HMR Project: History of Music & Modern Recording

The Jazz Violin of Svend Asmussen

Birth of Modern Jazz: Svend Asmussen

Svend Asmussen

Though Svend Asmussen wasn't known well in the United States he joins such as Joe Venuti, Stephane Grappelli and Stuff Smith as one of the finest swing jazz violinists of the 20th century. His virtuosity, however, was individualistic in smaller formations than the big band. Born on 28 February 1916 in Copenhagen, Denmark, Asmussen took up his instrument at age seven. He went pro as a trick fiddler in 1933. Performing in Copenhagen would put him in contact with American musicians visiting Europe such as Fats Waller and the Mills Brothers. His recording career on 78s began in 1934, releasing 'Jeg har min Chance i Maj' and 'Damen fra Villavejen' on His Master's Voice (X 4330 per August 21 session). Numerous issues were made in 1935 by HMV as well.

'Jeg har min Chance i Maj' ('I Have My Chance in May') Svend Asmussen Quartet

21 Aug 1934 in Copenhagen His Master's Voice (HMV) 4330

Guitar: Niels Foss Vocal: Lulu Ziegler

Composition: Sven Kristensen / Bernhard Christensen

'Sangen om Larsen' ('Song about Larsen') Svend Asmussen (violin)

23 Aug 1935 in Copenhagen HMV X 4512

Guitar: Niels Foss Vocal: Helge Rungwald

Choir: Bernhard Christensen / Sven Møller Kristensen

Composition: Hermann Koppel / Bernhard Christensen

'Jazz Popourri I' Svend Asmussen (violin)

1937 in Copenhagen Matrix 583 Tono X 5028

'On the Sunny Side of the Street'

'Georgia'

'Goodnight Sweethearts'

'Jazz Popourri II' Svend Asmussen (violin)

1937 in Copenhagen Matrix 584 Tono X 5028

'Some of These Days'

'Sweet Sue, Just You'

'I Can't Give You Anything But Love'

'Whispering'

'Det er min stille Bøn' ('This Is My Silent Prayer') Svend Asmussen (violin)

1937 in Copenhagen Matrix 585 Tono 5019

Vocal: Rose Marie

Music: Kai Normann Andersen Lyrics: Mogens Dam

'Fiddler Magazine' notes a collection of 15 CDs containing Asmussen recordings from 1935 to 1955 on the now nonexistent Swan and Thora labels. Nothing more about that is known. Be as may, Asmussen recordings from 1935 to 1940 have been issued on 'Musical Miracle Vol 1' per 1994 by Phontastic. Recordings from 1937 to 1944 have been collected on 'Danish Jazz Vol 6' (Storyville). Recordings from 1941 to 1950 were issued in 1995 on 'Phenomenal Fiddler Vol 2', also Phontastic.

Asmussen also performed in swing bands on cruise ships, which is how he met Josephine Baker in 1938. Three tunes of his were used in the 1939 film, 'En Lille Tilfaeldighed'. Asmussen was one of few musicians yet alive who could speak of jazz in Europe of personal experience in the days before World War II and during that conflict. World War II put a jail cell across his upwardly mobile path when he was arrested by the Gestapo as a so-called prominent citizen in 1943 and detained in Berlin. His release was somehow managed before the War ended and he began to tour Europe when it did (May 1945).

'Sweet Sue' Svend Asmussen (violin)

1937 in Copenhagen Matrix OCS-1083 HMV X 6212

Clarinet / tenor sax: Henry Hageman

Guitar: Oscar Aleman / Helge Jacobsen

Bass: Alfred Rasmussen Drums: Bibi Miranda

Music: Victor Young 1928 Lyrics: Will J. Harris

'Søde Drømme' ('Good-Night Angel') Svend Asmussen (violin)

26 Nov 1939 in Copenhagen Matrix Kpo3367 Odeon D 374

Vocal: Peter Sørensen

Composition: Wrubel/John Leflang

'Honeysuckle Rose' Svend Asmussen (violin / vocal)

26 July 1940 in Copenhagen Matrix Kpo3516 Odeon D 374

Trumpet / clarinet: Svend Hauberg (guitar)

Guitar: Helge Jacobsen

Piano: Kjeld Bonfils (vibes)

Bass: Christian Jensen Drums: Erik Frederiksen

Composition: Fats Waller / Andy Razaf

'My Blue Heaven' Svend Asmussen (violin . vocal)

26 July 1940 in Copenhagen Matrix Kpo3517 Odeon D 404

Trumpet / clarinet: Svend Hauberg (guitar)

Guitar: Helge Jacobsen

Piano: Kjeld Bonfils (vibes)

Bass: Christian Jensen Drums: Erik Frederiksen

Composition: Fats Waller / Andy Razaf

'The Booglie Wooglie Piggie' Svend Asmussen (violin)

1942 in Sweden Harmonia 3D EP 5595

Trumpet / clarinet: Svend Hauberg (guitar)

