“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. |