Sir Niels Lan Doky
Hailed as "the best pianist of his generation" by Swing Journal (Japan), "fresh and provocative" by the New York Times and "one of the most important European pianists of the last, now 50 years, by El Diario (Spain), Danish born Sir Niels Lan Doky has graced the most prestigious stages globally, from Royal Albert Hall to Carnegie Hall, to the Blue Note and beyond, captivating audiences everywhere.
A generation younger than artists like Keith Jarrett and Pat Metheny, the pianist is one of the most acclaimed, prolific and unique jazz artists of his time. Originally from Copenhagen, Denmark, Doky started his professional career at age 13 and soon after began working with American jazz legend, Thad Jones. Since, Doky has released over 40 albums as a leader, has collaborated with the greatest artists in jazz and has won countless awards and accolades around the world. When he released his debut album in 1986, the American jazz writer, Dan Morgenstern wrote: “There is nothing more encouraging and satisfying than to encounter for the first time a young Jazz musician of real stature, someone who can make you feel that the future of the music is in good hands. There can not be the slightest doubt that Doky’s talent is of real significance ‐ that rare thing in the Jazz of our time, an original voice in the great tradition”.
Since then, Niels Lan Doky has had an extensive and unusual career, which - aside from performing, arranging, composing and producing music - also has included work as a film director, author, venue owner and public speaker. He was Knighted by Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II of Denmark in 2010 and has appeared on bestseller lists in Europe and Asia. He has lived in Boston, New York, Paris and London before returning to his hometown of Copenhagen in 2013, where he gave the TEDx Talk “How Jazz Wisdom Will Change Your Life” in 2016. Truly a global cosmopolitan, he has performed for many prominent world figures, including Pope Jean Paul II, actor Roger Moore, French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin, HRH the Prince Henrik of Denmark, a.o. He continues this legacy today as a recording and touring musician, as the musical director of the not-for-profit Niels Lan Doky International Jazz Collective, and as the founder of Helsingør, Denmark’s new Sound Dues festival, debuting in 2022.
"Apart from their level of technical perfection, which is second to none, Bösendorfer pianos always stood out to me as having real character and personality. To the point where I consider my own Bösendorter a vibrant living creature, a great friend with whom I have developed a very special bond. We both always know how to make each other sound our best at all times. This mutual trust is unconditional, allowing for creative expression to flow freely. I can only explain this phenomenon by the fact that everyone involved in the numerous steps and long journey of making each Bösendorfer piano, seem to all be passionately devoted to a relentless pursuit of ultimate excellence, and that this somehow becomes permanently ingrained in the pianos".