Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen

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Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen

Background information
Also known as	NHØP
Born	May 27, 1946(1946-05-27)
Origin	Osted, Denmark
Died	April 19, 2005 (aged 58)
Genre(s)	Bop Hard bop Neo-bop
Occupation(s)	Double-bassist
Instrument(s)	Double-bass
Years active	1960s – 2000s
Associated acts	Kenny Drew Oscar Peterson

Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (IPA: [nils'hɛneŋ 'ɶɐ̥sd̥əð̥ 'pʰɛð̥ɐ̥sn]^{[citation needed]}, May 27, 1946 – April 19, 2005) was a Danish jazz bassist known for his impressive technique and an approach that could be considered an extension of the innovative work of Scott LaFaro. The "great Dane with the never-ending name", Pedersen was known simply as NHØP among many jazz fans. He was born in Osted near Roskilde, on the Danish island of Zealand.

As a child, Pedersen played piano. As a teenager, he started learning to play contrabass and at the age of 14, he began his professional jazz career in Denmark with his first band, Jazzkvintet 60, while studying. Later on he was engaged as the regular bassist at Copenhagen's Jazzhus Montmartre. At 17 he had already turned down an offer to join the Count Basie orchestra.

During the 1960s, Pedersen played with several important American jazzmen who were touring or resident in Denmark, including Ben Webster, Bill Evans, Brew Moore, Bud Powell, Count Basie, Dexter Gordon, Dizzy Gillespie, Jackie McLean, Roland Kirk, Sonny Rollins, and the vocalist Ella Fitzgerald. He became the bassist of choice whenever a big name musician was touring Copenhagen.

Preferring to remain in his native Denmark, Pedersen turned down an offer to become the regular bassist in the Oscar Peterson Trio following Ray Brown's departure. During visits to the United States, he also contributed to several critically panned avantgarde recordings; e.g., with Anthony Braxton, Albert Ayler and Archie Shepp.

Pedersen worked in a duo and trio arrangements with pianist Kenny Drew, recording over 50 albums together. He also worked with Stéphane Grappelli and recorded extensively as a leader. His best known songs are My little Anna, Jaywalkin and The Puzzle as well as jazz arrangements of traditional Danish folk songs. He was awarded the Nordic Council Music Prize in 1991.

Pedersen remained very active until his sudden death due to heart failure in 2005 at the age of 58 in Copenhagen, Denmark. His daughter is well known in the Danish rock scene.