ZOMeRJaZZFIeTSTOUR

People may remember the impressive duo concert by Vincent Courtois and bassist Joëlle Léandre. Cellist Courtois performed with a great variety of musicians, including Louis Sclavis, Ellery Eskelin and Rabih Abou Khalil. For the past two years he's been working with two tenor saxophonists: Robin Fincker and Daniel Erdmann (who performed at the Aduard church with Velvet Revolution last year). They released two albums based on plot lines from novels the three of them exchanged when they were on the road together. Their latest production is called Jack, a soundtrack for the stories of Jack London.

One of the most impressive live acts of the past few years is Angles 9, Swedish alto saxophonist Martin Küchen's furious monster band. The band leader throws influences from Chris McGregor, Carla Bley, Fela Kuti and Ethiopian music into a huge mixing bowl. 'An exciting party full of exuberance and colour, an emotional rollercoaster, a punch in the stomach. Bands hardly ever come as complete as this. Angles 9 is a hard act to follow at the moment' (Guy Peters). The Swedish/Norwegian super outfit will perform three sets in our largest barn, so every jazz cyclist is able to experience the excitement.

Bassist Niko Langenhuijsen is a key figure in the Brabant jazz scene (Ohm, Vaalbeek, Caoutchouc). He was one of the founders of the Tilburg jazz club Paradox. Three years ago, he performed South-African kwela inspired music with the Paul Stocker Trio in Aduard. With his new project 2Basses 2Horns the Low Route kicks off at the EnergyBarn on the 'Zernike terrein' to the north of the city.

De Nazaten from Rotterdam are on the brink of their 25th anniversary. Their latest CD, 'Als de haan tanden krijgt' features compositions by guitarist Robby Alberga, continuing the joyful mix of Surinam kaseko and jazz with fervour, from Surinam wind orchestra to New Orleans brass band. 'Energetic, swinging, melancholic, and exceptionally catchy. This is music that will make you happy.' (Moors Magazine). An ideal outfit to make sure that you start the ZJFT in good spirits.

People may remember the impressive duo concert by Vincent Courtois and bassist Joëlle Léandre. Cellist Courtois performed with a great variety of musicians, including Louis Sclavis, Ellery Eskelin and Rabih Abou Khalil. For the past two years he's been working with two tenor saxophonists: Robin Fincker and Daniel Erdmann (who performed at the Aduard church with Velvet Revolution last year). They released two albums based on plot lines from novels the three of them exchanged when they were on the road together. Their latest production is called Jack, a soundtrack for the stories of Jack London.

One of the most impressive live acts of the past few years is Angles 9, Swedish alto saxophonist Martin Küchen's furious monster band. The band leader throws influences from Chris McGregor, Carla Bley, Fela Kuti and Ethiopian music into a huge mixing bowl. 'An exciting party full of exuberance and colour, an emotional rollercoaster, a punch in the stomach. Bands hardly ever come as complete as this. Angles 9 is a hard act to follow at the moment' (Guy Peters). The Swedish/Norwegian super outfit will perform three sets in our largest barn, so every jazz cyclist is able to experience the excitement.

Groningen pianist Boelo Klat's trio is celebrating its 10th anniversary. 'Lost in Berlin' is their latest CD, in evidence of the truly personal sound that the threesome have carved out. On previous albums Klatwerk3 shared the stage with poets, but now the piano trio can be heard in full splendour once again. Bassist Ruud Vleij's deep tone fits Boelo Klat's intuitive, and slightly less romantic compositions perfectly. The diversity lies in the form of his pieces.

Two guitarists play the American gospel, hillbilly and fifties inspired music by pop duo The Louvin Brothers. Their typically American close harmony was a model for many country acts, and The Everly Brothers owe them a great deal, too. Jeroen Kimman and Mark Morse have their own, idiosyncratic way with the Louvin torch songs, turning them into instrumental gems. After the concert, guitarist Kimman must rush to Frytum for a completely different repertoire: the music of Ornette Coleman.

