Christian Winther

Saxophonist, clarinetist and composer  Christian Winther was introduced to jazz by his fathers albums of masters such as Louis Armstrong, Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane. At age 11 Winther began playing the clarinet, soon after switching to saxophone.
He studied with saxophonist Darryl Barber in Copenhagen and attended the Skidmore Jazz Institute N.Y. where he was encouraged to continue his studies in jazz by the legend Milt Hinton.
Winther enrolled at the University of New Orleans Jazz Program, studying with Ellis Marsalis and Harold Batiste.

Christian Winther has been based in New Orleans since 1997. He has established himself as a voice demanding attention on the jazz scene through his soulful sound and a style of composing that exudes an expressive melodious quality. Winther’s saxophone style is rooted in the jazz tradition, but he exerts an openness that allows him to draw on many influences in creating and sharing his story in sound.
Winther has toured the US, Europe and Middle east as the leader of the Christian Winther Quartet where the band has been featured at prominent festivals, concert halls and clubs.  He has released four recordings on the renowned Steeplechase label and his most recent recording “Refuge In Sound” on his own label (Sound Perspective Music). Winther has collaborated as a sideman with many of New Orleans finest jazz artists and is a regular performer at Preservation Hall. Winther was chosen twice to serve as a music panelist for The National Endowment for the Arts.

Winther’s latest recording “Refuge In Sound” earned him critical acclaim from national and international jazz publications and features a set of all original compositions by the the leader. Jazztimes – “Refuge in Sound” proves more than Christian Winther’s virtuosity and talent in composing, even though both are eminently true. It is a revelation of the heart and mind of the artist”. Allaboutjazz gave it 4 1/2 stars and called it “A jewel of an album that seems to sparkle all over, Winther and crew present a glowing landscape of contemporary jazz deserving of attention”. Offbeat magazine says of Winther – “While swinging is often at the forefront, a refreshing element is the ease of how Winther moves both to more free ranging realms, while he glances back to the musics tradition”.

Some of the musicians Winther has performed and/or recorded with include: Ali Jackson, Shannon Powell, Herlin Riley, Billy Drummond, Peter Martin, Vincent Gardner, Marcus Printup, Richard D. Johnson, Rodney Green, Reuben Rogers, Mike Moreno.