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In Focus: John Tchicai
03.02.23 · Copenhagen

In Focus: John Tchicai

Focus on John Tchicai, John Tchicai Trio

Born in Copenhagen, Danish-Congolese saxophonist John Tchicai's outsized talent surpassed the small Danish jazz scene. Moving to New York in the 1960s, he was part of the ceaselessly inventive "new thing" school, playing with Archie Shepp, Cecil Taylor, Don Cherry, Bill Dixon and others. A rare accolade, Tchicai played alongside both John Coltrane and John Lennon, performing with the latter on the album "Unfinished Music No 2: Life with the Lions".

Tchicai taught music and practised yoga for much of the '70s and into the '80s. Towards the end of the 20th Century and into the 21st, he returned to jazz with an increased creative fervour, experimenting with fusion sounds and even electronics, most notably on "John Tchicai with Strings", created in collaboration with UK production duo Spring Heel Jack.

Tchicai was the first jazz musician to receive a lifetime grant from Denmark's ministry of culture. He passed away in 2012.

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Tracklist

  • John Tchicai
    Lundi Talk
  • John Tchicai
    Lied
  • John Tchicai, P.O. Jørgens, Peter Friis Nielsen, Laura Toxværd, Christian Kyhl
    Calling Coltrane
  • John Tchicai
    L'lanto Del Indio
  • John Tchicai
    Musica Sacra Nova: Morgen I Frydenlund
  • John Tchicai, Vitold Rek
    Satisfaction
  • John Tchicai
    Drunnhvita Elevator
  • John Tchicai
    Formalism
  • Famoudou Don Moye, John Tchicai, Hartmut Geerken
    The Rainbow's Over
  • John Tchicai, Albert Mangelsdorff
    Snakebite
  • John Tchicai, André Goudbeek
    Touch And Timing
  • Johnny Dyani, John Tchicai, Dudu Pukwana
    Magwaza
  • Open Orchestra Featuring John Tchicai
    The Spiritual Man
  • New York Contemporary 5
    Mick
  • New York Art Quartet
    Untitled
  • John Tchicai, Strange Brothers
    Another Monk
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