Pierre Dørge

Recognition has come Pierre Dørge’s way through his leadership of the New Jungle Orchestra, whose repertoire mixes the leader’s own pieces with novel reworkings of earlier jazz works, most notably those associated with Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk. His career path shows an early start—he assembled his first group in 1960—followed by membership in John Tchicai’s large ensemble from 1969 to 1971, direction of the quartet Thermaenius in 1978, and formation of the New Jungle Orchestra itself in 1980. Several absorbing dates for the SteepleChase label document his work, among them a duo recording with Tchicai.