Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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WINDING, Kai

(b Kai Chresten Winding, 18 May 1922, Aarhus, Denmark; d 6 May 1983) Trombone. To USA at age twelve; worked with Stan Kenton, Charlie Ventura, Tadd Dameron late '40s; he played on Miles Davis Birth of the Cool session '48, and co-led a quintet with J. J. Johnson '54-6 which was one of the most popular jazz acts of the '50s, restoring the trombone to its rightful place after some neglect in early modern jazz. He led a four-trombone sextet '56-61 (Brass Fever and Incredible Trombones on Impulse); he was music director of Playboy Clubs in the 1960s; toured with Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk etc. in Giants of Jazz in the early 1970s, and was semi-retired in Spain.

He toured with Lionel Hampton '79, and in a two-trombone group with Curtis Fuller (Bones '80 on Black and Blue). Other LPs: Solo, Dirty Dog, Rainy Day, More Brass on Verve; Verve single 'More' (theme from film Mondo Cane) was a top ten pop hit '63. With Sonny Stitt on Early Modern on Hall of Fame Jazz; reunions with Johnson on Israel, Betwixt And Between, Stonebones on A&M; Jazz Showcase '77 on Gateway; Caravan and Danish Blue on Glendale, Lionel Hampton Presents on Who's Who, all with Frank Strazzeri (b 24 April 1930, Rochester NY; d there 9 May 2014; pianist/composer and studio stalwart who also played vibes, reeds, etc); Duo Bones '78 on Red with Dino Piana and three others.