[1] In the wake of a very eclectic period of his career (various collaborations in the fields of world, pop, classical and electronica, meeting and performing for Pope John Paul II at the Vatican, receiving an award from Denmark's royal family, being appointed Member of the Music Committee under the Danish Arts Council by the Danish Culture Minister, and making his film directing debut with the feature film Between a Smile and a Tear), Lan Doky has in recent years returned to his roots by making it a priority to tour with his jazz trio - which in its US edition comprises drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts and bassist Ira Coleman or Gary Peacock and in its Danish edition comprises bassist Jonathan Bremer and drummer Niclas Bardeleben.

Jazz geniuses such as Thad Jones, Ernie Wilkins, Kenny Drew, Ed Thigpen and many more were living and playing around Copenhagen and had an enormous impact on the local music scene."

Shortly after finishing high school in 1981, Lan Doky followed the advice of Thad Jones and moved to the USA where he (after first studying at Berklee College of Music in Boston) went on to establish himself in New York performing with the elite of the American jazz scene (Joe Henderson, Gary Peacock, Jack DeJohnette, Ray Brown, Randy and Michael Brecker, David Sanborn, Al Foster, Billy Hart, John Scofield, John Abercrombie, Bill Evans, Bob Berg, Tom Harrell, Ray Drummond, Al Jarreau, Charlie Haden, Gino Vannelli, etc.)

Without forgetting a very personal romantic sensibility, Niels has also assimilated the history of jazz piano, by going back to at least Art Tatum, instead of stopping, as many do, at Hancock and Jarrett, to explore the post-Evans era.

Contributing and performing in the documentary besides Niels Lan Doky was Danish bassist Mads Vinding, American drummer Albert "Tootie" Heath, harmonica player Toots Thielemans, Johnny Griffin (tenor sax), Didier Lockwood (violin) and Lisa Nilsson (vocal).

Lan Doky is currently finishing his next feature-length jazz documentary film Dreaming with Open Eyes, featuring David Sanborn (alto sax), Randy Brecker (trumpet), Terri Lyne Carrington (drums), Gino Vannelli and Lisa Nilsson (vocals).