Since 1976, Jesper Hedegaard has brought more than 100 Brazilian musicians to Denmark.
1976
Tour organization for the group Boa Nova – 21 concerts and a radio broadcast: Mozar Terra – piano, Alfredo Nascimento – guitar, Paulinho Trompete – flugelhorn, trumpet, Manassés de Sousa – cavaquinho, Pascal Jamgotchian – saxophone, flute, Ricardo Santos – bass, Luiz Chuim de Siqueira – drums
1989
Afonso Corrêa, who lived in Hamburg. Approximately 200 concerts in Denmark over 12 years with Jesper Hedegaard’s Grupo Asas and New Brazilian Quartet
1993
Tour organization for Quarto Crescente – 6 concerts
Gina Tavares – vocals, guitar, Joatan Nascimento – trumpet, Tusé de Abreu – flute, Ivan Bastos – bass, Ivan Houl – drums, João Carlos – percussion
1994
Tour organization for the group Bahia Arte Ensemble with 18 concerts
Marilda Santana – vocals, Jesper Hedegaard – piano, Ivan Bastos – bass, Luiz Chuim de Siqueira – drums
Luiz Chuim de Siqueira gives a workshop at the Rhythmic Music Conservatory
1994
Originator and organizer of Festival Brasil 94 with 18 events and 35 visiting musicians:
Zizi Possi Trio (Benjamin Taubkin, Jether G. Júnior, Guello), Antonio Adolfo Group (Mauro Senise, Pascoal Meirelles, Adriano Giffoni), Joice Quartet (Mozar Terra, Teco Cardoso, Sizão Machado, Tutty Moreno), Leni Andrade Trio (Silvia Góes, Ivani Sabino, Liliam Carmona), the Afro group Ilê Aiyê (with 15 dancers and musicians), and anthropologist Maria de Lourdes Siqueira.
The festival was created in collaboration with Erik Moseholm, Anders Laursen, Lars Thorborg, and Tina Brage.
1994
Tour organization for Silvana Malta – 10 concerts
Silvana Malta – vocals, Jesper Hedegaard – piano, Celso Mendes – guitar, Torben Vestergaard – bass, Afonso Corrêa – drums
1997
Concert organizer for Banda do Pelo, Gil Felex, and New Brazilian Quartet at Store Vega
1998
Concert organizer for Silvia Torres – Copenhagen and Malmö – 3 concerts
2001
Originator and organizer of Festival Brasil with 40 events and 59 visiting participants:
Filô Machado, Magno Bissoli, Ivan Bastos, Evaraldo Ita Okabar, Luciana Rabello, Mauricio Carrilho, Pedro Amorim, Celsinho Silva, Proveta, the youth Afro group Sucatamania (with 25 performers), Nicinha Raízes de Santo Amaro (with 12 musicians and dancers), and anthropologist Maria de Lourdes Siqueira.
The festival was created in collaboration with Erik Moseholm, Anders Laursen, Lars Thorborg, and Christian Have.
2013
Brazilian Stars with Jesper Hedegaard Trio & guest soloist – 6 concerts
Alexander Kraglund – violin and harmonica, Simon Spang-Hanssen – saxophone, flute, Jesper Hedegaard – piano, Sidiel Vieira (SP) – bass, Fernando Pereira (RJ) – drums
2014
Brazilian Stars with Jesper Hedegaard Trio & Alexander Kraglund – 4 concerts during the Winter Jazz Festival
Alexander Kraglund – violin and harmonica, Jesper Hedegaard – piano, Dudu Penz (SP) – bass, Renato Endrigo (RJ) – drums
2015
Brazilian Stars with Jesper Hedegaard Trio #3 – 6 concerts
Thaís Motta (RJ) – vocals, Alexander Kraglund – violin and harmonica, Jesper Hedegaard – piano, Morten Ankarfeldt – bass, Ramon Montagner (SP) – drums
2016
Brazilian Stars with Jesper Hedegaard Trio #4 – 4 concerts
Alexander Kraglund – violin and harmonica, Jesper Hedegaard – piano, Rômulo Duarte – bass, Luiz Chuim de Siqueira (SP) – drums
2017
Jesper Hedegaard Sound of Brasil – 5 concerts
Alexander Kraglund – violin and harmonica, Jesper Hedegaard – piano, Sidiel Vieira (SP) – bass, Celso de Almeida (SP) – drums
2018
Jesper Hedegaard Sound of Brasil – 6 concerts
