Mads Tolling & Jacob Fischer: A Tribute to Svend Asmussen

Danish jazz violinist Svend Asmussen, known worldwide as  “The Fiddling Viking,” was greatly loved throughout Scandinavia. From the age of 15 until Asmussen’s death last year, San Francisco-based Danish violinist Mads Tolling kept in frequent contact with the older musician, who counseled him on his early musical training. Asmussen later donated a large chunk of his music collection to Mads, including many handwritten charts.

In this performance honoring the musician, Mads Tolling and Danish guitarist Jacob Fischer (a 20-year member of Svend Asmussen’s quartet) will play a mix of tunes that span Asmussen’s career, ranging from his early 1940s and ’50s collaborations with guitarist Ulrik Neumann up to his more recent quartet works.

Songs on the program will include “June Night” and the Swe-Danes hit “Scandinavian Shuffle,” the Danish folk tune “I Skovens Dybe Stille Ro,” and songs from the Great American Songbook.

Mads Tolling and Jacob Fischer’s new album, Celebrating Svend Asmussen, will be available on this tour of the U.S. and Canada.