Salt Sea Atlas Kathrine Windfeld

• 1 Svendborg Silhouette 06:00
• 2 Lakeside Lament 03:40
• 3 Going Feral 07:38
• 4 River Of Haikus 05:50
• 5 Concrete Ballerina 03:19
• 6 Secrets Of The Permafrost 04:29
• 7 Immortal Horseman 08:18
• 8 Time & Tide 04:12
• Total Runtime 43:26

Info for Salt Sea Atlas

Over the past ten years, Kathrine Windfeld has established herself as a distinctive voice on the European jazz scene. As a composer, arranger and bandleader, she moves effortlessly between complex compositions and energetic improvisation. Vast harmonic landscapes meet powerful grooves and a keen sense of melody. Her music combines compositional precision with a lively, spontaneous and deeply human expressiveness.

With numerous international awards and accolades – including the prestigious Rising Stars Jazz Award, European Edition, in 2020 – Windfeld has built up an extensive and critically acclaimed body of work since her debut album AIRCRAFT (2015). This was followed by LATENCY (2017), ORCA (2020), DETERMINATION (2021) and the sextet album ALDEBARAN (2024). Both AIRCRAFT and ALDEBARAN were honoured with a Danish Music Award.

Kathrine Windfeld (born 1984) studied jazz piano at the Malmö Academy of Music. Even before completing her Bachelor’s degree in 2016, she founded her big band, which made its debut in 2014. Since then, she has made a name for herself internationally as a composer, arranger and conductor, demonstrating an extraordinary ability to both master and rethink the big band format.

With her new album *SALT SEA ATLAS*, Windfeld presents eight compositions that explore duality and contrasts – both in the external world and in the inner emotional landscape. The music is performed by various line-ups: a 17-piece big band, an 11-piece ensemble, a septet and a quintet. This creates an extraordinary range of sound and dynamics.

The recordings, supervised by August Wanngren at The Village Recording Studio in Copenhagen, were completed in just two days and demanded the utmost concentration from Windfeld and the musicians involved. The first day was devoted to the smaller ensembles, whilst the big band material was recorded on the second day.



SALT SEA ATLAS is Kathrine Windfeld’s most ambitious work to date in an already impressive and highly decorated career. The album once again showcases her extraordinary ability to combine compositional complexity with an immediate emotional impact. Across various ensemble configurations and a broad emotional spectrum, the full scope of her artistic vision unfolds—all while remaining profoundly human.

With SALT SEA ATLAS, Kathrine Windfeld cements her position as one of Europe’s most exciting jazz composers and bandleaders, further underscoring her status as a unique artistic voice.

Kathrine Windfeld, piano, composition & bandleader
Casper Hejlesen, guitar
Johannes Vaht, double bass
Jakob Roland, double bass
Henrik Holst Hansen, drums
André Bak, trumpet

Tomasz Dąbrowski, trumpet Rolf Thofte, trumpet
Jakob Sørensen, trumpet
Peter Dahlgren, trombone
Anders Larson, trombone
Tobias Stavngaard, trombone
Annette Saxe, bass trombone
Kasper Wagner, alto saxophone, flute
Magnus Thuelund, alto saxophone, flute
Hannes Bennich, soprano saxophone

Kathrine Windfeld
is considered one of the most exciting and refreshing new Scandinavian jazz composers and arrangers in many years.

Her breathtaking compositions thrive on a rare combination of delicacy and strength: A colorful meeting of sophisticated harmonic passages, driving grooves and poetic ballads in explosive arrangements.

Kathrine Windfeld has been leading her big band and sextet for 15 years and has been touring in 20+ countries. In 2022 she went on two tours in Brazil, performing her music in sold out concert halls in Sao Paulo.

Her five multiple awarded releases have led to raving reviews in countless international publications like Le Monde (F), Jazzwise (UK), Jazzthing (DE) and Downbeat (USA).

Her recent album with Kathrine Windfeld Sextet ALDEBARAN (2024) won a Danish Music Award Jazz: “Live Act of The Year” and was nominated “composer of the year”

Furthermore, the album has received superlatives in leading international media.

Windfeld has shared stage with international greats like Mike Stern, Seamus Blake Immanuel Wilkins and Gilad Hekselman.

As the only European musician, she won the prestigious “Rising Stars Jazz Award” in London 2020, followed by a Europe tour on seven top festivals.

In 2022 she received the honorable “Ben Webster Prize” for her unique revitalization of the big band genre.

Besides touring with her own big band and sextet, Kathrine Windfeld is an in-demand guest composer. She has performed with top-class orchestras like Frankfurt Radio Big Band (DE), Cologne Contemporary Jazz Orchestra (DE) Bohuslän Big Band (SE), Espinho Jazz Orchestra (PT) and UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra (FI) among others.

"Windfeld has proven to be a genuine powerhouse artist and composer” - UK VIBE (UK) 5/5 *****

"Windfeld is one of the most interesting and original creators in jazz today." - Culture Jazz

"Kathrine Windfeld has quickly established herself on the Danish jazz scene with her outstanding skills as composer and arranger, primarily in the modern big band genre. Her talent is combined with a fantastic musical enthusiasm and a strong drive." - Danish Arts Foundation

This album contains no booklet.