Archive

joel frahm is known in the jazz world as an icon of the tenor saxophone. an unsurpassed emotional projection always characterizes his playing which draws on the breadth the american musical tradition. star pianist brad mehldau, his childhood friend, praises his ability of ‘getting to the heart of the song, immediately, from the first note.’ joel’s trio follows in the footsteps of the legendary sax trios of sonny rollins, joe henderson and steve grossman: an open-hearted, virtuosic style, given a fresh twist by joel frahm and co. currently living in music city nashville, joel frahm has honed his craft in the jazz clubs of new york for more than thirty years. he has collaborated with, among others, betty carter, kenny barron en freddy cole. he made the duo album don’t explain with brad mehldau. on our stage he has previously appeared in the bands of omer avital. his current trio with bassist dan loomis and drummer ernesto cervini was founded in toronto. this fall will see the release of their new album, the follow-up to the widely acclaimed the bright side.

rough diamonds ‘round midnight means short, free sets after the regular programme in which you can discover the emerging talents of the amsterdam conservatory of music. with this time perpetual bike crash. perpetual bike crash brings together the unique and insightful voices of francisco garrido(tzara the machine), micheal murray(mimu) and joshua lutz(halfpastseven). their voices blend together seamlessly and a rich tapestry of sound emanates from these three distinct voices moving together as one organic movement of sound. approaching the music as both musicians and producers, they deconstruct and combine influences of indie, ambient and film music. their album “the inside of an airplane engine” features the compositions of francisco. raised in a household of photographers, there is a strong presence of visual narrative that runs throughout his entire body of work. this visual perspective has become one of the common threads that define perpetual bike crash, leading to a unique aesthetic narrative rich in textures and soundscapes.

trumpeter arve henriksen and pianist harmen fraanje performed together for the first time at the 2019 transition festival in utrecht. that concert was meant to be a one-time meeting, but the musical connection between the two musicians was so strong that they decided to continue as a duo. and rightly so, as fraanje's lyrical style and henriksen's almost flute-like sound seem made for each other. five years after their first meeting, there is also finally an album; earlier this year 'touch of time' was released on ecm. arve henriksen is a trumpeter, singer and composer from norway. he released many albums on ecm and performed with many musicians, such as jon christensen, dhafer youssef, sidsel andresen, bill frisell, jaga jazzist, mats eilertsen, laurie anderson, gavin bryars, david sylvian. harmen fraanje is “one of the most impressive young european pianists” (allaboutjazz). he performs in various lineups, such as the reijseger fraanje sylla trio, the peltomaa fraanje perkola trio and the mats eilertsen trio.

in the bimhuis productions series reflex we invite musicians to reflect on the world and society. saxophonist nicolò ricci grabs the opportunity to fulfil his lifelong dream of composing for a chamber orchestra. ‘this is something i have been fantasizing about,’ he says. ‘composing has always been a primary aspect of music making for me, influenced by my father, a contemporary classical composer who exposed me to the great classical masters, the italian avant-garde, and his own compositions from a young age.’ the chamber orchestra will collaborate with ricci’s jazz quartet, which emphasizes improvisation. ‘as an improviser,  i've come to view the process of creating a personal language as akin to composition – a patient selection or creation of musical elements that contribute to expanding one's vocabulary,’ he says. nicolò ricci was born in italy and has been living in amsterdam since 2015, he has regularly performed on our stage, for example in the bands ambergris, jo goes hunting orchestra and sun-mi hong quintet. he has previously collaborated with international luminaries such as steve swallow, jesper bodilsen en david binney.

vijay iyer is back on our stage for a new view on his oeuvre for piano trio. the american pianist is a great example for the current jazz generation because of his originality. on his recent album compassion on ecm records he adds new colors to the palette of piano, double bass and drums. the album includes interpretations of works by mary lou williams, roscoe mitchell and stevie wonder, alongside original compositions inspired by the likes of poet eve l. ewing and freedom fighter desmond tutu. considering american music of the past decade, one cannot overlook the contributions of vijay iyer. several times he topped the prestigious downbeat critics poll in the jazz artist of the year category. but ‘jazz’ is too limited as a description for his musical language, which is rooted in south asian and west african traditions as well. he also composed for many contemporary classical soloists and ensembles, such as bang on a can all-stars, silk road ensemble, and the los angeles philharmonic.

tuesday night means it is time for a new tuesday jam! still led by saxophonist and winner of the boy edgar prize 2019 jasper blom, tuesday jam is the place where musicians of all ages and levels meet and inspire each other. with the celebrated jazz department of the conservatory of amsterdam only a couple of hundred meters away from our bimhuis, there is no lack of impressive talent on stage at anytime. add some spontanious visits of world-class musicians like esperanza spalding, seamus blake and dick oatts, and you got the perfect mix. in short, this is the session where every jazzmusician and jazzlover should be. entrance is free, reservations are not necessary.

