kinan azmeh is internationally renowned for his intense, spirited performances. the clarinet virtuoso transcends cultural barriers, for example in yo-yo ma’s silk road ensemble, with the new york philharmonic and with the well-known dutch trumpeter eric vloeimans. in new york he formed the kinan azmeh cityband, a four-piece band that balances between jazz, classical and middle eastern music. kinan azmeh was born in damascus, syria, and lives in brooklyn, new york. his gripping life story and the relation with his homeland are the subjects of the recent documentary half moon by dutch filmmaker frank scheffer. as a clarinet player and composer, kinan azmeh has found success in both jazz and the classical world, in collaboration with the likes of yo-yo ma, daniel barenboim, john mclaughlin and djivan gasparian.

elliot galvin is a trailblazer in the british jazz scene with an original approach to piano and other keyboard instruments. he composed his new album the ruin on his childhood piano, inspired by the landscapes of his hometown. the music free-flows between serpentine piano and modular synth lines weaving and colliding around ephemeral vocalisations, groove-heavy percussion and soulful improvisations. elliot galvin previously performed on our stage as a solo-artist, with his trio, and with the band dinosaur. now he will form a group with dinosaur bassist and vocalist ruth goller, violinist mandhira de saram, and polar bear drummer and patti smith and damon albarn collaborator sebastian rochford. the ruin will appear on the london-based label gearbox, who have released albums by the likes of abdullah ibrahim and binker & moses.

as if they have been written just the other day; this is how the standards from bop and jazz sound when they are played by bill charlap. every note counts with this american pianist, who’s known for his vibrant, fluent style. his interpretations of the great american songwriters are especially acclaimed; he has recorded albums dedicated to hoagy carmichael, leonard bernstein, george gershwin, irving berlin, cole porter, richard rodgers and duke ellington. bill charlap grew up in new york as the son of singer sandy stewart and broadway composer moose charlap. he made name accompanying famous singers such as diana krall, sheila jordan and tony bennett. he won a grammy award for the album the silver lining: the songs of jerome kern with tony bennett. the most recent album of the bill charlap trio, street of dreams, appeared on the legendary jazz label blue note.

led by percussionist vernon chatlein, a group of excellent jazz musicians will explore the indigenous music styles of curaçao. chatlein’s exploration of an old sound archive called zikinza led him through the history of afro-curaçaoan music, and taught him about its contributors and pioneers. his new compositions for chatlein i su zumbi are fueled by the mysterious style called muzik di zumbi. vernon chatlein  was born on curaçao and lived in cuba for two years to study music. he moved to the netherlands to continue his studies with the godfather of curaçaoan jazz, pianist and composer randal corsen. in chatlein i su zumbi he connects jazz and latin with the rhythms of the antilles. the group features pianist tony roe, who previously played on our stage with tin men & the telephone.

bassist billy mohler is a key figure between the musical underground and mainstream of los angeles. his approach to band-leading encourages sonically-inventive efforts that highlight the players’ raw chemistry as well as his own rough-hewn, insistently rhythmic and compelling compositions. following his albums ultraviolet, focus en anatomy, he recently released the single aki, a prime example of his captivating solo exercises. billy mohler has now assembled a quartet which blends european, new york and los angeles sensibilities, through some of the most exciting players from those scenes: hermon mehari on trumpet, francesco bigoni on saxophones and clarinet, and one of mohler’s most trusted long-time collaborators, drummer nate wood of kneebody. mohler attended the thelonious monk institute of jazz, studying with herbie hancock and wayne shorter. but he also worked with pop and rock greats such as lady gaga, sia and smashing pumpkins. ‘mohler’s instincts and experience in rock and pop translate well to writing original jazz music that, despite the seriousness and sincerity of the craft, manages to remain engaging and–yes–fun’ (downbeat).

on his album back to the land, ohad talmor focuses on recently discovered music by ornette coleman, originator of free jazz and innovative composer. for example, a hand written one line composition was found in the apartment of lee konitz, the saxophone legend who became talmor’s teacher. the newly discovered pieces appear in different variations. now they will be performed by absolute star players of american jazz, who are also featured on the album. ohad talmor lived on different continents and was classically trained before he landed in brooklyn, fully dedicated to the saxophone. while konitz taught him about composition and improvisation, he was also mentored by another influential saxophonist, dewey redman (both have regularly performed on our stage since the 1970s). back to the land also features compositions by redman. live we will hear the same trio as on the album, with double bassist chris tordini and drummer eric mcpherson, plus special guests david virelles on piano and joel ross on vibraphone. “the irrepressibly distinctive nature of coleman themes – the playfully skipping, singing eighth notes, joyful swing and jolts of tempo – are retained, but talmor contrasts this throughout with colours that are more muted and mysterious” (jazzwise).

they are phenomenal players of their respective instruments: wolfgang muthspiel and lionel loueke on guitar and linda may han oh on bass. but in the new project touch they take a surprising path. like in their first youtube video as a trio, with a live performance of the song ‘elba waltz’. here they are not just improvising on strings, but they’re also singing in harmony. this spring they will tour together for the first time. touch is spearheaded by the austrian guitar maestro wolfgang muthspiel. in the 1990s he moved to new york, where he rapidly developed himself as a guitarist in the upper regions of the jazz world. today he lives in vienna, but he still regularly works with major artists from all over the world. his latest four albums were released on the prestigious label ecm records. his partners in this trio are also world-renowned. guitarist and vocalist lionel loueke, born in benin, has played alongside legends such as herbie hancock and chick corea, and has collaborated with the greatest talents of his generation, including esperanza spalding and robert glasper. linda may han oh is in high demand as a bassist and is known for playing in the pat metheny group, as well as with jazz greats such as mark turner, dave douglas en joe lovano.

