Two-time Grammy Award-Winning Violinist and Composer
Mads Tolling
- Jazz / Pop Symphony shows available
- Robust Master Classes and Community Outreach
- Current member of Bob Weir’s Wolf Bros/Pack Band
- Formerly with bassist Stanley Clarke and Turtle Island Quartet.
- Now leading his band, Mads Tolling & The Mads Men, he celebrates the music of the 1960s “mad men era” with his own distinctive style and innovative flair.
Show Description
Get ready for an electrifying experience with Mads Tolling & The Mads Men! This show is a thrilling blend of nostalgia and contemporary flair, featuring jazzed-up reimagining of iconic songs from 1960s television, film, and radio.
You'll be transported by hits from their critically acclaimed album, Playing The 60s, including "Good Vibrations," "The Good, The Bad & The Ugly," "A Taste of Honey," and "Georgia on My Mind." Joining Mads on this sensational journey are his stellar bandmates: Colin Hogan on piano, Gary Brown on bass, and Eric Garland on drums.
The excitement doesn't stop there! In the second half, Mads teams up with your symphony for a breathtaking performance of his violin concerto, Begejstring. This Danish word embodies excitement, enthusiasm, gusto, and passion, perfectly capturing the spirit of this three-movement concerto that seamlessly blends classical, folk, jazz, and Latin styles.
As a grand finale, Mads and your symphony will tackle two masterpieces by jazz-violin legend Jean-Luc Ponty, alongside a stunning string arrangement of "My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music. This is a must-see show that promises to be a captivating and unforgettable musical adventure!
Mads Tolling Biography
Mads Tolling is an internationally renowned violinist and composer from Copenhagen, Denmark, now residing in San Francisco. He is a current member of Bob Weir’s Wolf Bros & Wolf Pack Band. Previously, Mads spent
nine years with both bassist Stanley Clarke’s band and the Turtle Island Quartet, winning two Grammy Awards and receiving a third nomination in 2015. He won the 2016 DownBeat Critics Poll Rising Star Violin Award. Mads has performed with artists like Chick Corea, Ramsey Lewis, Kenny Barron, Paquito D’Rivera, Leo Kottke, and Sergio & Odair Assad.
A Berklee College of Music graduate, Mads was recommended by Jean-Luc Ponty to join Stanley Clarke’s band. His work has been featured on NPR’s Morning Edition and reviewed in the Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, Strings Magazine, and DownBeat Magazine. Mads has performed for Danish royalty, Prince Frederik and Princess Mary, at the Danish Embassy’s 50th Anniversary.
Since 2021, Mads has toured with Bob Weir & Wolf Bros, performing at venues like Red Rocks, The Greek Theatre, and Radio City Music Hall. He is featured on Weir’s album Live in Colorado and has arranged several Grateful Dead tunes for the band, which are also part of the Mads Men repertoire.
Mads has written violin concertos for the Oakland Symphony and Pacific Chamber Orchestra and performed his symphonic works in the US and Japan.
He leads the Mads Tolling Quartet and Mads Tolling & The Mads Men. His album Playing the 60s reimagines classic songs from the 1960s and spent two months on US jazz radio’s top 30. With his groups, Mads has performed over a thousand concerts worldwide, including at The Hollywood Bowl, Library of Congress, and Bay Area’s Paramount and Herbst Theatres. As a featured Yamaha Artist, he conducts clinics and masterclasses in the US and internationally.