Alexander Kraglund – violin and harmonica, Jesper Hedegaard – piano, Sidiel Vieira (SP) – bass, Celso de Almeida (SP) – drums
2018
Jesper Hedegaard Sound of Brasil – 2 concerts during the Copenhagen Jazz Festival
Alexander Kraglund – violin and harmonica, Jesper Hedegaard – piano, Zet Zettermann (BRA) – bass, Márcio Dhiniz (BRA) – drums
2018-2022
Living in Lissbon
2024
Dominique & Jesper Hedegaard Sound of Brasil 6 concerts
Dominique – vocal, Jesper Hedegaard – piano, Alexander Kraglund – violin and harmonica, Rômulo Duarte – bass – (already living in Denmark), Ale Damasceno – Drums
2025
Dominique & Jesper Hedegaard Sound of Brasil 6 concerts
Dominique – vocal, Jesper Hedegaard – piano, Alexander Kraglund – violin and harmonica, Rômulo Duarte – bass – (already living in Denmark), Ale Damasceno – Drums
Cultural anchoring in Denmark as a direct or indirect result:
Drummer Luiz Chuim de Siqueira settled in Denmark for 8 years after touring with Boa Nova in 1976. This led to collaborations with Christian Sivert, the Danish Radio Big Band, Alex Riel, Niels Neergaard, Torben Kjær, Mehmet Ozan, Istanbul Express, Jan Zum Vohrde, Mads Vinding, and many others. He has also been a teacher and source of inspiration in Denmark.
Pianist Mozar Terra from Boa Nova settled in Denmark for 2 years from 1978.
Jonas Johansen received drum lessons from Luiz Chuim de Siqueira in the late 1970s; today he plays with artists such as Eliane Elias.
In 1989, I brought the Brazilian drummer Afonso Corrêa to Denmark and performed extensively with him over the following 12 years. He lived in Denmark until his death in 2017.
Students from the University of Copenhagen traveled to Brazil through contacts established during Festival Brasil 94.
The Rhythmic Music Conservatory established a tradition of workshops with Brazilian guest teachers following the success of Festival Brasil 94.
Silvana Malta settled in Denmark in 1994.
The group “Choro Brasil Scandinavia,” now called “Choro Vivo,” was formed as a result of Festival Brasil 2001 on the initiative of Martin Heap, with musicians from Denmark, Sweden, and Brazil.
Steen Rasmussen, who studied with Luiz Chuim de Siqueira in 1994, now performs Brazilian music.
Contribution to greater knowledge of Brazilian music and culture in Denmark.
Other Brazil-focused initiatives:
2 literary events with debate and concerts at Møstings Hus – by Peter Poulsen
10 film screenings at Husets Biograf – 5 Brazilian films
Photography exhibition at Møstings Hus – Cristiano Mascavo
Photography exhibition at Byggeriets Hus – Mar de Luz
Historical exhibition “Brazil 500 Years” – by historian Teresa Burmeister
Lecture/debate at Ibis – alternative educational initiatives – by anthropologist Maria de Lourdes Siqueira
Lecture/debate at the University of Copenhagen – by anthropologist Maria de Lourdes Siqueira
Seminar at Møstings Hus – multi-ethnicity and multiculturalism
Panel debate at Møstings Hus – Brazilian music and Jazz (including Jens Lohmann, Mik Aidt, Thomas Clausen, Jesper Hedegaard, and Brazilian musicians)
Panel debate at Møstings Hus – multicultural Brazil
Workshops with Nicinha Raízes de Santo Amaro
Workshops with the Afro group Ilê Aiyê
Seminar week at the Rhythmic Music Conservatory – with 7 Brazilian teachers
Teaching Brazilian music:
1991 Ensemble course at the Rhythmic Music Conservatory
1993 Ensemble course at the Rhythmic Music Conservatory. Students included Christina von Bülow, Thomas Walbaum, and Søren Jønck, all of whom now perform Brazilian music
1998 Ensemble course at the MGK Music Academy
2017 Workshop at Køge Music School MGK with Jesper Hedegaard Sound of Brasil