for joe sanders, parallels started with an improvised solo he played as an encore at a concert, after which the audience kept singing the melody. on the eponymous album he lets different ideas coexist. beautiful tunes and experimental sounds, for example, or a dark atmosphere and a cheerful tonality, but also amateurism and professionalism: on the track ‘la vie sur la terre’ his little son elioté plays along on melodica. parallels developed into a band featuring absolute masters of american jazz: seamus blake, gregory hutchinson and logan richardson have each built their own impressive career as a band leader. joes sanders has previously performed on our stage in the bands of gerald clayton, kendrick scott and ben wendel, among others. in 2023 he made his first appearance with saxophone giant joshua redman on the blue note album where are we.

saxophonist loek van den berg stirs the imagination with his narrative, layered compositions. while staying focused on the melody, his band members have all the room the improvise and explore the gritty edges. seafarer, the second album by the quintet, exudes this spontaneous character. it shows how close the members have become as the result of international tours with concerts in, among others, spain, turkey and india. in september 2023, loek van den berg and his band won the edison award in the category jazz newcomer national, for their debut album wayfarer. with the title song of that album, the band leader won the award for best composition in the dutch jazz competition of 2022. in the summer before that, the band reached second place in the getxo international jazz competition, and in 2019 loek won the erasmus jazz prize. ‘a thoughtful player with a round, melodic sound… beautiful imaginative compositions that have the wind in their sails’ (nrc handelsblad).

no new jazz without a new generation. that is why the jazz orchestra of the concertgebouw gives space to young 'jazz influencers', with this edition the innovative trombonist nabou claerhout and a trumpet player with a great love for the sixties: ruben drenth. belgian trombonist and composer nabou claerhout is 'definitely one to watch out for' (london jazz news). with her trombone ensemble she has already put the instrument in the spotlight five times, exploring its many possibilities: warm, soft and playful, but also spirited and always inviting. in addition, the orchestra also invites the surprising trumpeter and composer ruben drenth to share the stage with them. his album how to gather moss is inspired by the rolling stones with catchy melodies and rhythmic, brutal solos in his playing. the jazz orchestra of the concertgebouw is at the absolute top of the big bands in europe. the orchestra won several edison awards and has performed with world class soloists such as chick corea, dr. lonnie smith, and joshua redman. in 2020, nine young jazz artists were commissioned to write compositions for the big band. this resulted in the album the jazz influencers, and the eponymous concert series.

the illustrious trio dash! (sax, bass guitar, drums) celebrated its twentieth anniversary with the release of radio rotor, a tribute to the eponymous electronics store in amsterdam’s kinkerstraat that closed in 2022. now dash! will perform the album in its entirety, alongside earlier works. expect an intense, hypnotic night where unapologetic swing meets volcanic outbursts and whispery melodies. a dash! concert is like the olympic hundred metres: an exhilarating, physical experience. dash! creates its own musical universe with deceptively plain materials. a universe where only notes that matter are being played, and with no room for redundant noise. ‘it all permeates the music of dash!: rhythmic depth, the directness of pop, the swing and improvisation of jazz and lightning fast, tightly played melodies’ (trouw).

with “ethnic signals,” award-winning instrumentalist coşkun karademir brings anatolian music to a wide audience. in this innovative project, he combines mystical eastern sounds, traditional anatolian folk songs and self-composed instrumental melodies with electronic music, a first in this genre. a passionate player of the baglama, karademir has built an impressive career composing for tv series, films and documentaries. his work with the secret ensemble and albums such as “the call of the birds,” “endless path” and “oz” garnered international recognition, as did his album “interlude,” which was awarded the best world beat ep award and a silver medal from the global music awards.

‘belgium is too small for pianist alex koo’, according to newspaper de tijd. as the son of a belgian missionary sent to japan in the seventies and a japanese peace activist, the west-flanders born pianist refuses to be boxed into any traditional category. he began his musical journey as a classical piano prodigy at the age of five. in his teens, he developed a passion for jazz and improvisation, earning praise from jazz legends such as kenny werner and brad mehldau. now he will perform music from his recent album blame it on my chromosomes, which features star trumpeter ambrose akinmusire. with ten remarkably personal compositions, blame it on my chromosomes is more than a musical statement—it is a form of self-therapy, a way to ‘ventilate and surrender to the music,’ says koo. ‘music should have a deeper meaning than just self-promotion. for me it is about accepting who i am and letting go of everything else.’ like on the album, koo will perform with his long-standing trio with lennart heyndels on bass and dré pallemaerts on drums, who provide daring ensemble playing and musical fireworks.

