Benjamin Koppel, an acclaimed Danish saxophonist and composer, has been talking about the idea of a mezzo soprano saxophone for years. His residency at the U School of Music, running from Sunday to Thursday, will finally feature the instrument’s world premiere.
“The mezzo soprano sax (in G) is a first-class, handcrafted new invention, by instrument magician Peter Jessen of I. K. Gottfried/Copenhagen,” Koppel said. “It lies exactly between the soprano and the alto saxes (tuned in Bb and Eb) and thus it has the sonar of both instruments. At the same time it is completely unique, a bit like the English horn compared to the oboe8212;a bit more nasal, edged sound, but also very, very lyrical and soothing.”
Koppel divides his time between many projects and styles, alternating between classical jazz, free-spirited jazz, and a more symphonic style of music. The one requirement is a thirst for innovation, a responsibility that he feels isn’t shared by some of his American contemporaries.
“For me, music is about invention, about taking chances, challenging yourself and your co-musicians, and eventually your audience,” Koppel said. “Nowadays, I think in general8212;and I really hate to talk in generals8212;there is a tendency of Americans being a tiny bit more protective, whereas there is a tendency of more openness within a larger group of European jazz musicians.”
He continued, “American musicians think they have the answers, they know the solutions8212;whereas I (and a lot of other Europeans) am always on the lookout for new directions, new inputs, trying to combine classical tradition with the feeling of jazz and the sound of world music.”
Koppel is incredibly prolific, having released more than 30 albums as a soloist or leader, and performed on at least 75 more.
“Every time I go into the studio to record, for me the key word is putting myself and my music at stake8212;all on red, come rain or come shine,” he said.
During Sunday’s performance, Koppel, whose ensemble “Mad Cows Sing” was nominated for the “New Classical Name of the Year” Grammy in 2001, will perform two new works for saxophone and string quartet written with his father, Anders Koppel. He first went out on the road with his father when he was three years old.
“My father was a wunderkind (classical clarinet) but then formed a beat-group called Savage Rose in 1969, which was huge at the time, performing all over the world, and even headlined the Newport Jazz Festival alongside Blood, Sweat & Tears, and Sly & the Family Stone,” Koppel said.
“We work a lot together8212;both with the symphonic things but also in our trio setup where my father plays the Hammond Organ,” he said. “I also put out challenges for my father. For example, when I asked him to join me on my album (The Poetic Principle) with Miroslav.”
In 2001, Koppel founded an independent record label, Cowbell Music, because he didn’t think his music was being taken care of on the old-fashioned labels.
“I had to do it myself,” Koppel said. “We have released approximately 50 albums now, and are featuring8212;besides myself8212;Alex Riel, my sister Marie Carmen Koppel and an exquisite number of high class recording artists, in a 360 degrees company style, which includes managing, publishing, record company-stuff, booking, just about anything that could be connected with our music. The music has to have the highest amount of value, of importance, not only when recording it, but also hopefully 20 or 50 years from now.”
