MADS KJØLBY (1974) guitarist, composer, teacher
Mads was born in 1974 in Glyngøre in Jutland. He started out on drums, then played the piano for a couple of years until he finally picked up the guitar, when he was 11. Influenced by The Beatles, Elvis Presley and Santana, he played Rock´n´roll until he joined his first Jazz/Fusion-band, when he was 14. He was taught by some of the finest players in Denmark including Bjarne Roupe, Lars Maasboel, Jacob Gurewitch, saxophonist Thomas Franck and attended The Danish Jazzfederation summercamps, where he studied with Kenny Werner and Ed Neumeister
In March ´95 he enrolled at the Musicians Institution Los Angeles. During his stay he studied intensively with Joe Diorio, Carl Shcroeder, Scott Henderson and David Pozzi. He graduated in March ´96 with honours and was awarded the price for "outstanding Jazz-stylist"
He enrolled at The Rhythmic Conservatory in Copenhagen in 1998, where he studied with Danish guitarist Soren Lee and Niclas Knudsen and late drummer Ed Thigpen. He spent 6 months studying in New York with Peter Bernstein, Brad Shepik, Wayne Krantz and Ben Monder before getting his diploma degree in 2003. Mads has been living in Copenhagen for the last 20 years and has been touring extensively around the world with various Danish and international artists
Guitarist
Graduated from Copenhagen Rhythmic Conservatory in 2003 Mads has been a big part of the Copenhagen music scene for the last decade. Performing 200 concerts a year with various groups and orchestras as a leader and as sideman, and he has performed on more than 30 CD's. He has led his own quartet since 2006, who have released 3 albums
His ability to adept to different styles and genres has led him to recording and performing with Danish and international artists such as: Nils Langren (Swe), Ed Jones from Incoqnito and US3, Steve Waterman (UK), Andy Sheppard (UK), Severy Pyssalo (FIN), Leonid Vintskevich (RUS), David Goloschokin (RUS), Kim Nazarian (US) from The New York Voices, Joel Taylor (US), and danish artists such as Sinne Eeg, Veronica Mortensen, Mads Mathias, Stig Rossen, Thomas Eje, and many many more. He is also working with large orchestras like the Tivoli Bigband, the Danish Radio Bigband and the Danish Radio Orcestra, where he has performed with Dee Dee Bridgewater, Katie Mehlua and Mick Hucknall from Simply Red
Playing both the electric and the various acoustic guitars, banjo, mandolin, ukulele and Pedal steel has given him the opportunity to be involved in some of the best-selling musical shows throughout the country during the last 10 years. Mamma Mia in the Tivoli Gardens, Shrek at Forum, Shubidua at Østre Gasværk, Chess at Falkoner, Matador at the Royal Opera in Copenhagen, Jesus Christ Superstar with Danmarks Underholdningsorkester as well as several major projects with the Danish Radio Symphony orchestra such as: Fantasymphony, Morricone, Gaming in symphony and many others.
Composer
For the last 20 yeras Mads has been composing frequently. Various jazzcompositions for more than 10 albums and poptunes co-written with an eclectic mix of singer/songwriters. Besides he has composed music for several large theatre-performances and arranged for stringquartet, bigband and larger orchestras. In 2000 he wrote the music for the Anders Morgenthaler animation-film ”Ping-Pong”, a project at the National film school of Copenhagen.
Teacher
Mads is a well-known teacher and during the last 15 years he has been giving privatelessons, taught ensembles, conducted large youth-orchestras, instructed bigbands and has been a theory and eartraining teacher. His education resume includes lessons at Rhythmich Music Conservatory, Copenhagen, MGK-students and workshops and clinics in Oxford and Cambridge. Besides he has been the co-author of various educational material, this includes being the co-editor of The Tim Christensen Songbook