spring, a time of renewal and growth. in our annual spring duets series, we celebrate this spring feeling by creating new encounters between musicians we rate highly. whether they are young heroes, internationally acclaimed performers, improv veterans, or unique outsiders, they unanimously take on the challenge make new music. this time the duos are: kristina fuchs & jeroen van vliet - vocals/electronics & piano/electronics we begin with an intimate duo who present their album tonight: life, you are beautiful, by vocalist kristina fuchs and pianist jeroen van vliet. fuchs, with her kaleidoscopic voice effortlessly shifting between dreamy and playful, whispering and powerful, performs together with pianist jeroen van vliet, who impresses with his lyrical and crystal-clear playing. together they create an adventurous musical world where jazz, improvisation, and poetry embrace each other. mary oliver & nora mulder - violin/hardanger fiddle/pedals & piano/electronics/pedals mary oliver and nora mulder are no strangers to each other, although they are now performing as a duo for the first time. together with vocalist greetje bijma, they formed picatrix, an adventurous ensemble that explores the boundaries of improvisation. oliver plays the violin, viola and the hardanger fiddle, a norwegian folk variant of the violin. she is a pivot in the amsterdam improv scene, partly through her participation in the icp orchestra. the distinctive pianist nora mulder made a name for herself with a combination of contemporary classical music, improvised music, and special sound installations. ella zirina & wolfert brederode - guitar & piano in a short time, ella zirina has developed into a guitarist who has become indispensable in the dutch jazz scene, partly through a performance at north sea jazz (with kurt rosenwinkel and joey baron), her edison-nominated debut album intertwined, and the fact that she has already shared the stage with big names like tineke postma, ben van gelder, jesse van ruller, reinier baas, pablo held, and yuri honing. now she shares the stage with another great musician: pianist wolfert brederode. brederode's piano playing and compositions are recognizable yet surprising, due to the subtle contrasts he uses. his latest album ruins and remains was released on the renowned label ecm records. giuseppe doronzo & genevieve murphy - baritone sax/iranian bagpipes & voice/electronics/scottish bagpipes baritone saxophonist giuseppe doronzo is an improviser through and through. therefore it makes a lot of sence he enters into a duet with another pure improviser, genevieve murphy. doronzo has played many times on our stage before, for example with the ava trio or as a soloist, with the successful solo album goya. genevieve murphy combines performance and visual art with contemporary classical music. a commonality is playing the bagpipes, with doronzo on iranian bagpipes alongside baritone sax and murphy on scottish bagpipes alongside her voice and electronics.

together they form a brand new ensemble, these four women who have profiled themselves in recent years as excellent band leaders and imaginative composers. all four have their foundations in jazz, from which they continue to expand their horizons through improvisation. they know each other well—nicole mccabe appeared in sasha berliner’s band at north sea jazz, while sasha played with kaisa’s machine led by kaisa mäensivu. now they will tour europe for the first time in this line-up. alto saxophonist nicole mccabe is a major talent from the flourishing los angeles scene, where she collaborates with tastemakers such as louis cole, jeff parker and amy aileen wood. she previously appeared on our stage with dolphin hyperspace, her electro jazz duo with bass guitarist logan kane. her most recent album mosaic was released on l.a.-based label ghost note. sasha berlin is a phenomenon on vibraphone who topped the downbeat critics poll in the category rising star vibraphone. at a very young age she started playing drums and moved towards vibraphone. as a teenager she collaborated with singer-songwriter beck, made her first ep gold and completed her jazz education. she recorded her most recent album onyx with the likes of marcus gilmore and james francies. kaisa mäensivu, originally from finland, is making a name for herself in new york as a double bassist. she performed with esteemed players such as kurt rosenwinkel and seamus blake and she previously appeared on our stage with her band kaisa’s machine and special guest jesse van ruller. she was tutored by ron carter and got her master’s degree at manhattan school of music. eva klesse also achieved her master’s degree in new york, after studying jazz in weimar, paris and leipzig. as a drummer she has won many awards including an echo, the german grammy. in the past decade she has released five albums as a band leader and composer on the renowned label enja records, including songs against loneliness which featured guitar hero wolfgang muthspiel.

brian marsella is a pianist who can be virtuoso, melodic and adventurous at the same time; critic peter margasak described his style as ‘herbie nichols or bud powell playing at warp speed.’ in his piano trio he plays with bassist trevor dunn and drummer kenny wollesen. all three members are regular compatriots of jazz innovator john zorn, whose work they have previously performed on our stage. now they will play marsella’s original compositions. since 1998, brian marsella has been active as a pianist out of new york. highlights from his oeuvre are the albums of his large ensembles imaginarium an gatos do sul, which have been acclaimed highly in the media. in the past years he became a key figure in john zorn’s world, working on many albums on zorn’s label tzadik, collaborating with major players such as john medeski, nels cline and julian lage. he previously played on our stage in banquet of the spirits, the ensemble of the exceptional percussionist cyro baptista. ‘the classically trained marsella displayed dizzying technique while imbuing pieces with an authentic soul-jazz feeling’ (downbeat on the brian marsella trio).

young pianist wajdi riahi harmoniously intertwines various worlds: his classical education, his passion for jazz and his north african heritage. his music is more than the sum of its parts, as he proves on his album essia. named after his mother, the album takes inspiration from his city of birth tunis and the local stambeli rituals. the rhythms that are integral to stambeli form the basis of wajdi riahi’s trio. in this line-up, he complements his piano playing with fender rhodes and his own voice. the double bass played by basile rahola offers firm support. pierre hurty’s drums are occasionally accentuated by the krakebs, the metallic castagnets used in stambeli and related styles such as gnawa. for five years these musicians have formed a close-knit unit in belgian jazz. wajdi has previously played with the likes of aka moon and he has recently performed on our stage with adèle viret.

in the 1980s alto saxophonist steve coleman presented his own vision of jazz, based on soul, funk and the new rhythm of the street, hip-hop. as the band leader of five elements he co-founded the m-base collective, which included famous jazz singer cassandra wilson. its influence can still be felt today in the music of such progressive band leaders as jason moran, vijay iyer and ambrose akinmusire. as a composer coleman investigates the spiritual connection between contemporary afro-american culture, egyptian antiquity and folk music from all over the globe. rhythm and flow in nature and language are important points of interest. the recent live album polytropos/of many turns is a good example of coleman’s non-linear composition style, allowing band members to build the music spontaneously through pre-composed modules.

