It’s a bold claim, but not an exaggerated one, to say that Mathias Heise is the world’s finest chromatic harmonica player. At just 20, he won the (unofficial) World Harmonica Championship in Germany, and has since received the Ben Webster Prize and national honours from the Danish Crown Prince and Princess.
Heise blends modern jazz, funk and fusion into a sound that’s entirely his own. With his band Mathias Heise Quadrillion, he creates high-energy, tightly arranged music that’s rhythmically complex, melodically rich, and surprisingly accessible. The harmonica leads, not as a curiosity, but as a fully expressive jazz instrument.
“Heise’s technical wizardry and jazz credentials on harmonica are a constant standout.” – Jazz Guitar Today
“Heise proves fusion can be both ambitious and accessible.” – All About Jazz