mix a dose of klezmer with a pinch of jazz, a shot of balkan and a smidgen of gypsy, and you’ve got the recipe for amsterdam klezmer band. in the akb lab series, the band looks for inspiration in unexpected corners. for this edition they welcome singer and cello player sanem kalfa. for her, singing is a way to unleashing her emotions to reach the core of her soul, combined with extraordinary improvisations and high-quality cello playing. the amsterdam klezmer band has been around for over twenty-five years. it was founded in café de nieuwe lelie by front man job chajes and bassist jasper de beer, and grew into a formation with a marvelous live reputation, from paradiso to the concertgebouw, and from sziget to lowlands.

norwegian pianist tord gustavsen grew up on the countryside and learned how to play in church. traces of this upbringing can be heard on the albums he released on the renowned ecm label. for example, he has adapted norwegian hymns as well as bach chorals. he plays these beautiful ancient melodies alongside his original compositions, that have been described as wordless songs or abstract gospel. pianist tord gustavsen is a household name in norwegian jazz. he has formed various ensembles, and has collaborated with remarkable vocalists such as silje nergaard, and simin tander. gustavsen has incorporated various styles, from jazz and funk to folk, ultimately developing his own style. he made his breakthrough with his piano trio. in 2022 he released his most recent album, opening, another trio album.

kassa overall has been a fixture in the american underground for years, one of those fearless musical innovators in the vein of robert glapser, madlib and questlove. the drummer/producer recently stepped forward with the album animals on warp records, the british label that made name with the electronica of aphex twin en autechre. his beats are innovative and kassa overall keeps developing them to new sounds in a live setting as well. at a young age kassa overall started drumming and through his bohemian parents he became acquainted with jazz, folk, reggae and indian music. influenced by hip-hop, he learned how to make beats on his brother carlos’s mpc sampler. ‘our musical creation was always deeply connected to a bigger purpose and a kind of revolutionary tone,’ he says. drum legend billy hart was his mentor during his musical education. animals features big-name performers from jazz, hip-hop and neo-soul, from theo croker and vijay iyer via danny brown and shabazz palaces to laura mvula and nick hakim.

tuesday night means it is time for a new tuesday jam! still led by saxophonist and winner of the boy edgar prize 2019 jasper blom, tuesday jam is the place where musicians of all ages and levels meet and inspire each other. with the celebrated jazz department of the conservatory of amsterdam only a couple of hundred meters away from our bimhuis, there is no lack of impressive talent on stage at anytime. add some spontanious visits of world-class musicians like esperanza spalding, seamus blake and dick oatts, and you got the perfect mix. in short, this is the session where every jazzmusician and jazzlover should be. entrance is free, reservations are not necessary.

together with 16 young musicians, guitarist mark tuinstra and percussionist hashem kabreet take you on an exciting musical journey through experimental jazz and warm-blooded folk music. in two days full of unexpected musical encounters and experiments, eight students from the conservatorium van amsterdam and eight musicians from the middle east create a unique one-time concert, coached by mark and hashem. the starting points of the club partout labs have been determined, but the outcomes are uncertain. rapture, alienation, and infectious energy go hand in hand. mark tuinstra is a versatile self-taught guitarist. his focus is broad; he loves jazz and free improvisation, but also african and indian music and pop. this shows that mark enjoys playing with others: not limited by any musical boundaries or conventions. tuinstra performs, among others, with the bands fakrutu and pelican three, as well as with jazz trumpeter eric vloeimans. he toured throughout europe, brazil, guatemala, turkey, japan, senegal, egypt, jordan, beirut, japan, south africa, and more. in the netherlands, he played at festivals such as lowlands, music meeting, and numerous jazz venues. in his own compositions, he also combines various musical influences, resulting in unique and interesting pieces of music. co-host and co-creator of the club partout labs is hashem kabreet. the percussionist (framedrums/derbuka/cajon) and handpan player from syria knows how to guide every diverse group of musicians through the creative process. hashem is the constant factor in all club partout labs.  

mixing memory and desire began as a project based on the music of the famous gerry mulligan-chet baker quartet. around 1950, mulligan and baker together led an unusual group, the first of its kind, with two horns, bass and drums and no harmony instrument. this provided complete freedom in the solos, while the written material for baritone saxophone and trumpet sounded very sophisticated. the four musicians of mixing memory and desire added their own ideas to this, respecting the original pieces. in 2017, they presented their first album on our stage. in the spring of 2023, the follow-up strange destination was released, featuring only their own original music. mixing memory and desire was founded ten years ago by renowned reed player janwillem van der ham, who plays the baritone saxophone. the group also includes felicity provan on cornet, raoul van der weide on double bass and george hadow on drums.

