Tenor Giant Bergonzi with Nordic supergroup

Few saxophone players today trace the lineage from John Coltrane to today’s modern jazz scene as clearly as American saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi.

Now aged 72, but playing as strong as ever, the tenor giant rejoins The Modern Jazz Trio for Straight Gonz, their 6th album together.

For more than a decade this Nordic supergroup has toured internationally in collaboration with star soloists including Dave Liebman, Tim Hagans and George Garzone.

This latest outing was captured live at Denmark’s Dexter Jazz Club and showcases four Bergonzi originals alongside two timeless jazz standards: Cole Porter’s All of You and Johnny Green’s Body and Soul.

Bergonzi joined Dave Brubeck’s Quartet almost 50 years ago and, in the following years, has played on most of the world’s biggest stages and recorded for renowned labels including Blue Note & Atlantic Records.

As one of the original modern jazz educators, his series of books – Inside Improvisation – have inspired a generation of players and this mix of authentic jazz tradition and modern jazz methodology is on full display on Straight Gonz.

The album is pulled together by prolific drummer and bandleader Anders Mogensen whose 30-year career has seen him tour with a ‘who’s who’ of the jazz world, winning various Grammy’s along the way.

“Michael Brecker called Jerry ‘the best tenor player in the world’ – for me, it’s is a dream to record with him.”
Anders Mogensen.