The fascinating universe of Brazilian music
A concert with the Bossa3 is a unique opportunity to step deeper into the rich and fascinating universe of Brazilian music—both for musicians and audiences alike. The trio has performed extensively in Portugal, Brazil, and Denmark in various line-ups. They now appear with two exceptional musicians: Yaser Pino (Cuba) on bass and Jacob Melchior (Denmark) on drums.
The internationally acclaimed pianist, composer, and bandleader Jesper Hedegaard – recipient of the Troféu Caymmi Bahia award in Salvador, Brazil – has returned to Denmark with a new ensemble after three years in Portugal. Experience what a lifetime devoted to Brazilian music means for a pianist who chose to go all in at the age of 24, when he travelled to the homeland of samba and bossa nova. This concert promises to draw the audience into the sensuality and soundscape of Brazil. Expect Brazilian instrumental music (MIB) that both surprises and delights. The Bossa 3 appeals broadly to fans of both jazz and world music.
The concert features compositions by some of Brazil’s greatest masters, including Antonio Carlos Jobim, Baden Powell, Hermeto Pascoal, and Adriano Giffoni, alongside original works by Jesper Hedegaard. The trio explores rhythms such as samba, choro, baião, and samba-canção. MIB – also known as Brazilian jazz – is a distilled expression of key elements of Brazil’s musical tradition, to which Sound of Brazil is dedicated. Since the 1960s, MIB has undergone significant development and is today one of the most exciting musical forms in Brazil, combining improvisation, extended harmonies, and beautiful melodies.
About the musiciens
Jesper Hedegaard (DK) – pianist, composer, and bandleader – has specialized in Brazilian music since 1976. He has lived and performed in Brazil for 12 years, collaborating with some of the country’s finest musicians, including Celso de Almeida, Paulinho Trompete, Marcelo Martins. In Denmark, he led the New Brazilian Quartet for over a decade and has performed at venues such as Copenhagen Jazzhouse, VEGA, and Jazzhus Montmartre. In 2012, he released the album Time to Change with Jesper Hedegaard Trio, which received outstanding reviews in Jazz Special.
Yaser Pino (CU) – bass – born in Havana in 1976 and now based in Copenhagen. He graduated as a classical guitarist and teacher from the Amadeo Roldán Conservatory in 1995, and later as a double bassist from the Rhythmic Music Conservatory in Copenhagen in 2006. In Cuba, he has worked with artists such as Gerardo Alfonso, Raúl Torres, Polito Ibáñez, Chucho Valdés Jr., and Roberto Fonseca. An in-demand musician, he collaborates widely with artists including Morten Grønvad, Jonas Johansen, Jakob Dinesen, Calixto Oviedo, and members of Afro-Cuban All Stars and Cubanismo. He is also an active educator.
Jacob Melchior (DK) – drums – moved to New York in 1994, where he lived and performed for more than 20 years. He has toured internationally and performed at festivals and venues including the Montreal Jazz Festival, Notting Hill Carnival in London, Copenhagen Jazz Festival, Bossa Nova festivals in Italy, and The Blue Note in Seoul. Deeply passionate about samba, Jacob fulfilled a long-held dream when he lived in Brazil for six months in 1990–91. Since returning to Denmark in 2017, he has performed with Thomas Clausen, Ben Besiakov, Jesper Løvdal, Bob Rockwell, Kjeld Lauritsen, and Thomas Fonnesbæk.
Bio – True dedication
Jesper Hedegaard is a pianist, composer, producer, and bandleader, and one of Denmark’s most dedicated interpreters of Brazilian music. Since the mid-1970s, he has worked extensively within the genre, developing a rare and authentic connection to its cultural and musical roots—most notably through 12 years as a resident musician in Brazil.
Jesper Hedegaard has performed internationally and collaborated with a wide range of Brazil’s most renowned musicians, including Miúcha, Zezé Motta, and members of bands associated with Djavan and Ivan Lins. In 1987, he was awarded the Troféu Caymmi in Salvador, Bahia, in recognition of his work.
His performances are characterized by intensity, musicality, and a strong connection with the audience. With a repertoire spanning bossa nova, samba, choro, and baião, he builds a bridge between tradition and the present, creating a vibrant live experience.
Career Highlights
A lifelong immersion in Brazilian music has shaped Jesper Hedegaard as a pianist, composer, bandleader, and producer.
In 1987, he was awarded the prestigious Troféu Caymmi in Salvador, Bahia, in recognition of his artistic work.
For more than five decades, Jesper has performed Brazilian music alongside many of Brazil’s leading musicians across Brazil, Portugal, and Denmark. He spent 12 years living in Brazil, working as a performing pianist, and has collaborated with a wide range of renowned artists, including Miúcha, Zezé Motta, and musicians associated with Djavan and Ivan Lins.
Since 1976, Jesper Hedegaard has led an extensive cultural exchange initiative, bringing more than 100 Brazilian musicians and artists to Denmark. He has also produced major events such as Festival Brasil in 1994 and 2001 and organized more than ten national tours in Denmark.
His international career has taken him to stages in Brazil, Portugal, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and the United States. He has performed at prominent events including the Copenhagen Jazz Festival and the European Festival in Coimbra, Portugal.
In addition to performing, Jesper has taught Brazilian music at the Rhythmic Music Conservatory (RMC) and MGK in Denmark, as well as at university and jazz school in Lisbon.
In 2012, he released the album Time to Change with the Jesper Hedegaard Trio, which received an outstanding review from Jens Lohmann in Jazz Special.
In April 2025, he released Frutos do Nagé in collaboration with Dominique. The album was met with highly positive reviews, reaffirming the artistic maturity, contemporary relevance, and lasting significance of his work.
Photos
Videos
One Note Samba by Tom Jobim
Corcovado by Tom Jobim
Água de beber by Tom Jobim
Wave by Tom Jobim
Tech Spec
Get in touch
For bookings or general enquiries get in touch using the form or direct email
mail(@)jesperhedegaard.dk