shishani is a multi-award-winning artist whose versatility in music transcends genres and cultures. deeply rooted in soul, indie, r&b, hip-hop and jazz, shishani continuously explores musical heritage from their motherland namibia. coming from both african and european descent, they are constantly creating new ways to bring these worlds together.  a 'gentle warrior' at heart, shishani possesses the rare ability to address weighty topics with both softness and determination. shishani’s voice, both mystically light and emotionally powerful, carries timeless messages that resonate deeply. their work has always been characterized by its thought-provoking, healing nature.  shishani’s new album whispers is a personal journey inwards in learning how to listen to your inner voice. musically, it’s a graceful mix of intimate songs that always carry depth and closeness. live in concert at our venue, shishani’s band will collaborate with a string quartet and special guest maripepa contreras on oboe and horn. “shishani is a singer that gives hope. musically, a delight. such emotion.” – richard wagenaar

pablo held sees himself as a storyteller and a painter of dreams. he plays his own compositions, forges unique versions of his favorite songs from various musical backgrounds and playfully mixes the expressiveness of jazz with the sensitivity of european classical music. on his recent album buoyancy he even references the soundtracks of star wars and pippi longstocking, for example. now he will appear with the same band as on that album, with european top players in a remarkable lineup: trumpet, hammond organ, piano and drums. pablo held has been recognized for years as a figurehead of german jazz. the cologne-based pianist is currently turning heads with his podcast pablo held investigates, in which he interviews international jazz artists. with his successful main trio he has performed with famous musicians such as john scofield, chris potter and norma winstone. in his buoyancy band he plays with trumpeter and flügelhorn player percy pursglove, organist kit downes and drummer leif berger.

tuesday night means it is time for a new tuesday jam! still led by saxophonist and winner of the boy edgar prize 2019 jasper blom, tuesday jam is the place where musicians of all ages and levels meet and inspire each other. with the celebrated jazz department of the conservatory of amsterdam only a couple of hundred meters away from our bimhuis, there is no lack of impressive talent on stage at anytime. add some spontanious visits of world-class musicians like esperanza spalding, seamus blake and dick oatts, and you got the perfect mix. in short, this is the session where every jazzmusician and jazzlover should be. entrance is free, reservations are not necessary.

guitarist anton goudsmit is known for his irrestible enthousiasm, boundless energy and extravert playing, but with his project ton petit+ he shows a different side of himself. sharp, carefully thought-out compositions are brought to life by five expressive musicians in ton petit+, the larger version of the original trio ton petit consisting of anton goudsmit on guitar, sean faciani on bass and tim hennekes on drums. they will be joined for the live shows and a new album (to be released in september 2024 on dox records) by mete erker on saxophone and joost buis on trombone and lap steel guitar. saxophonist mete erker dives into the music with heart and soul and always thrills audiences with his lyrical and intuitive playing. trombonist and lap steel guitarist joost buis knows how to make his musical mark with his inventive and free playing and has previously appeared on our stage with his fascinating project buisonic. american top bassist sean faciani is one of the most in-demand bassists in the netherlands and has played with lage lund, reinier baas, mola sylla and omar ka, among others. drummer tim hennekes is a great talent and, thanks to his inexhaustible energy and fabulous technique, he makes an noticable impression on the dutch jazz landscape.

family circumstances mean that zack lober is unable to perform with his project no fill3r + jasper blom. instead, trio wonderyears will perform with special guest suzan veneman. it did not take long for stevie wonder to unleash a musical earthquake as he released one legendary pop album after another. almost all of these songs became instant classics and now belong to the soundtrack of many people’s lives. but stevie’s mix of funk grooves, jazz harmonies and catchy melodies is not only the favorite of many dance parties and car stereos; his music seems to embody a perfect invitation for jazz improvisers. trio wonderyears featuring jasper blom, sean fasciani and felix schlarmann presents an exclusive program paying tribute to one of the most creative musical minds of the twentieth century, stevie wonder. special guest on trumpet is suzan veneman.

ernst glerum, mainly known as a double bassist, switches to piano in omnibus. this renewed trio will be preceded by a performance by trombonist filippo vignato. the new album trio tribute by ernst glerum omnibus is a tribute to legendary piano trios from jazz history, for example the ones led by bill evans, duke ellington, thelonious monk, abdullah ibrahim, misha mengelberg, horace silver, jaki byard, and many others. ernst glerum is generally known as a bassist, for example in icp orchestra and the benjamin herman trio, but he has always been loyal to his true love, the piano. in his renewed omnibus he plays with anja gottberg on double bass and giacomo caminetti on drums. all about dreaming is a solo trombone performance by filippo vignato to adapt and interact with the different acoustic dimensions of the host spaces: an essential and minimalist dialogue with the echoes, reverbs and resonances of the place to be discovered and to be immersed in during the concert for both the performer and the audience. the italian trombonist has earned a strong reputation as a band leader. he formed a duo with american cellist hank roberts and has joined the quintet led by trumpet master paolo fresu.

tuesday night means it is time for a new tuesday jam! still led by saxophonist and winner of the boy edgar prize 2019 jasper blom, tuesday jam is the place where musicians of all ages and levels meet and inspire each other. with the celebrated jazz department of the conservatory of amsterdam only a couple of hundred meters away from our bimhuis, there is no lack of impressive talent on stage at anytime. add some spontanious visits of world-class musicians like esperanza spalding, seamus blake and dick oatts, and you got the perfect mix. in short, this is the session where every jazzmusician and jazzlover should be. entrance is free, reservations are not necessary.