ndudzo makhatini grew up on the east coast of south africa. his grandmother was a healer who used songs and music, much like the zulu warriors who came from the same area. the piano entered his life through his mother. in his spirited playing, he links ritual music with jazz and gospel, in the tradition of south african jazz legends such as bheki mseleku, moses molelekwa and abdullah ibrahim. outside of south africa, ndudzo makhathini made his breakthrough with his first album for the prestigious blue note label, modes of communication: letters from the underworlds, which earned a place in many end of the year ‘best of’-lists. last summer his third album on blue note appeared, unomkhubulwane, a three part suite dedicated to the eponymous zulu goddess. now he will perform in the same line-up as on the album, with zwelakhe bell le pere on double bass and francisco mela on drums.

fearless five is the latest project from trumpet legend enrico rava, an outstanding quintet that combines rava's vast experience with the young, creative energy of a new generation of top musicians. besides rava, fearless five consists of matteo paggi on trombone, francesco ponticelli on double bass, drummer/vocalist evita polidoro, and guitarist francesco diodati. each of them is a distinctive player who is given ample space by rava to express their creative voice. the result is a quintet that excels in balancing freedom and interplay, and continues to captivate. master trumpeter enrico rava has been striving since the 1960s to find equilibrium between melody and abstraction, between tradition and avant-garde, and between european and american influences. the brass player from turin performed on historic albums such as steve lacy's the forest and the zoo, carla bley's escalator over the hill, and manfred schoof's european echoes, and continues to reinvent himself in formations with the new generation of top musicians.

a life dedicated to music: this is why john engels still has flexibility on the drums and an intuitive feel for what every song needs. the legendary player celebrates his 90th birthday with one continuous concert full of festive surprises. john engels has been known for decades as one of the most swinging jazz drummers in the netherlands. he shared the stage with chet baker, stan getz, ray brown, hank jones, and many others. for this birthday concert he will form a trio together with trumpeter jan van duikeren and double bassist tobias nijboer with special guests, such as vocalist francien van tuinen and pianist juraj stanik. ‘he’s modest and self-willed at the same time. a creator of music. he continuously reacts to the other players. with the energy and reflexes of a young lion. still, john engels makes others sound good, while sounding great himself at the same time’ (de volkskrant).

young and experienced players from improvised music will encounter each other for three days at international jazz platform amsterdam. wrapping up the second day on our stage will be a true all-star group, known for their sensational interplay on sax, bass and drums with samples, electronics and turntables. Økse means ‘axe’ in danish and refers not only to one of humankind’s oldest tools, but also to the force and energy that connects us. Økse collaborated with various hip-hop artists on the eponymous album that appeared on backwoodz studioz last year, ‘a blast of a debut record somewhere in between nordic and haitian vodou symbolism’ (gonzo circus). all four members have previously performed on our stage: danish saxophonist mette rasmussen and swedish bassist petter eldh with their own formations, haitian turntablist val jeanty with kris davis and new york-based drummer savannah harris with or bareket.

young and experienced players from improvised music will encounter each other for three days at international jazz platform amsterdam. on the last evening, the participants will join forces for a concert on our stage, where they will form three new bands. then the room will be taken over by kuhn fu, a spectacular band from berlin mixing psychedelic rock and jazz while leaning towards cabaret, surf, metal, zappa and monty python. the unknown talents will be introduced on stage by three european music greats, vocalist greetje bijma, drummer gard nilssen and saxophonist otis sandsjö. after the break, guitarist christian kühn will appear with his red telecaster and richly varied compositions. in his band kuhn fu we see familiar names alongside rising stars of european improvised music: frank gratkowski, otis sandjö, ziv taubenfeld, sofia salvo, esat ekincioglu and george hadow.

since the 1960s, barry altschul has been active in both the avant-garde and mainstream of new york jazz—he made name as a drummer with paul bley and anthony braxton, but he also played with art pepper and lee konitz. his trio 3dom factor proves that after more than a century, american jazz can still sound energetic, open-minded and exciting. alongside original compositions, the repertoire includes free interpretations of standards. special guest is an absolute pioneer of the european jazz avant-garde, alexander von schlippenbach. setting the tone is tenor saxophonist jon irabagon, who won the thelonious monk saxophone competition at a younger age and previously performed on our stage with dave douglas and rudy royston. double bassist joe fonda has a shared history with altschul, for example, playing a concert here in the fab trio with violinist billy bang. the piano playing of alexander von schlippenbach combines influences from modern jazz such as thelonious monk with principles from the european classical avant-garde.

how does the word "mysterious" sound? you might find the answer in the traditional, ritualistic throat singing of huun huur tu. these musicians, hailing from the central asian land of tuva, create an enthralling sound rich in undertones and overtones. by using their unique throat-singing technique, they can produce both a low note (the drone) and its overtones simultaneously, effectively singing two or even three notes at once. what is no longer a mystery, however, is the worldwide success of the quartet. they quickly became an established name in the international world music scene, thanks to their modern presentation of traditional throat singing. in recent years, the ensemble has toured extensively, performing on stage up to 200 times a year.

on the intergalactic nights you can expect short performances in all kinds of shapes and sizes. in this edition we meet musicians who seek interaction with electronic and mechanical tools. they hail from all over the world, from tapei to texas. the solo and duo performances will be strung together by bar pianist chaerin im. joy guidry joy guidry is a bassoonist, versatile improviser, performance artist, and composer of experimental, daring new works that embody a deep love of storytelling. joy’s music channels her inner child in honor of their ancestors and predecessors. she performed at renowned stages and festivals, as well as art museums and biennales. she has been commissioned by the jack quartet, among others. pierre bastien & bruno ferro xavier da silva pierre bastien builds his own machineries at the cross between music and visual art, blending live trumpet sounds with screen projections and mechanical sound sculptures in a very poetic way. he will perform with visual artist and bass guitarist bruno ferro xavier da silva, who plays rhythmically as well as melodically, using a battery of effects to create the most bizarre sounds. ping-en hung in her musical endeavors, ping-en hung aims to connect with people profoundly, touching the inner recesses of their emotions. chinese philosophy holds a special place in her heart and she draws inspiration from film and dance. in her solo performances she fuses bass guitar and electronics, alternating improvisations with compositions and soundscapes. ping-en hung is from taipei and is currently living in amsterdam. chaerin im in a relatively short time, south-korean pianist chaerin im has earned her place in dutch jazz, collaborating with the likes of ben van gelder, reinier baas, ernst reijseger and sun-mi hong. as a band leader she won the keep an eye international jazz award in 2024 and was selected shortly thereafter as a young artist of the year by dutch newspaper nrc.