Bass clarinettist Fie Schouten is active in the world of contemporary composed music. She is also the initiator of the Basklarinet Festijn (Bass clarinet Fest). In this all-star line-up she combines musicians from the worlds of composition and improvisation. Contrabass clarinettist Jelte Althuis is a member of the reed quintet Calefax. The two improvisors, Giuseppe Doronzo and Wilbert de Joode make this unusual line-up especially attractive for Adorp church's acoustics. Lyrisch Laag is the second concert of the Low Route.

The Turkish/Groningen bassist Esat Ekincioglu performed at the ZJFT before, with the adventurous music of Trio AVA and Kuhn Fu. But a bassist with a bus will take the music further. Both bands extensively toured all over Europe. During a stay in New York, the bassist met ud player Tomchess. In this intimate sound world of the Arab lute and double bass Ekincioglu's roots from the Middle East come to the fore.

This year Alan Purves released his second solo album, as well as a duo CD with Mark Lotz, both of which met with critical acclaim. He makes music with unusual instruments and takes along an array of toy animals, tubes, bottles and all kinds of whistles and Jew's harps. The Scottish percussion man worked with Ernst Reijseger, Sean Bergin and many others. In the dynamic duo Flutes & Squeaks with flutist Mark Lotz the music is sometimes intimate, but usually exuberant. Hilarious moments are guaranteed. Do remember to be there on time, since the tiny Harkema church doesn't get any bigger.

Bart van der Putten performed in Ezinge before, in the motley crew of the Dutch Impro Academy. The alto saxophonist worked with Jaap Blonk (Splinks), Michiel Scheen (Gaviaal) and Michiel Braam (Bik Bent Braam). Now he comes to Ezinge with De Commotie. It started out as a three men street band in 1983 and has developed into a party band, which now specializes in South-African Township Jive and Kwela jazz. It will be lots of fun at the Museum Wierdenland

George Dumitriu from Romania is one of the exceptional talents to have landed in Amsterdam by way of the Groningen conservatory. This year he released two CDs: a duo album, 'Dance', with vocalist Sanem Kalfa and a CD with Dumitrio, called 'Proverbe'. The violist and guitarist could also find the time to work on a solo programme entitled 'Monk on Viola'. George Dumitriu's solo concert can be heard at a beautiful new location, the Noordwolde church, which is best known as the 'siepelkerk' because of the peculiar shape of its tower. 'Siepel' is the Groningen word for 'onion'.

At the Hekkum barn the jazz cyclists always went down, since there is artificial grass on the floor. So why not have some music to lie down by in Hekkum? The music of the Belgian guitarist Ruben Machtelinckx offers the listener imaginary landscapes. The relaxed, atmospheric character of his compositions is ideally suited for listening to in a horizontal position. Ruben Machtelinckx recorded with the Icelandic guitarist Hilmar Jensson and Joachim Badenhorst. In Hekkum he will be joined by his regular Linus duo partner, reedist Thomas Jillings.

No Low Route without a double bass quartet. The Sequoia Quartet from Berlin includes some well-known faces. Bassist Meinrad Kneer was a guest at this spring's LenteJazzOostum series and performed at the ZJFT with the trio Baars/Kneer/Lovens and Bite the Gnatze. The Italian bassist Antonio Borghini came to Groningen before as a member of Tristan Honsinger's Hook Line & Sinker. Canadian Miles Perkin and German Klaus Kürvers complete the quartet. Do keep an ear open for the incredible harmonics that will fly around during this low tone spectacle.

If you've never seen the American guitarist Eugene Chadbourne at work before, you should pay a visit to Saaksum. This improv veteran is a musical omnivore and takes his influences from jazz, rock, blues, country, bluegrass and free jazz. His extensive discography is unparalleled and he worked with everyone from Han Bennink to John Zorn. In his songs, Chadbourne satirically comments on American society, but he may just as easily resort to an old country classic or a Monk composition.

While Tobias Klein and Jasper Stadhouders are celebrating their successes with the band Spinifex (which recently performed at the German Moers festival) they have secretly delved into the music of Ornette Coleman's band Primetime. Just like Miles Davis, the founding father of free jazz, Ornette Coleman, went electric in the 1970s. Critics came up with the label 'free funk' for his band members (like James Blood Ulmer or Jamaladeen Tacuma), but no one ever managed to come close to Primetime's overwhelming group sound. Not until four Amsterdam musicians started to crack an egg and whisk it up.

