Mikkel Villingshoj

TAKING MATTERS INTO OWN (JAZZ)HANDS

The consummate sideman goes solo.

Having worked for the last +20 years as a sideman for numerous Danish artists, drummer Mikkel Villingshøj is now taking matters into own hands by releasing his first album as composer, bandleader, drummer and producer entitled "At This Juncture". 

Lets go back in time to spring 2020. Suddenly the world we knew was changed drastically. Everybody knows what happened the following years, but especially for musicians and artists it felt like being struck by lightning. For Mikkel the consequences were huge. The loss of gigs, the shattering of a career built over 20+ years, and a future that looked rather murky, but it was also the spark that relit a musical flame that lives inside Mikkel. 

It was time to take matters into his own hands, and revisit the initial reason why he ended up spending his whole life behind a drumkit.

Although Mikkel has worked with a vast number of very diverse artists, most noticeably danish hip-hop supergroup Suspekt, his initial love in music was jazz. This love, and a desire to move forward, resulted in Mikkel putting together Mikkel Villingshøj Quartet. A band of extraordinary musicians, who helps bring to life Mikkel’s vision of how he wants his jazz to sound. 

The quartet features:

Pelle Fridell, saxophone

Anders Rose, piano

Andreas Hatholt, double bass

The Mikkel Villingshøj Quartet plays a collection of Mikkel’s original compositions, which have a strong focus on melody and improvisation. The music celebrates the classic jazz-quartet format, blended with a modern attitude, and takes the listener on a journey through Mikkels many stories in music and life.

Gear

Endorsed by Gretsch Drums, Gibraltar Hardware, Anatolian Cymbals and StickWorks Drumsticks. 

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