Morten Toftgaard Ramsbøl

Born 1970 in Aarhus, Denmark.

Professor of Jazz Double Bass, Kunst Uni Graz, Austria

Morten has a BA teaching degree from the Royal Academy Of Music in Aarhus and a Pedagogical Diploma degree.  He has since 1998 played, toured and recorded with stellar artists such as Sinne Eeg, Niels Lan Doky, The Aarhus Jazz Orchestra, Kurt Elling, John Scofield, Claire Martin, Benny Golson, Kristian Leth, Kenneth Knudsen, Renato Chicco, Randy Brecker, Ulf Wakenius, Lars Jansson, Morten Lund , Adam Nussbaum, Peter Erskine, Bill Stewart, Peter Bernstein, Joey Baron, Jeff Ballard, Hans Ulrik, Veronica Mortensen,  Jesper Thilo, Mulgrew Miller, Antonio Sanchez, Joe Lovano, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Didier Lockwood, Jim Rotondi, Dena DeRose, Herwig Gradischnig, Karlheinz Miklin, Jacob Karlzon, Julian Argüelles and many more.

Being raised musically in the proud Danish jazz bass tradition, Morten is a musician with a very high technical level yet he believes strongly in the melodic and lyrical side of playing. The music should first and foremost touch the listener.

He lastest album “TRUE NORTH” premieres all new compositions by Morten in a stellar lineup with some of the finest jazz musicians in Europe and a string quartet. It is to be released on the prestigious Dutch record label, Challenge Records on January 11, 2019 – www.challengerecords.com

“Several listenings to this music, only solidify the obvious, that Morten Ramsbøl is clearly his own musical spirit . Highly original, a payer of homage to the totality of jazz performance and the unique position that the bass occupies within it…one foot firmly placed in that history, the other constantly exploring new directions within the path less traveled”

– Thomas Howard Curtis III

Morten has also composed music for television, been commisioned to write for “The Tower Light” installation at Ejer Bavnehøj, Denmark and contributed with compositions for numerous tours / projects. His first album “Short Stay feat. Joey Baron” (Music Mecca, 2002)  and secondly the first album with all original compositions “Same Story, Different Place” ( Gateway Music, 2014) and thirdly “How Far Is The Moon” (Natango Music, 2016) have been praised in and outside of Denmark being called “a timeless master piece”.

 

Morten resides with his family in Denmark and Austria.