Leo Mathisen

Leo Mathisen ( born December 16, 1906 in Copenhagen as Hans Leo Mathiassen, † October 10, 1969 ) was a Danish jazz pianist, singer, arranger, composer and bandleader. The charismatic musician regarded as one of the dominant figures of the Danish jazz of the 1930s and 1940s and as a Danish counterpart of Fats Waller, who both in terms of his model his piano playing and his singing; in his later years he built some influences of bebop. His nickname The Lion made ​​reference to both his first name Leo as well as the MGM mascot Leo the Lion. Also striking was its characteristic appearance, with smooth, centrally parted hair, the thin mustache and his preference for fat cigars.

Life

Mathisen worked at the beginning of his career in a record store, where he began to listen and imitate the plates belonged piano. After completing a commercial apprenticeship he worked professionally in 1927 as a pianist in the restaurant arena and with the band of Kai Ewans in the restaurant Adlen. On February 28, 1927, he took his first title The More We Are Together ( Polyphonic ), in collaboration with the singer and pianist Victor Cornelius. From 1927 to 1928 he was part of a trio with Otto Lington and anchor Skjoldborg.

From 1928 to 1931 he appeared with Adrian Rollinis Orchestra in Germany and Sweden, there also with the Max Lefkos band. 1932 to 1937 he played in Erik Tuxens orchestra. Mathisen 1936 founded his own band and led to 1952 different formations, with whom he has performed successfully in restaurants in Copenhagen and Scandinavia went on tour, after the end of World War II in Germany. His orchestra also worked as a backing band for various popular singers. Its well-known titles were Take It Easy, How How, To Be or Not to Be (1941 ) and Ray Noble By the Fireside (1942 ), with the vocals of Erik Parker. Among the members of his formations were, inter alia, Erik Parker, Henry Hagemann and John Steffensen, after 1945 the trumpeter Jørgen Ry. He had successful performances especially during the war in Munich venue, in which he appeared regularly during the occupation of Denmark. When he was forbidden by the Nazis to sing in English, he went on to scat, with pronounced Copenhagen - English accent.

In 1951, he appeared as a solo pianist in Denmark before he completely retired in early annuality 1953 due to health problems from the music business. He died in October 1969 and is located on the Mariebjerg Kirkegård buried in Gentofte near Copenhagen.

Recordings

Mathisen took numerous titles with his band for Odeon on, often his own compositions. Among the most important recordings are on. With larger orchestras he took from the years 1941 to 1943 titles such as Long Shadows, which is considered as an example of his arrangements.

Mathisen also took popular hits of the time such as Lionel Hampton's Hey! Ba - Ba-Re - Bop, Five Minutes More, Near Yo and Makin ' Whoopee on. With Erik Parker wrote Danish texts for songs like De 24 Rovere, the Fats Waller in 1941 had taken, and Jack McVeas The Key 's In The Mailbox.

Participation in movies

Leo Mathisen had cameo appearances in films such as 5 raske piger (1933 ), 7-9-13 (1934 ), with live music, he ( 1944) and Teatertosset (1944).

His music was used in the films The var engang s krig (1966 ), Midt i en jazztid (1969) and in I Tvillingernes tegn (1975).

He is also the subject of the biopic Take it Easy (1986 ), in which he is played by Eddie Skoller.

Disco Graphical Notes

• Leo Mathisen: How How (EMI, 1963)
• Leo Mathisen: Take It Easy ( Odeon / EMI, 1970)
• Leo Mathisen 1944-1948 ( Storyville )
• Kai Ewans, Leo Mathisen, Svend Asmussen, Peter Rasmussen: Swing Time ( Tono Hi- Fi Records)