John Tchicai

John Martin Tchicai ( ; 28 April 1936 – 8 October 2012) was a Danish free jazz saxophonist and composer.

Biography Tchicai was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, to a Danish mother and a Congolese father. The family moved to Aarhus, where he studied violin when young, and in his mid-teens began playing clarinet and alto saxophone, focusing on the latter. By the late 1950s, he was travelling around northern Europe, playing with many musicians.

In 1962, he met trumpeter Bill Dixon and saxophonist Archie Shepp at a festival in Helsinki, Finland. He also played on a number of influential free jazz recordings, including Shepp's Four for Trane, Albert Ayler's New York Eye and Ear Control, John Coltrane's Ascension, and the Jazz Composer's Orchestra's Communication.

Following his work in New York, Tchicai returned to Denmark in 1966, and shortly thereafter focused most of his time on music education. He formed the small orchestra Cadentia Nova Danica with Danish and other European musicians;

2021 saw the publication of a biography titled A Chaos with Some Kind of Order, written by Margriet Naber, Tchicai's former wife and collaborator for 20 years, and published by Ear Heart Mind Media. Writer Richard Williams called the book an "intimate and valuable account of (Tchicai's) life and work".

Discography As leader / co-leader 1968: Cadentia Nova Danica (Polydor) with Karsten Vogel, Hugh Steinmetz, Kim Menzer, Max Brüel, Steffen Andersen, Giorgio Musoni, Yvan Krill, Robidoo 1969: Afrodisiaca (MPS) with Cadentia Nova Danica 1975: Willi the Pig (Willisau) with Irène Schweizer, Buschi Niebergall, Makaya Ntshoko 1977: Darktown Highlights (Storyville) with Simon Spang-Hanssen, Peter Danstrup, Ole Roemer 1977: Real Tchicai (SteepleChase) with Pierre Dørge, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen 1977: Solo (FMP) with Albert Mangelsdorff 1978: Barefoot Dance (Marge) with André Goudbeek 1978: Duets (SVM) with André Goudbeek 1978: John Tchicai & Strange Brothers (FMP) with Peter Danstrup, Ole Rømer, Simon Spang-Hansen 1980: Live In Athens (Praxis) (solo concert) 1981: Continent (Praxis) with Hartmut Geerken 1983: Merlin Vibrations (Plainisphare) with the John Tchicai Orchestra 1985: Cassava Balls (Praxis) with Hartmut Geerken, Don Moye 1987: The African Tapes Volume 1 (Praxis) with Hartmut Geerken, Don Moye 1987: Timo's Message (Black Saint) with Christian Kuntner, Thomas Dürst, Timo Fleig 1987: Put Up The Fight (Storyville) 1988: The African Tapes Volume 2 (Praxis) with Hartmut Geerken, Don Moye 1988: Tchicai / Clinch (Olufsen Records) with Clinch (Christer Irgens-Møller, Peter Friis-Nielsen, Pierre Oliver Jürgens) 1992: Satisfaction (Enja) with Vitold Rek 1993: Grandpa's Spells (Storyville) with Misha Mengelberg 1995: Love Is Touching (B&W) with the Archetypes 1998: Love Notes From The Madhouse (8th Harmonic Breakdown) with Yusef Komunyakaa 1999: Life Overflowing (Nada) with Charlie Kohlhase 2000: John Tchicai's Infinitesimal Flash (Buzz Records) with Francis Wong, Adam Lane, Mat Marucci 2001: Anybody Home? (Tutl) 2001: 2 X 2 (Taso) with Vitold Rek and Karl Berger 2002: On Top of Your Head (Ninth World) 2003: Hope Is Bright Green Up North (CIMP) with Pierre Dørge and Lou Grassi 2003: Dos (CIMP) with Adam Lane 2005: John Tchicai With Strings (Treader) 2005: Big Chief Dreaming (Soul Note) with Garrison Fewell, Massimo Manzi, Tino Tracanna, Paolino Dalla Porta 2005: Hymne til Sofia – Hymn to Sophia (Calibrated) with Kristian Høeg, Ib Bindel, Frederik Magle, Peter Ole Jørgensen, and others 2006: Witch's Scream (TUM) with Andrew Cyrille and Reggie Workman 2006: Good Night Songs (Boxholder) with Charlie Kohlhase and Garrison Fewell 2007: Boiler (Ninth World Music) with Thomas Agergaard, Peter Ole Jørgensen, Sirone 2008: Coltrane In Spring (ILK Music) with Jonas Müller, Nikolas Munch-Hansen, and Kresten Osgood 2008: No Trespassing (Azzurra) with Ice9 2008: One Long Minute (NuBop) with John Tchicai's Five Points 2008: Schlachtfest Session II (Klangbad) 2009: Treader Duos (Treader) with Tony Marsh (one track) 2009: In Monk's Mood (SteepleChase) with George Colligan, Steve LaSpina, Billy Drummond 2009: Look To The Neutrino (Zerozerojazz) with the Lunar Quartet 2010: Truth Lies In-Between (Hôte Marge) 2012: West Africa Tour (Sierra Leone, Liberia & Guinea), April 1985 (Sagittarius A-Star) 2013: Tribal Ghost (NoBusiness) with Charlie Kohlhase, Garrison Fewell, Cecil McBee, and Billy Hart 2015: Clapham Duos (Treader) with Evan Parker 2015: 27 September 2010 (Otoroku) with Tony Marsh and John Edwards 2017: Du Maurier, Vancouver Jazz Festival, 1988 (Condition West) with Vinny Golia, Bill Smith, Clyde Reed, Gregg Simpson 2020: Live at the Stone (Minus Zero)

