Kai Winding facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kai Winding
|
|
|---|---|
Winding in New York, c. January 1947
|
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Kai Chresten Winding |
| Born | May 18, 1922 Aarhus, Denmark |
| Died | May 6, 1983 (aged 60) Yonkers, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer |
| Instruments | Trombone |
| Years active | 1940–1983 |
| Associated acts | J. J. Johnson, Paul Chambers, Benny Goodman |
Kai Chresten Winding (pronounced KY WIN-ding; May 18, 1922 – May 6, 1983) was a famous trombonist and jazz composer. He was born in Denmark but became an American citizen. Kai Winding is best known for his amazing musical teamwork with another trombonist, J. J. Johnson. One of his most popular songs was "More", which was the theme from the movie Mondo Cane. It became a big hit in 1963, reaching number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 music chart.
About Kai Winding's Life
Kai Winding was born in Aarhus, Denmark. His father was an American citizen, which meant Kai and his sisters were also U.S. citizens, even though they were born in another country. In 1934, his mother moved Kai and his two sisters, Ann and Alice, to the United States.
Kai finished high school in New York City in 1940. That same year, he started his career as a professional trombonist. He played with several bands, including Shorty Allen's, Sonny Dunham, and Alvino Rey. During World War II, he served in the United States Coast Guard.
Kai Winding's Musical Journey
After the war, Kai Winding joined Benny Goodman's orchestra. He also played with Stan Kenton's band. In 1949, he took part in some special recording sessions called Birth of the Cool. These sessions were very important in jazz history.
.jpg)
Photograph by William P. Gottlieb
In 1954, Kai Winding started working closely with fellow trombonist J. J. Johnson. They recorded many trombone duets together for different record labels. They even made an album called Jay & Kai + 6 (1956), which featured eight trombones and a special instrument called the trombonium. Kai Winding also wrote and arranged many of the songs they recorded.
Later Career and Famous Songs
In the 1960s, Kai Winding continued to make music. He released the first version of the song "Time Is On My Side" in 1963. This was before it became famous when recorded by Irma Thomas and The Rolling Stones.
His most successful song was "More", which was the theme song from the movie Mondo Cane. This song became a huge hit, reaching number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was his only song to reach the top 10. The song "More" featured a unique electronic instrument called the ondioline. Some people believe it was played by Jean-Jacques Perrey, a pioneer in electronic music.
Kai Winding continued to experiment with different musical groups and recorded solo albums. He even made an album of country music with the Anita Kerr Singers. He later joined an all-star jazz group called Giants of Jazz in 1971.
Kai Winding passed away in 1983 due to an illness. His son, Jai Winding, also became a musician, working as a keyboardist, writer, and producer in Los Angeles.