Bassist Ernst Glerum hates labels. He just as easily performs with the ICP Orchestra one day and play hardbop with Benjamin Herman the next. And he has an eye for young talent. First, he asked pianist Ruben Hein to join his trio Omnibus, and later Timothy Banchet and Jamie Peet followed. The meeting between guitarist Marzio Scholten (Identikit, Americana Trio) and bassist Glerum at the 'Duets' concert series in Den Bosch was the beginning of this outstanding new duo.

The music of the British/Colombian duo Bitch 'n' Monk cannot be categorized. The angular melodies and unusual sounding harmonies seem to have flown from Hermeto Pascoal's pen. While guitarist Heidi Heidelberg's vocals may remind one of Esperanza Spalding. Mauricio Velasierra provides a bass line using all sorts of bamboo flutes. Deftly using loop stations, guitarist Heidelberg rolls out a colourful tapestry, including unexpected grooves.

This is the return of bassist William Parker. Last year he left the jazz cyclists behind in awe at the trio concert with John Dikeman and Hamid Drake. Their performance in Krassum was considered by many to be the best gig of the year. In 1996 bass saxophonist Klaas Hekman (yes, him of De Nazaten) released the BVHaast CD 'Intermission', featuring three bassists: William Parker, Hideji Taninaka and Wilbert de Joode. The low tone quartet was only active for two tours. In 2015 they re-joined forces (without the Japanese bassist, though) for concerts in New York and Amsterdam. ZJFT's Low Route is a wonderful excuse to get this unusual improv trio back to life again.

When 13-year-old Katharina Thomsen saw Tony Curtis with a saxophone in Some Like It Hot, she knew for sure: That's what I want to do. Two years later she acquired a baritone sax. From 2003 she has been studying in The Netherlands and performing with a wide range of big bands (from the David Kweksilber Big Band to Dr. John's horn section). For the past two years she has been devoting all of her energy to her own band, MaxSax. A swinging power band with a major role for the baritone sax. 'Virtuosity combined with energy, passion and spirit' (Sonic).

Greetje Bijma, Mary Oliver and Nora Mulder first met last November at Han Bennink's carte blanche series at the Guess Who? festival. When the ZJFT presented its festival programme at the Amsterdam Bimhuis six months later, they were back on stage. And boy, did they have fun. Greetje Bijma's vocal commentaries on Mary Oliver and Nora Mulder's instrumental notes opened up the improvisations for the audience. Pianist Nora Mulder's classical background is exceptional in this trio. She manages to build tension without playing any blue jazz notes.

Krupa is Stefan Kruger (SFeQ, New Cool Collective, Zuco 103) and Joost Patocka. The two drummers joined forces to build a kind of super group. It became a septet featuring band leaders only, The Genes: Anton Goudsmit (The Ploctones), Raphael Vanoli (Knalpot), Maarten Hogenhuis (Bruut!) Jasper Blom and bassist Sean Fasciani. 'Influences reach from afro-jungle, swing from the Krupa glory days, swamp rock, electro groove and rock to classical counterpoint. The double line-up generates a full-bodied band sound. The musicians allow each other space and adventure, and above all: fun.' (Jazzenzo).

The Portuguese bassist from Rotterdam, Gonçalo Almeida, was heard at the ZJFT before with Spinifex, Lama & Joachim Badenhorst and Trio Almeida/Duynhoven/Klein. This time he joins forces with a great name from Portuguese free jazz: tenor saxophonist Rodrigo Amado. Ever since the Portuguese record label Clean Feed has gained international fame, the modern jazz scene in Portugal is getting more attention. And thus, Rodrigo Amado's idiosyncratic tone is finally valued.

For the Low Route, reedist Michael Moore surrounds himself with the Horn Guys, four young musicians, all with a connection to Groningen, where Moore teaches at the conservatory. Michael Moore will take his cue from the music of his 1995 Ramboy CD 'