Trombonist Kai Winding was born in Denmark on this date in 1922.  His father was a naturalized U.S. citizen and moved his family to New York City in 1934.  After serving in World War II, Winding played with Benny Goodman and was a featured soloist in the Stan Kenton Orchestra. He was also a part of the “Birth of the Cool” sessions that took place in 1949 and 1950.  He played often as a sideman with be-bop greats like Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker and Tadd Dameron.

Kai Winding may be best known for his long association with fellow trombonist J.J. Johnson, with whom he recorded 14 albums between 1953 and 1969.  Some were duet sessions with a rhythm section, and some included as many as eight trombones.  But he also made 34 records as a leader and collaborated a with a wide variety of other musicians including Sarah Vaughan, Quincy Jones, Tony Bennett, Gerry Mulligan and Chuck Mangione.

In the 1970s, Kai Winding toured extensively with “The Giants of Jazz,” and eventually settled into a semi-retirement in Spain.  He did perform one last time with his long-time collaborator J.J. Johnson at the Aurez Jazz Festival in 1982, just the year before his death at the age of 60.

Here is a link to Kai Winding playing "Lover Man" live at a Jazz Giants concert in his home country in 1971 along with Thelonious Monk, Art Blakey, Sonny Stitt, Dizzy Gillespie and others:

"LOVER MAN'"