WELCOME

Welcome to the official website of Mathias Heise, Danish jazz harmonica player, keyboardist, composer, and arranger.

Mathias Heise is one of the world’s leading harmonica players. He was born in 1993 in Rødovre, just outside Copenhagen, Denmark. He started playing harmonica at the age of seven, and a few years later he also took up piano and keyboards.

He attended the Rhythmic Music Conservatory in Copenhagen for a year, being the first student with the harmonica as his main instrument.

Awards

At the age of 20, Mathias Heise won the 2013 Chromatic Harmonica World Championship.

In 2015, he was awarded ‘New Jazz Star of The Year’ in Denmark. The same year his band Mathias Heise Quadrillion was nominated ‘Best New Jazz Act’ at Danish Music Awards.

In 2016, Mathias Heise received The Danish Crown Prince Couple’s prestigious Stardust Award – an award that is given to honor and highlight young Danish artists about to make an international break-through.

In March 2017, he was awarded the Ben Webster Prize, as the youngest recipient ever.

In 2018, Mathias Heise received an award from the Danish Arts Foundation for his work on the album The Beast with DR Big Band (see below). The award is presented to artists “who have created a work of particularly high artistic quality”, and the Danish Arts Foundation wrote:

“Young Mathias Heise may be described as something of a comet in the Danish jazz sky. This collaboration with DR Big Band marks one of the musical highlights in his artistic career so far.  
It is nothing short of impressive that a 25-year-old musician makes an album with a big band having written and arranged the music himself as well as performing as an outstanding soloist.
The title “The Beast” refers both to his own musical status and to the big band-format which for some may seem like an untamable beast. However, the big band is tamed in the utmost exquisite way resulting in a unique musical result that stands out as one of the most significant jazz albums of the year.”

The Beast was also nominated ‘Best Album’ at Danish Jazz Awards 2019.

And in April 2019 Mathias Heise received the Hartmann Diploma-Prize (of 20,000 Euros). The prize is awarded to younger persons who are “expected to contribute to a continuously positive development of the Danish society”.

Albums

So far, Mathias Heise has released three albums in his own name.

With his fusion group Mathias Heise Quadrillion he released his debut album Sudden Ascent in 2015.

This was followed by Decadence in 2017. Decadence was mixed and mastered by Erik Zobler, who has also worked with jazz fusion artists such as George Duke, Stanley Clarke and Al Jarreau.

For both albums Mathias Heise wrote most of the material as well as played harmonica and keyboards.

As of now, they are working on their third album for Giant Sheep Music.

The Beast (2018) showcases his collaboration with The Danish Radio Big Band. For this project he wrote and arranged all eight tracks as well as played harmonica and keyboards.

In addition to his own projects, he is a sought after sideman and guest artist by other bands and musicians.