Kai Peter Anthon Ewans (né Nielsen; April 10, 1906 – April 4, 1988) was a Danish-American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

reedist A reed (or lamella) is a thin strip of material that vibrates to produce a sound on a musical instrument. Most woodwind instrument reeds are made from ''Arundo donax'' ("Giant cane") or synthetic material. Tuned reeds (as in harmonicas and ac ...

. Ewans was born in Hørsholm, Denmark. He played initially as a banjoist, but switched to saxophone in 1923 when he formed the Blues Jazz Band. The group disbanded in 1924, after which Ewans was with Valdemar Eiberg's ensemble from 1924 to 1926. He adopted the name Ewans in 1927, and led Denmark's first

big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s an ...

in 1927–28, thereafter leading bands in Belgium and Germany through 1931. Following this he played with

Bernard Etté Bernard Etté (September 13, 1898, Kassel - September 26, 1973, Mühldorf) was a German jazz and light music violinist and conductor. Etté was the son of a hairdresser and studied music formally at the Louis Spohr Conservatory in Kassel. He init ...

, Kai Julian (1931–32), and Eric Tuxen (1932–36). He founded a new big band including mostly musicians from Tuxen's ensemble in 1936, and recorded with

Benny Carter Bennett Lester Carter (August 8, 1907 – July 12, 2003) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader. With Johnny Hodges, he was a pioneer on the alto saxophone. From the beginning of his career ...

that year. The band recorded copiously in the 1940s.

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

wrote: "Ewans was a potent force behind the development of interest in jazz, and in particular in big band, swing-era-style music in Denmark. His bands were always disciplined, well-rehearsed and enthusiastic outfits, reflecting the best qualities of the leader." The big band dissolved in 1947, and after this Ewans worked in business in the U.S., moving to California in 1956. From 1960 to 1964 he ran a restaurant with Carter in Beverly Hills, and later in the decade returned to Copenhagen to play again. He retired to Connecticut late in life, and died there on April 4, 1988. His granddaughter, Vanessa Trump, was married to

Donald Trump Jr. Donald John Trump Jr. (born December 31, 1977) is an American political activist, businessman, author, and former television presenter. He is the eldest child of Donald Trump, 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021, and his firs ...

, and Kai Trump, their daughter, Ewans' great-granddaughter, is named after him.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ewans, Kai 1906 births 1988 deaths Danish jazz saxophonists Male saxophonists Danish emigrants to the United States Trump family 20th-century saxophonists Male jazz musicians 20th-century male musicians

See also

References