One of the most popular Danish traditional jazzbands

Vestre Jazzvaerk is one of the most well-known bands on the Danish jazzstage.
Not only is it in great demand in Denmark but increasingly so abroad. The band was founded as Storyville Stompers in Ribe, the oldest city in Denmark in the early seventies. After a reorganization the band changed its name to Vestre Jazzvaerk in 1977. It means The Western Jazzworks and referres to the band members’ home in Jutland, the western part of Denmark. All of them has 40-50 years of experience. Add this to the many years of playing as a unit and it is not surprising to find a well-organized, cohesive band sound. Their policy is to play a broad spectrum of traditional jazz that is both skilful and joyful.

The success of this policy can be judged by the enthusiastic response from audiences wherever they play. A good example of this was when, in l989, Vestre Jazzvaerk played at Storyville Jazzhall in New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz. After the crowd had given the band a wonderful reception, Sydney Barthelemy, the mayor of New Orleans, made the Danish band honorary citizens of the city. Proof, if it were needed, of the international standard of the band.

Appearances at international jazz festivals include: New Orleans and Sacramento (USA), Dunkerque (France), Berlin, Dillenburg, Dresden, Cottbus, Gronau, Hamburg, Herford, Kiel, Köpenick, (Germany), Prague (Czech Republic), San Sebastian (Spain), s´Hertogenbosch, Middelburg and Eindhoven (Holland), Gent (Belgium), Stockholm, Gothenburg, Askersund and Ronneby (Sweden), Haugesund (Norway). Beside this Vestre Jazzvaerk has participated in mostly all Danish Jazz Festivals.

In 1992 Vestre Jazzværk won a competition in Ljungby of Swedish Open in Happy Jazz and in 1997 The Femø Jazz Award.
The variety of engagements range from jazzfestivals, clubs, restaurants, company parties and recep-tions, town festivals, street parades, private parties, school concerts, to something as rare as playing on the world-famous Mississippi
paddle-steamer Natchez.
Brian White