“Denmark have got themselves a World-class crooner.”
Jan Granlie, Salt-peanuts.eu, Norway
“He dances like Astaire”
George W. Harris, Jazz Weekly, USA
2019 RELEASE
SPECIAL
Seductive modern crooner jazz album
“Together they share a sophisticated musicality that is not too solemn to indulge in the irresistible, whistling jazz-pop pleasure of “Maybe I’m Too Blind to See,” a bona fide radio hit. “. . . read more
★ ★ ★ ★ Jakob Baekgaard, All About Jazz, USA
“Here’s a modern day crooner that you’re gonna like.”
“…he gives a nice hep slink alongside Vang on “Crazy” and gives a poppish feel a la Barry Manilow on the upbeat “Maybe I’m Too Blind To See.”
“…he dances like Astaire to Lund’s brushes on the suave “Fascinating Rhythm.”
. . . read more George W. Harris, Jazz Weekly, USA
“Pour clore cette vitrine estivale, un disque sorti le… 08 juin dernier. Eh quoi ? On a le droit d’être à la bourre, non ? Bref. Vous connaissez Toft Olsen ? Nous oui, depuis peu. Et on a bien aimé la tessiture et le grain de ce chanteur danois, l’économie de moyen dont il fait preuve et sa capacité à habiter les chansons qu’il interprète accompagné par un trio classique piano/contrebasse/batterie qui sait se fondre dans l’esprit musical du crooner. On a écrit crooner, oui, oui, car dans l’ensemble c’est un disque qui fricote avec le romantisme. “. . . read more Yves Dorison, Culture Jazz, France
“. . . altdominerende autencitet der vækker reminiscenser af Mark Murphy og især Chet Bakers vokaludgivelser. ” ”Toft Olsens fire egenkompositioner, hvor navnlig ‘Maybe I’m Too Blind To See’ og ‘Giving It To My Baby’ demonstrerer tydelig tæft for at skrue nyskabende, langtidsholdbare sange sammen indenfor vokaljazzgenren”. . . read more ★ ★ ★ ★ Martin Loft, LOFTsKAMMER, Denmark
Så er Toft Olsen på spil igen – og denne gang skarpere end nogensinde. Århusianske Hans Toft-Olsen er crooner by heart. . . . read more Niels Overgaard, jazznyt.com, Denmark
“Capac anbefaler. . .en skøn plade, der er den bedst tænkelige ambassadør for crooner-jazzen.”. . . read more Capac.dk, Denmark
“Den danske crooners bedste album til dato “. . . read more Ivan Rod, Denmark
Credits SPECIAL
TOFT-OLSEN – vocal
Heine Hansen – piano
Thomas Vang – bass
Morten Lund – drums
Produced & Arranged by TOFT-OLSEN
Recorded November 28, 2018 & August 23, 2017
The Village Recording, Copenhagen
Technique Thomas Vang, ass. Johan Jørgensen, ass. Jonas Lyngdam
Mindless Studio, Aarhus
Editing by Flemming Bloch, TOFT-OLSEN
Mixed, Mastered by Flemming Bloch
CoverArt/Photo by Jesper Seneca
Get the Digital Booklet – iTunes/Amazon
Download / Stream
2018 RELEASE
F O U R
Sublime romantic vocal jazz album
“Denmark have got themselves a World-class crooner.” ”He knows the extent and limitations of his voice, fully using the potential with perfect timing, phrasing and swing”. . . read more Jan Granlie, Salt-peanuts.eu, Norway (translated)
“Den inledande låten med albumtiteln Four fullkomligt knockar mig!” ”Var har vårt grannland Danmark gömt denna artist?”. . . read more P-O Larsson, OrkesterJournalen, Sweden
“Four is a lovely album of ballads and songs with delicate rhythms and soft swing. It shows that Toft·Olsen has arrived as a crooner and jazz singer with a secure sense of repertoire. Hopefully he will continue exploring the avenues of jazz with his quartet.” ”Light with understated bass notes and smooth with rough edges, he rarely soars, but instead shapes the stories with a musical sense of pause and intonation”. . . read more
★ ★ ★ ★ Jakob Baekgaard, All About Jazz, USA
“While he’s a hip bopper of the title track is wonderful, his closing duet with Hansen on “As Time Goes By” is as a saloon piece as Ol’ Blue Eyes ever did. The Chairman as a tenor?”. . . read more George W. Harris, Jazz Weekly, USA
“Respect” . . . read more Henrik Wolsgaard-Iversen, Jazz Special, Denmark
“Jazz, singing, and luxury. Champagne, love, and all night ahead.” ”He creates the ambience for the first stages of the mating ritual, with deep eye contact”. . . read more Niels Overgaard, jazznyt.com, Denmark (translated)
“But on top of it all, the well-groomed and finely adjusted baryton voice of Toft·Olsen shines, treating the songs with equal part tenderness and respect.” ”He garnishes 11 of the best songs from the great American songbook with insight, empathy, maturity and love”. . . read more
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Martin Loft, LOFTsKAMMER, Denmark (translated)
Credits F O U R
TOFT-OLSEN – vocal
Heine Hansen – piano
Thomas Vang – bass
Morten Lund – drums
Produced & Arranged by TOFT-OLSEN
Recorded August 23, 2017
The Village Recording, Copenhagen
Technique Johan Jørgensen, Thomas Vang
Mindless Studio, Aarhus
Editing by Flemming Bloch, TOFT-OLSEN
Mixed, Mastered by Flemming Bloch
CoverArt/Photo by Jesper Seneca
Get the Digital Booklet – iTunes/Amazon
Download / Stream
The Village Recording, Copenhagen August 23, 2017. Photography by Jesper Seneca
2017 RELEASE
KINKY BEAT
“I fell in love with Kinky Beat before I even knew it”
“The debut contains a fair number of gems.”
All About Jazz, USA
Download / Stream
Credits KINKY BEAT
TOFT-OLSEN – leadvocal, piano on 8, backup vocals
Hans Esbjerg – piano, keyboards & organ
Ida Nielsen – bass
Sune Haansbæk – guitars
Jesper Bo Knudsen – drums
Birgitte Frieboe (3,4,8,9,10) backup vocals
Nikolai Bøgelund (4,6) trombone
Kristian Gislason (6) percussion
Arranged by TOFT-OLSEN
Vocal & Horn arr. by TOFT-OLSEN
Music by TOFT-OLSEN, lyrics by MARK DAVIES
except 4 music by PETER VUUST, 6 & 8 lyrics by NIELS OLSEN, 11 by TOFT-OLSEN
Recorded 1999 at BIRDLAND, Aarhus/Denmark by GISLASON.
Vocals recorded by MORTEN ERIKSEN.
Mixing by GISLASON/TOFT-OLSEN
Mastering Flemming Bloch
CoverArt/Photo Jesper Seneca
Download / Stream