Mads Tolling & Colin Hogan

Cool Yule – A Nordic Christmas

CD Release Concert

Old and New World traditions meld in Cool Yule, a brand-new album and holiday concert by

two-time Grammy Award-Winning Violinist Mads Tolling. The wonderful Christmas traditions of

the Nordic countries—Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland—are steeped in mysticism

with many of these traditions at home here in America. Celebrating the spirit of Christmas or Jul

as it is known in his birthplace Copenhagen, Denmark, Mads blends the authentic customs and

sounds of the Nordic countries with the joy and spirit of American jazz.

Tonight’s performance features long-time collaborator, world class pianist Colin Hogan.

Mads and Colin give a special nod to Denmark’s beloved fairy-tale writer Hans Christian

Andersen, a reimagination of “Let it Go” from Frozen, based on The Snow Queen, a salute to

Julemanden (Santa Claus), Nordic Yuletide traditional classics and jazz renditions of your

favorite American holiday songs, including Santa Baby, My Favorite Things, The Christmas Song

and more. Pagan mischief can be enjoyed on the Danish “På Loftet Sidder Nissen” (The

Gnome’s Attic) and the Icelandic “Jólakötturinn” (The Christmas Cat).

Mads Tolling is a former member of the Turtle Island Quartet and The Stanley Clarke Band. As a

current member of Bob Weir & Wolf Bros, Mads appears on three albums and has performed at

over a hundred concerts. Mads has been commissioned to write two violin concertos, which he

has performed in the US and Japan. He now leads his own band, Mads Tolling & The Mads Men,

with several international tours.

With Cool Yule, we invite you to experience the warmth and specialness of hygge, the Danish

word for cozy that sets the tone for ushering in the holiday season. 

Mads Tolling – violin

Colin Hogan – piano & accordion