As sideman With Albert Ayler New York Eye and Ear Control (1964, ESP-Disk)

With the Berlin Jazz Workshop Orchestra Who Is Who? (1979, FMP)

With the Binder Quintet Binder Quintet Featuring John Tchicai (1983, Krém)

With Willem Breuker and Johan van der Keuken Music For His Films 1967 / 1994 (1997, BV Haast)

With Brotherhood of Breath Yes Please (1981, In and Out)

With the Brus Trio Soaked Sorrows (1988, Dragon)

With Burnin' Red Ivanhoe M 144 (1969, Sonet)

With Curtis Clark Letter to South Africa (1987, Nimbus) with Ernst Reijseger, Ernst Glerum, Louis Moholo

With John Coltrane Ascension (1965, Impulse!)

With Peter Danstrup Reptiles in the Sky (2010, Gateway) Beautiful Untrue Things (2012, Gateway)

With Dell – Westergaard – Lillinger Dell – Westegaard – Lillinger feat. John Tchicai (2012, Jazzwerkstatt)

With Pierre Dørge Ballad Round the Left Corner (1980, Steeplechase) with Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Billy Hart Ball At Louisiana (1983, Steeplechase) Brikama (1984, Steeplechase) with New Jungle Orchestra Very Hot, Even The Moon Is Dancing (1985, Steeplechase) with New Jungle Orchestra Johnny Lives (1987, Steeplechase) with New Jungle Orchestra Different Places - Different Bananas (1989, Olufsen) with New Jungle Orchestra Peer Gynt (1989, Olufsen) with New Jungle Orchestra Live In Chicago (1991, Olufsen) with New Jungle Orchestra Giraf (1998, Dacapo Records) with New Jungle Orchestra

With Johnny Dyani Witchdoctor's Son (1978, SteepleChase) with Dudu Pukwana Angolian Cry (1985, SteepleChase)

With John Ehlis John Ehlis Ensemble (1996, Sivac) Along the Way (2012, Sivac)

With The Engines Other Violets (2013, Not Two)

With Garrison Fewell's Variable Density Sound Orchestra Evolving Strategies (2012, Not Two)

With Charles Gayle Always Born (1988, Silkheart)

With George Gruntz Monster Sticksland Meeting Two – Monster Jazz (1974, MPS / BASF)

With Paul Hemmings Letter From America (2007, Leading Tone Records)

With The Instant Composers Pool Instant Composers Pool with Misha Mengelberg and Han Bennink (1968, ICP) Fragments with Misha Mengelberg, Han Bennink, and Derek Bailey (1978, ICP) Tetterettet (1977, ICP)

With The Jazz Composer's Orchestra Communication (1965, Fontana)

With Henry Kaiser and Wadada Leo Smith Yo Miles! Sky Garden (2003, Cuneiform Records) Yo Miles! Upriver (2013, Cuneiform Records)

With Adam Lane Fo(u)r Being(s) (2002, CIMP)

With John Lennon and Yoko Ono Unfinished Music No. 2: Life with the Lions (1969, Zapple)

With Jorgen Leth Jazz Jamboree 1962 Vol.4 (2013, Jazzhus Disk) (Leth's name is on the album although he is not a musician and does not play on it.)

With New York Art Quartet New York Art Quartet (1964 , ESP-Disk) Mohawk (1965, Fontana) Roswell Rudd (1965 , America) 35th Reunion (1999 , DIW Records) Old Stuff (1965 , Cuneiform) Call It Art (1964–1965 , Triple Point)

With New York Contemporary Five Consequences (1963, Fontana) Rufus (1963, Fontana) New York Contemporary Five Vol. 1 (1963, Sonet) New York Contemporary Five Vol. 2 (1963, Sonet) Bill Dixon 7-tette/Archie Shepp and the New York Contemporary Five (1964, Savoy). One side of LP

With Giancarlo Nicolai Giancarlo Nicolai Trio & John Tchicai (1987, Leo Records)

With the Open Orchestra The Spiritual Man (2009, Terre Sommerse)

With Francisco Mondragon Rio Ancient Civilizations (1997, Pulque) with Karl Berger

With Rent Romus Adapt... or DIE! (1997, Jazzheads) with Lords of Outland

With Archie Shepp Four for Trane (1964, Impulse!)

With Katrine Suwalski and Another World Message of Love (2013, Gateway)

With Cecil Taylor Winged Serpent (Sliding Quadrants) (1985, Soul Note)

With Triot Sudden Happiness (2004, TUM)

With Wiebelfetzer Live (1971, Bazillus)

With Yggdrasil Den Yderste Ø (1981, Tutl) Yggdrasil (2002, Tutl) Concerto Grotto (1984, Tutl) Askur (2007, Tutl)

With De Zes Winden (The Six Winds) Live At The Bim And More (1986, BV Haast) Elephants Can Dance (1988, Sackville) Man Met Muts (1990, BV Haast) Anger Dance (1993, BV Haast) Manestraal (1997, BV Haast)

With Either/Orchestra Across the Omniverse (1996, Accurate Records)

Filmography Looking For Ornette (La Huit / Mezzo, 2016)