otomo yoshihide's new jazz quintet (onjq) is a japanese experimental ensemble led by composer, sound producer, turntablist and guitarist otomo yoshihide. what john zorn means to the new york scene, otomo yoshihide means to the japanese, by liberating jazz in a radical way through collaborating with the most diverse musicians and sound artists. onjq continues to search for a captivating balance between melodic structures and intense moments of improvisation. since 2011, the onjq has been giving its own spin on the jazz idiom with free improvisations as well as covers of admired composers such as eric dolphy, charlie haden and kurt weill. the group has collaborated with likeminded players such as mats gustafsson, axel dörner and jim o’rourke. otomo yoshihide made name with the groundbreaking band ground zero by experimenting with noise, samples, turntables and prepared guitars. in the tokyo club scene he brought together countless musicians. parallel to that he celebrates success as a soundtrack composer.

it can rightly be called a spectacular combination: luciana souza, generally considered as one of the leading voices in jazz, and trio corrente, which has been causing one sensation after another in brazilian music. together they made the album cometa, with energetic sambas and originals. the album exudes a feeling of hope and joy and was inspired by the timeless collaboration between elis regina and trio zimbo. luciana souza grew up in são paulo as the daughter of poet teresa souza and singer-songwriter walter santos souza, leading figures in the bossa nova movement. as a vocalist she continues to innovate and at the same time pay tribute to legendary brazilian songwriters such as jobim and gilberto gil. coming from the sizzling são paulo scene as well, the virtuoso trio corrente has won a grammy for best latin jazz album for song for maura, their collaboration with paquito d’rivera.

singer enji is universally recognized as a force to be reckoned with, but at the beginning of her breakthrough album ulaan she emphasizes where she comes from: mongolia. this makes her a unique presence in vocal jazz, certainly because she sings in her mother tongue, blending her original language seamlessly with melodic, soulful jazz. last year she made her mark at the north sea jazz festival, with sun-mi hong on drums. now she will perform in an intimate setting with her compatriots paul brändle on guitar and martin zenker on double bass. ‘like ella fitzgerald singing in khalkha’, is how enji was praised by mojo magazine, and bbc dj gilles peterson is a fan as well. the singer was born in ulaanbaatar and grew up with traditional folk song and dance. later on she learned the ancient art of throat singing that mongolian music is known for. she studied jazz in europe and has released three albums to date. her oeuvre includes increasingly more influences. for example, on ulaan she performs with musicians from brazil.

american saxophone hero greg osby knows the roaring swing sound of the hammond organ all too well from his youth in st. louis, missouri. still he never really used the gospel-related instrument in his own music, especially since he went searching for new sounds in new york. now he will form a trio with dutch hammond b3 virtuoso arno krijger, who has mastered the organ from the bass pedals to its rich effects. swiss drummer florian arbenz leads the trio into different and more adventurous paths than traditional hammond jazz. as a saxophonist and composer, greg osby is a living part of jazz history, having played together with legends such as herbie hancock, dizzy gillespie and freddie hubbard. for over 25 years he has regularly collaborated with florian arbenz, with the saxophonist setting the melodic tone and the drummer creating space with sounds and atmospheres. together with arno krijger on organ they recorded the album targeted, the ninth part of the series conversation, for which arbenz invited various befriended musicians for intimate studio sessions. ‘arbenz knows how to build momentum, and imply funk and drum-and-bass grooves, as well as how to craft metallic textures. osby’s unmistakable voice on alto drives much of the music’s narrative flow’ (downbeat).

saxophonist jasper blom strives for a synthesis of jazz, pop, classical and improvised music. melody and adventure are key words in the oeuvre of blom, who has been composing for various lineups for years, with the main focus on his jasper blom quartet. now it is time for the quartet's eighth album, this time with a very special guest: the metropole orchestra. together with the world-famous metropole orchestra and his quartet, consisting of guitarist jesse van ruller, drummer martijn vink (also drummer with the metropole orchestra) and bassist frans van der hoeven, blom will launch the new album metropolarity on may 9. according to blom, boy edgar prize winner, it is dream come true: “it was breathtaking to hear my music come to life in grand, cathedral soundscapes, performed by fifty fantastic musicians". this concert is the release concert of the album, which will be released on whirlwind recordings.

jamie cullum calls her ‘an astonishing new talent’ and the british press is unanimously enthusiastic: emma rawicz is not to be missed. the young star from london made name on instagram with clips showing her impressive skills on tenor sax, flute and bass clarinet. in her original compositions she takes example from legendary saxophonists/composers such as joe henderson and wayne shorter. color is the main theme on her debut album chroma, which highlights her synesthesia: for emma, music is inseparably connected to color and other sensory impressions. this has resulted in a layered, orchestrally sounding album featuring giants and super talents from british jazz. the album incorporates all kinds of influences, from indian to latin and from fusion to singer-songwriters.

