Pierre Dørge - Bluu Afroo (2020)

Danish guitarist/composer/band leader Pierre Dørge and his 12-piece New Jungle Orchestra celebrate their 40th anniversary this year. Dørge conceived the idea of this almost-big band as a global jazz crossroad where the world music meets and interacts with post-bop jazz with a huge tilt towards West African music tradition.

The orchestra’s first big international breakthrough came in 1986 being invited to perform at the Chicago Jazz Festival for the enthusiastic 60,000 audiences on the same bill with Art Farmer, Benny Golson and Sarah Vaughan. Pierre Dørge and his NJO since then have been touring all over the world, performing over 2500 concerts in more than 60 countries. Their new album recorded live during their concert tour throughout Denmark last year features American star tenor saxophonist Stephen Riley who has been a NJO’s frequent guest on the scene.