Guitar: Helge Jacobsen

Piano: Kjeld Bonfils (vibes)

Bass: Christian Jensen Drums: Erik Frederiksen

Composition: Fats Waller / Andy Razaf

'Five Minutes More' Svend Asmussen Quintet (violin)

23 Jan 1947 in Stockholm Matrix 7465 Odeon D 5273

Music: Sammy Cahn 1946 Lyrics: Jule Styne

'Lattjo med Boccaccio' Svend Asmussen Film

Film released in Sweden 27 Nov 1949 Directed by Gösta Bernhard

'Seven Beautiful Girls In a Ring'

'Ping-pong Song'

'Musical Train Journey'

Guitar: Ulrik Neumann

'I Ain't Got Nobody' Svend Asmussen (violin / vocal)

1955 in Copenhagen

See the album 'Asmussen Moods' on Philips B10575R / Epic LN3210

Clarinet: Svend Hauberg (guitar) Guitar: Jørgen Ingmann

Piano / vibes: Max Leth

Bass: Børge Ring Drums: Erik Frederiksen

Music: Spencer Williams 1915 Lyrics: Roger A. Graham

In the late fifties Asmussen formed the Swe-Danes, a trio with guitarist, Ulrik Neumann, and singer, Alice Babs. That ensemble's first session is thought to have been held in Stockholm, Sweden, on April 27 of 1959 for 'Side By Side'. The Swe-Danes toured the United States as well. Neumann and Asmusssen went back to 1936 for an unissued recording "Honeysuckle Rose' in Copenhagen, Denmark. Neumann backed Asmussen numerously through the years. In October of 1959 they recorded a suite of duets in Hollywood to get issued as 'Danish Imports' in 1961. Asmussen and Babs would issue 'Äntligen!' as late as 1972.

'Scandinavian Shuffle' Svend Asmussen (violin / vocal) w the Swe-Danes

Television 4 March 1961

Guitar: Ulrik Neumann (vocal) Vocal: Alice Babs

Composition: Svend Asmussen

'Lonely Woman' Svend Asmussen (violin)

From album recorded 2/3 July 1962: 'European Encounter''

Piano: John Lewis Bass: Jimmy Woode Drums: Sture Kallin

Composition: Ornette Coleman

'If I Were Eve' Svend Asmussen (violin)

From album recorded 2/3 July 1962: 'European Encounter''

Piano: John Lewis Bass: Jimmy Woode Drums: Sture Kallin

Composition: John Lewis

Asmussen had made another rare appearance in the States in 1967 at the Monterey Jazz Festival following the release of 'Violin Summit' the previous year with Stephane Grappelli, Stuff Smith and Jean-Luc Ponty. Asmussen and Grappelli had first recorded together in Paris in February of 1963 upon a tour to Europe by Duke Ellington, those titles to find issue in 1976 on 'Duke Ellington's Jazz Violin Session'. The next year (1964) Asmussen and Grappelli co-led 'Two of a Kind'. On January 24 of 1988 Asmussen supported Grappelli with pianist, Martial Solal, on 'Olympia 1988'. As for Smith, he and Asmussen would co-lead 'Hot Violins' in 1966 in Copenhagen.

'Don't Get Around Much Anymore' Svend Asmussen (violin)

22 Feb 1963

Grappelli out Piano: Duke Ellington

Bass: Ernie Shepard Drums: Sam Woodyard

Music: Duke Ellington 1940 Lyrics: Bob Russell

'Love Is Back' Svend Asmussen (violin)

Album recorded 23/24 Jan 1965 See 'Two of a Kind' on Storyville SLP 4088 1984

Violin: Grappelli Guitar: Ole Molin / Jorn Grauengaard

Bass: Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen Drums: William Schiopffe

Composition: Stephane Grappelli

'Ring Dem Bells' Svend Asmussen (violin) Quintet Television 1965

Composition: Duke Ellington / Irving Mills

May 18 of 1972 found Asmussen performing on Swedish television with conductor, Eric Ericson, titles to get issued on 'Kammarkoren & Eric Ericson Moter Sven Asmussen'. Another such performance on June 5 of 1973 witnessed 'Kammarkören & Eric Ericson Möter Svend Asmussen Igen'. November of 1972 had seen Asmussen and Toots Thielemans co-leading 'Toots & Svend'. November of 1986 found them at Fat Tuesdays' in NYC with the David Grisman Quintet to record 'Svingin' with Svend'.

The seventies found Asmussen working closely with clarinetist, Putte Wickman. They issued 'Musik I Kyrkan' in 1975 and 'Spelar För Er' in 1977. In 1999 Asmussen laid tracks for 'Still Fiddling', released in 2002. 'Makin' Whoopee...and Music!' appeared in 2009. He died at age 100 in Dronningmølle, Denmark, on 7 February 2017 [obit]. Asmussen is the father of guitar player, Claus Asmussen born in 1949.