marius preda is fulfilling his dream by conquering the jazz world with the cimbalom, the instrument mostly known from balkan folk music. his virtuosity with sticks on strings is unparallelled, drawing from his background in jazz and traditions of his native romania. now he will share the stage with paradox jazz orchestra. expect the rich sound and energy of a big band and the melancholy of romanian folk music. marius preda is the first player who has made the cimbalom the center of attention in major jazz clubs, from ronnie scott's in london to the blue note club in new york. he has earned praise from music legends such as arturo sandoval, vladimir cosma and hans zimmer. there’s a dutch side to his success as well: he graduated cum laude for his jazz studies jazz at the royal conservatoire in the hague. the paradox jazz orchestra was founded by conductor jasper staps and trumpeter teus nobel. especially for this concert they draw from romanian traditional music, rewritten and arranged for cimbalom and big band.

the icp orchestra has been a household name for years. in 1967, han bennink together with pianist/composer misha mengelberg laid the foundation for this versatile orchestra, known as one of the most creative groups in modern jazz. mengelberg passed away in 2017 and would have turned 90 exactly on this day, june 5, 2025. the icp orchestra still plays his music, but of course in the typical icp style; while mengelberg's oeuvre is the starting point, no concert sounds the same and the orchestra members improvise in all directions. the musicians in the icp orchestra learned to deal with the peculiarities of timing or intonation of fellow players, how to confuse their colleagues, how to bend or undermine the music during performance. the music is full of surprises, unexpected turns, nimble grace and strange outbursts. "...the instant composers pool orchestra, from amsterdam, ....they are scholars and physical comedians, critics and joy-spreaders." – the new york times

from pure percussion to progressive music that refuses to be categorized: on k night we join forces with the festival red light jazz to present two promising groups from south korea. featuring the percussion trio groove&, followed by the five-piece formation yonglee & the doltang. the three members of groove& form a dynamic female percussion team that offers a broad range of sounds and instruments. on the one hand their music is delicate and sensual and on the other hand it is solid and meticulous. the doltang departs from the melodic, emotionally charged compositions of pianist yonglee. these evolve into extraordinary improvisations in which synthesizers, electric guitars and percussion intertwine. much like contemporary jazz or progressive rock, but with eyes on the future.

the new swedish ensemble cosmic ear is open to all kinds of influences, including hunters music from mali, gnawa from morocco, swedish folk and brazilian percussion, with the double bass providing solid grooves. the group continues the ideas of american free jazz legend don cherry, who moved to sweden in 1970 where he started blending spiritual traditions with jazz. an important contributor to cosmic ear is multi-instrumentalist christer bothén, who played with cherry. the founders of cosmic ear, saxophonist mats gustafsson and trumpeter goran kajfes, have played together in various large ensembles including fire! orchestra. in their new band they both play various instruments combined with electronics. original material by kajfes, gustafsson and bothén is mixed with compositional works by don cherry, his trio codona and frank lowe. bothén alternates various clarinets with donso ngoni, the large hunter’s harp from mali, which he had introduced cherry to back in the day.

with his intense vocalizations and trance-inducing percussion, kahil el’zabar made his mark in american jazz. for fifty years he has been active with his ethnic heritage ensemble from chicago, and still new audiences are discovering him, for example last year at the dutch festivals le guess who? and north sea jazz. his recent album open me—a higher consciousness of sound and spirit includes free improvisations and original compositions alongside variations on ‘all blues’ by miles davis and ‘compared to what’, originally sung by roberta flack. ‘compared to what’ was the favorite tune of kahil’s first music teacher, his father clifton blackburn senior. in chicago, kahil was connected to different groups, such as the aacm (association for the advancement of creative musicians). throughout the years his ensemble has included a range of musicians, for example joseph bowie, hamiett bluiett and craig s. harris. his current band has a remarkable line-up with corey wilkes on trumpet, kevin nabors on tenor sax and ishmael ali on cello.

in the bimhuis productions series reflex we invite musicians to reflect on the world and society. farida amadou took the opportunity to form her first large ensemble. in kaleidoscope ensemble, befriended musicians improvise around west african rhythms and melodies. each of them will bring in their own background and exceptional musical skills. the necessity of breaking frontiers is the main political statement behind this ensemble. brussels-based farida amadou is a remarkable new player in the international improvised music world. as a self-taught player she uses the electric bass as a point of departure for exciting and often relentless sonic explorations. she has previously collaborated with the likes of ken vandermark, thurston moore and wolf eyes. the members of kaleidoscope ensemble are known from, among others, irreversible entanglements, hues and dave douglas quintet.

the bad plus has been pushing the boundaries of jazz for over twenty years. the american formation instantly became famous with their imaginative interpretations of music outside the genre, from pop and punk to classical and avant-garde, from nirvana via aphex twin to ligeti and stravinsky. with this approach they have successfully set a new standard. the bad plus has a reputation for hyper-energetic performances and is loved all over the world because of that, by fans of all genres. in 2022 the group returned in a new form. the piano was replaced by guitar and tenor sax, played by renowned masters. guitarist ben monder has previously collaborated with, among others, maria schneider, paul motian, and david bowie. saxophonist chris speed played with, among others, john zorn, craig taborn, and kurt rosenwinkel. this four-piece released its second album towards the end of 2024, entitled complex emotions.  ‘the chemistry between the foursome sounds incredible, burning brightly with endeavour and fierce originality that doesn’t just take this band into a new era, but actually launches them head-first from an exploding cannon’ (uk vibe).

