“I’ll keep working as a smooth jazz sideman for whoever wants or needs me.  I enjoy that a lot.”

From Denmark to Los Angeles, and the guitar to the keyboards, these changes in the life of keyboardist Kim Hansen have led to a very lucrative career in the smooth jazz world. 

It all started back in Denmark.  Kim Hansen was born into a family with a great foundation in jazz music.   “Before I was born, my Dad did music for a living and had his own band.  My Mom was the singer in the band.  Dad played jazz guitar and vibes, too.  He wanted to get into the organ, which is why we had one in the house.  He never did, but that’s how I got started.”  Following in his Dad’s footsteps, Kim originally started out on the guitar when he was about seven or eight years old, and was taught by his father.  “I quickly lost interest [in the guitar] and started teaching myself on the organ.”

But long before actually picking up any instrument, Kim was influenced by the music that surrounded him.  “The first music I recall was when I must have been around 3. Every time I was put to bed to take an afternoon nap, my Dad either had Oscar Peterson or George Benson's “It's Uptown” on the turntable, and I was listening to that rather than sleeping - so that was my first influence.  For several years, starting when I was 8, all I would ever listen to was Jimmy McGriff.  I was totally fascinated with his soulful playing, and he was the reason I started playing the organ. I would hurry home from school and sit and listen to his albums for hours.”    Later on, Kim found Stevie Wonder and Earth, Wind & Fire, which led him to George Duke’s funk albums.  “I would say he was the reason I dropped the B3 and started playing Rhodes and synths. He was - and still is - a major inspiration. I just love his laid-back feel, and for me he defined what a synthesizer should sound like.”  Later on his taste in music took him to Herbie Hancock, Michael Brecker, Bill Evans, Steps Ahead, Chick Corea and a host of others into “fusion.”  His father also was a big help in introducing him to some great music, too. They shared the same love of jazz, “and even a lot of the fusion stuff. I still have fond memories of seeing him grooving and clapping on top of a table at a Stanley Clarke concert I brought him to in Copenhagen!”

Kim’s keyboard career began at age 10 when he started playing that organ his Dad had.  His keyboard abilities have mostly been self taught, but he found it difficult to move from the organ to the piano or Rhodes, a direction he wanted to go.  At that time, Kim decided to take classical piano lessons, which lasted for nearly two years.  But his touring schedule took over, and he continued to work it out himself.  He began his professional career at age 14 playing with a Danish pop band.  “I think I have always known that's what I wanted to do. And I started making money playing regularly when I was 14 - playing weddings and parties. I was going to get an education, but in my second year of college, I got an offer to go on tour with a pop band. My Dad thought I might as well find out if it was what I wanted to do.  I could always go back to college. But I never did. I've done music ever since.”

In Denmark, Kim was often seen on television as part of a band for TV shows.  He played with such artists as The Jackson 5 and Cliff Richard.  He has played in local jazz clubs around Copenhagen and has played orchestral music.  He served as musical director of several musicals in Copenhagen, too.  But coming to Los Angeles in 1997, has moved Kim into the smooth jazz world.  He started right away as the musical director for Maxine Nightingale and is currently a member of the bands of Michael Lington, Ricky Lawson, Bebe Winans, Bobby Lyle, and Everette Harp.

Hired as a keyboard player on a TV show, he met drummer, Ricky Lawson.  Kim notes, “Ricky Lawson has been a big help to me, I almost consider him my mentor.   I originally met him on a TV show, where I had by chance been hired as keyboard player.  Mainly I was hired to write the horn charts, and almost as an afterthought, I was asked to do the keyboard-chair. I was very nervous as Ricky was the drummer on the gig, and Gerald Albright and Sekou Bunch were there, too.  I didn't feel worthy to be in that company. I was so excited when Ricky booked me right then and there for an upcoming national tour - the 'Winans Family Reunion Tour' that he was Musical Director on, and I have been playing in his own band since then.  We have developed a great personal friendship.”  Since then Kim has performed and/or recorded with Michael Lington, Doc Powell, Bobby Lyle, Steve Oliver, Jeff Kasiwa, Paul Jackson, Jr., Steve Reid, Everette Harp, Warren Hill, Kirk Whalum, Niels, and many, many others.  His dream gig?  “I was sad to learn about Michael Brecker's passing recently.  He was one guy I could only dream of one day playing with. I think after having played with so many excellent smooth jazz artists it would be exciting to go on a big pop tour, like with Sting or Peter Gabriel. Or maybe Clapton!  One can always dream, right?!”

We can’t forget to note that Kim has also been a writer and producer and looks forward to getting into more of that.  “I am getting more and more into writing and producing jazz as well as pop/R&B. I just finished doing string arrangements for a full Gospel CD. I
would like to take that further into film/TV and am working on that.  Also, via my good friend Smitty Smith, I have had the pleasure to do a lot of Jazz & Gospel all-star shows where we get to be the band behind [a] list of people. This has been a blast, I hope to do more of those in the future.”

Does this very busy sideman have any down time?  Kim states, “My main stress-reliever in between playing and recording is mountain biking in the hills around where I live.”

With the number of people Kim plays with, you are guaranteed to see him on stage at a smooth jazz show in your area.  A big thanks goes out to Kim for taking time out of that busy schedule to give our readers some insight into his career.