René Mogensen, Composer and Saxophonist:
Info for Jazz-fans

Contact René Mogensen by e-mail at: [email protected]

René Mogensen started on the soprano saxophone around the age of 7, studied jazz and other music at Eastman School of Music, the University of Rochester (BA), and New York University (MA), and has performed extensively with his own combo for some 10 years in Upstate New York and New York City. During that time, he also performed as a sideman in various groups, lead by David Ullman, Woochang Lee, Johnny Russo, and many others. Preferring to perform on the soprano and tenor saxophones, René offers a warm and powerful sound, with high lyric quality in the modern jazz arena. According to the Norway Times in New York, his performance "...does more than just entertain the audience - he mesmerizes spectators..." He has written many jazz tunes, also works for bigbands, and his music "exhibits a real talent for writing." according to SOS Jazz, Ohio, USA. His music is"Honey for the ears" according to Ugeavisen for Varde, Denmark. His combo have included Tom Beyer (drums/perc.), Steve Brown (guitar), Pat Cosmo (guitar), George Reed (drums), Tony Moreno (drums), Ron Velosky (bass), Woody Peters (trumpet), David Ullman (guitar), Jeff Barone (guitar), and many others...

Albums featuring René Mogensen's music, of special interest to jazz fans: 

listen to audio tracks on MySpace.com/ReneMogensenJazz

NEW November 2005: René Mogensen Quintet: Jazz in Culture, on Wassard Jazz, NY (Wassard 2039), first released 1994, now available digitally for the first time via download from internet music shops based in Denmark. Look for Rene Mogensen in the web shops (samples of the music available there as well):   musik.bilka.dk   www.payload.dk  musik.foetex.dk Index of web music shops at: www.phonofile.dk Jazz quintet consisting of trumpet, saxophone, guitar, bass, drums. Includes the tracks It's a Long Swim, Whatever, Just Minutes Away, On the Way to Brooklyn, Solitary Woman I & II, Mars, Stanley Brown. "This combo delivers some solid tunes, adding fresh bop and West Coast touches. Excellent production." Musicians Exchange, New York City, USA. "The music, composed by Mogensen, exhibits a real talent for writing." SOS Jazz, Ohio, USA. "Honey for the ears" Ugeavisen for Varde, Denmark.

New CD David Ullman: Hidden (2005) available on WetCash Records by the David Ullman jazz group based in New York City. The tracks include a recent recording of Mogensen's jazz piece Where Do We Go? and Mogensen is also featured on saxophone on the Ullman original entitled Waterfall. "Hidden is pleasure for jazz and non-jazz listeners alike. David Ullmann's compositions have a depth, intimacy and singularity that resonate with warmth and emotion. Ullmann and his supporting cast organically combine a diversity of musical influences across genres as the album unfolds, uncovering "hidden" gems throughout." Eli Wolf, Senior Director, A and R, Blue Note Records

Mogensen appears on saxophone, on pianist Woochang Lee's jazz cd release Selfless Self available at Notation Records in South Korea. Contains recordings from New York City.

René Mogensen at the Knitting Factory, two downloadable internet releases in Liquid Audio format, will be available from the Knitting Factory. Live concert recordings, including Three Fragments and other works, from concerts on July 23, and December 17, 2000.

Johnny Russo: Wa Copenhagen Bound, East Hill Music Group, NY (EHMG3), released 1998. Mogensen appears as tenor sax soloist with singer/song-writer Johnny Russo. "There's certainly a place for Russo's distinctive style on allmost anyone's music shelf." - The Ithaca Journal, NY, USA.

René Mogensen: Waves, on Wassard Jazz, NY (Wassard 2990), 1996. Mogensen: leader, composer, saxophonist. Music composed for the modern dance production Waves by the Klixbüll Dance Co., NY. "Mogensen serves up some out, moody and generally not-your-typical standard jazz pieces that definitely make you feel..." - The Music Paper, NY, USA.

Stream, on Hwa Eum Records, Korea (HD-1068), 1995. Jazz 4tet with Mogensen as co-leader, tenor- and soprano-saxophonist, and composer. Includes originals Where Do We Go?, Something Lost, Possibilities, and More Possibilities by René Mogensen. "The quartet shows that its colorful side continues to flow as the group covers contemporary jazz with all its unrefined 'modernness' and once again moves into new directions", Jin-mook Kim, music critic, Korea. See more information about this release in the Korean music database. Re-release of jazz quartet cd Stream made available at Notation Records in South Korea in 2004.

Woochang Lee Big Band in New York City available at Notation in South Korea. Contains 1995 big band recordings from New York City including Mogensen performing on Tenor saxophone.

Lists of Mogensen's concerts and other music events in: 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005.