 (1996)
11. PIERRE DØRGE & NEW JUNGLE ORCHESTRA
ABSURD BIRD
Olufsen Records DOCD 5319 (1995)
10. PIERRE DØRGE conducts POLAR JUNGLE ORCH.
POLAR JUNGLE ORCHESTRA
OLU DISC OLUCD 93 (1994)
9. PIERRE DØRGE & NEW JUNGLE ORCHESTRA
KARAWANE
Olufsen Records DOCD 5141 (1993)
8. PIERRE DØRGE & NEW JUNGLE ORCHESTRA
featuring Horace Parlan
DAVID MURRAY & the JAZZPAR PRIZE
ENJA CD 7031-2 (1992)
7. PIERRE DØRGE & NEW JUNGLE ORCHESTRA
LIVE IN CHICAGO
Olufsen Records DOCD 5122 (1991)
6. PIERRE DØRGE & NEW JUNGLE ORCHESTRA
PEER GYNT
Olufsen Records DOCD 5207 (1989)
5. PIERRE DØRGE & NEW JUNGLE ORCHESTRA
Different Places - Different Bananas
Olufsen Records DOCD 5079 (1989)
4. PIERRE DØRGE & NEW JUNGLE ORCHESTRA
JOHNNY LIVES
Steeple Chase SCCD 31228 (1987)
3. PIERRE DØRGE & NEW JUNGLE ORCHESTRA
featuring Johnny Dyani, J. Tchicai & H. Beckett
Even the Moon is Dancing
Steeple Chase SCCD 31208 (1985)
2. PIERRE DØRGE & NEW JUNGLE ORCHESTRA
featuring Johnny Dyani & John Tchicai
BRIKAMA
Steeple Chase SCCD 31188 (1984)
1. PIERRE DØRGE & NEW JUNGLE ORCHESTRA
Steeple Chase SCCD 31162 (1982)
article posted by:Pierre Dørge, New Jungle Orchestra & Trio