hermine deurloo is internationally renowned for her agile playing on harmonica. nu she will tell stories through melodic music, together with three english jazz greats. several compositions were written especially for her by the pianist in the group, gwilym simcock, who performed with pat matheny for years and who has earned praise for his expressivity. guitarist mike walker previously formed the impossible gentlemen with the likes of simcock, steve swallow and adam nussbaum. drummer asaf sirkis has accompanied star players such as jacob collier and dave holland. hermine deurloo has previously performed on our stage with steve gadd, rembrandt frerichs, willem breuker and many others. her virtuosity is generally recognized, for example by winning the bernie bray harmonica player of the year award, previously won by toots thielemans and stevie wonder.

craig taborn, phenomenal improviser and pioneer in jazz and experimental music, presents new work following a residency at the bimhuis, where he worked with several musicians. the fresh material will be presented at holland festival. the american pianist and composer plays a leading role in the current development of jazz, improvisation and experimental music. his style of playing explores the piano in a profound way. during his career he collaborated with renowned musicians such as roscoe mitchell, wadada leo smith and lester bowie. during his residency he will collaborate with okkyung lee, sun-mi hong and alessandro fongaro. cellist okkyung lee is mostly known for her improvisational work, but also creates site specific work reacting to the architecture, audience or objects around her. drummer sun-mi hong is praised for her boundless creativity and infectious energy. her music combines korean and european traditions. alessandro fongaro is an up and coming bassist and composer who is making name with his band pietre.

brazilian rhythms, warm harmonies, merging voices: cantorias brings you to faraway places and forgotten times. the band’s vocalists, lilian vieira, femke smit, anna serierse and nina rompa, bring close harmony from brazil. traditional protest songs, famous sambas, and original songs, with a nostalgic hint of the seventies and eighties and yet fully contemporary. ‘cantoria’ means to break out in song, and ‘cantorias’ is a party where people come together to sing. alongside four singers, the band consists of four musicians who know their way around brazilian styles such as bossa nova en música popular brasileira. the band won the edison in the category ‘jazz vocal national’ in october 2024 for their impressive debut album.

over the past decade, dekmantel festival has become synonymous with electronic music’s most adventurous realms. following wednesday’s opening concert and prior to the multitude of live and dj sets in the weekend, thursday night features performances on various locations alongside the ij river, with acts that influence the current dance and dj culture. our stage hosts crossovers between various genres. check the complete program of the five-day festival here. herbert & momoko for matthew herbert, the world is an instrument. the legendary electronic producer returns to his house alias with a jazz-infused show featuring percussion and vocals from improviser momoko gill. departing from fresh dancefloor tracks alongside classics they explore uncharted territories. james holden & wacław zimpel british dj/producer james holden and polish multi-instrumentalist wacław zimpel explore the improvisational intersection between electronic and acoustic music. handmade modular synths meet expressive alto clarinet and various other instruments, often with hypnotic and trance-inducing effects. polygonia presents dream horizons (live) the alter ego of munich-based multidisciplinary artist lindsey wang, polygonia seamlessly blends elements of techno, downtempo and ambient. rooted in the natural world and a deep understanding of music theory and instrumentation, her soundworks have an organic and mystical feel. young marco & john moods present dead sound dead sound is a collaboration between dj/producer marco sterk aka young marco and pop auteur john moods. through dream-like, emotionally charged music they explore themes such as vulnerability, healing, and transformation, not unlike a psychedelic experience embracing light and darkness in equal measure.

'izaline calister makes history at bimhuis', headlined the nrc in 2000 following the cd presentation of her debut album in our venue. as a crowning achievement of her career, the singer now returns after exactly 25 years with a new program combining her most beautiful songs and new music. calister's music is a fusion between the traditional music of her birth island curaçao and jazz with afro-caribbean influences. her body of work connects language regions through translations and her own versions of dutch and curaçaoan songs. she has released nine cds under her own name; has many hits in curaçao and aruba; has been honored with an edison award (2009) and was knighted (2018) for her work and the attention to our slavery past in her music theater performances. 'this tumba queen sang captivating antillean songs. she added jazz and salsa, walked barefoot as always, and thus made the ode to the chopin of curaçao passionate.' (nrc)

in y-otis, otis sandsjö expresses his affinity with hip-hop and electronica. the swedish-born jazz musician formed the band in berlin, where he currently lives. the style has been described as audio mosaic, where it seems as if sounds are continuously cut up and sampled. the recent album y-otis tre features london-based keyboardist/producer dan nicholls, who has previously collaborated with drum and bass pioneers goldie and squarepusher. otis sandsjö knows the ins and outs of the saxophone, but in y-otis his melodic playing always serves the greater whole. he previously played our venue with lucia cadotsch speak low, also alongside petter eldh. this swedish bassist could be heard on our stage in bands such as enemy, punkt.vrt.plastik and koma saxo. drummer jamie peet also plays here regularly, for example in the bands of  tony roe, jameszoo and jasper høiby.

what started with an invitation for a one-time duo concert, turned out to be an instant hit. meanwhile pianist ramón valle and brass player maite hontelé have toured europe and even recorded an album in havana, cuba. with the cuban musical language in their minds and bodies, they continue to challenge each other. together they experience total freedom on stage. their shared love for melody is a common thread in their collaboration. ramón valle has earned praise all over the world for his overwhelming, expressive piano playing, in which he incorporates his cuban roots as well as his classical education. dutch musician  maite hontelé has lived in colombia for many years and has released five albums, two of which were nominated for a latin grammy. with her salsa band she gave concerts all over the world. both maite and ramón always aim for the notes that reach the soul directly. that’s why each concert is a new adventure for them.

in the bimhuis productions series reflex we invite musicians to reflect on the world and society. the curator of this edition is jamie peet, who has proven himself in the last decade as a jazz drummer for the new generation who does not eschew complexity and who embraces the music of his own time. especially for reflex he has formed a band with saxophonist ben van gelder, bassist pat cleaver and renowned american vibraphonist joel ross. drummer jamie peet is one of the most in-demand drummers in the netherlands, who has worked in both jazz and hip-hop. he has toured with gregory porter and kris bowers, and he previously performed on our stage with y-otis, jasper hoiby 3 elements &tin men and the telephone. he’s part of a new wave of musicians and bands who fuse jazz, hiphop, dance and electronics. in this context he played with the likes of jameszoo, niels broos and dolphin hyperspace.

“the main thing i felt while writing the music was optimism,” says mary halvorson about the recent album cloudward. the previous album amaryllis from 2022 was written during the uncertain times of the pandemic. it was voted album of the year in the downbeat critics polls. now halvorson is back with the same group as on amaryllis, now officially called amaryllis sextet. cloudward contains eight new compositions by halvorson. it was released on nonesuch records and features laurie anderson as a special guest. mary halvorson is being recognized all around as an innovator of the jazz guitar. consciously avoiding clichés, she creates her own style, in which she subtly distorts her semi-acoustic guitar with electronic effects. the american guitarist has performed on our stage in various formations. the largest so far is the amaryllis sextet, which bridges jazz, experimental, new music and beyond. mary halvorson creates room to improvise, allowing her compositions to unfold differently every time.

with his fluent piano playing, emmet cohen brings the tradition of jazz to the forefront while providing the modern twist needed for the current times. on his breakthrough album future stride he breathed new life into the one hundred year old style of piano virtuosos such as james p. johnson and fats waller. the title of his following album uptown in orbitreferences blues in orbit by duke ellington, as well as the new york neighborhood harlem (‘uptown’)—cohen lives there in the same street as ellington once lived. emmet cohen’s apartment has become a hotspot thanks to youtube—it is where he records the popular series live from emmet’s place, with sessions that feature illustrious guest musicians such as veronica swift, nicolas payton en christian mcbride. cohen learned vintage piano styles through his regular gigs in jazz clubs and by collaborating with veterans such as benny golson, ron carter and jimmy cobb. as a finalist of the thelonious monk international piano competition, emmet cohen was received at the white house by president obama at age twenty-one.

pianist craig taborn, cellist tomeka reid and drummer ches smith are all known as important band leaders in american improvised music. in the fall of 2018 they convened to perform taborn's new compositions that crossed the boundaries of contemporary chamber music, and grooves and music from africa and the caribbean. the music required an instrumentation that could maneuver through these rapid shifts seamlessly. utilizing tomeka reid’s fluency as a cellist and improviser, ches smith’s versatility moving from traditional drum set to more extended percussion set-ups, and taborn’s approaches to acoustic piano and electronic instruments, the music moves intricately crafted chamber miniatures through energetic explorations while finding its roots in true groove and melody. the group’s inspirations include sun ra, mamman sani, don cherry, conlon nancarrow, art ensemble of chicago and drexciya.

this year the bimhuis composition assignment has been awarded to corrie van binsbergen, who after a phenomenal career as a guitarist has dedicated herself to composing. fragments of text, poetry, interviews with artists, film dialogs and more form the libretto for her new composition. it will be performed by an extraordinary septet with mostly young musicians with whom van binsbergen has not worked before. she controls the text samples on stage and may even pick up the guitar. composer and guitarist corrie van binsbergen leads stichting brokken, a foundation which has initiated countless crossover projects. she became known with her group corrie en de (grote) brokken. she developed a singular and surprising combination of music and literature, which she has dubbed ‘films for the ears’. she has collaborated with many literary authors, and has received important awards such as the boy edgar prijs and the buma classical award 2024.

haydn for modern ears, played by the chaos string quartet - that is the formula of een flat met duizend ramen. this brand-new imaginative series consists of six short performances, two per concert. six string quartets by haydn, new music and texts by joke van leeuwen take center stage. star actress ariane schluter takes on the roles of a series of characters from the here and now: all have a relationship with haydn’s music. the miniseries een flat met duizend ramen take the form of a frame story. each episode zooms in on one of the main characters. not surprisingly, haydn’s six sun quartets form the starting point. in this collection, bundled as opus 20, haydn highlighted all the possibilities of the string quartet, a then-new chamber music form. now, three centuries later, six composers add their own perspectives.

haydn for modern ears, played by the chaos string quartet - that is the formula of een flat met duizend ramen. this brand-new imaginative series consists of six short performances, two per concert. six string quartets by haydn, new music and texts by joke van leeuwen take center stage. star actress ariane schluter takes on the roles of a series of characters from the here and now: all have a relationship with haydn’s music. the miniseries een flat met duizend ramen take the form of a frame story. each episode zooms in on one of the main characters. not surprisingly, haydn’s six sun quartets form the starting point. in this collection, bundled as opus 20, haydn highlighted all the possibilities of the string quartet, a then-new chamber music form. now, three centuries later, six composers add their own perspectives.

a first: the norwegian engegård quartet and the north sea string quartet from the netherlands together on one stage! the north sea string quartet’s greatest love is improvisation, which will merge with the folk music the engegård brings along. this double string ensemble is ideally suited to translate the layering of improvisation, folk melodies and their rhythms into an intimate and sophisticated context. traditional norwegian melodies and the organic playing of the north sea string quartet will meld into a colorful whole. the engegård quartet has its roots in the lofoten islands, the magnificent norwegian archipelago where silence is interrupted only by the wind that is always howling around the mountain peaks. the contrast of this vast landscape with the bustling port city of rotterdam, home to the north sea string quartet where all kinds of cultures come together as well as an international hotspot of modern architecture, cannot but leave its mark in the collaboration of both quartets.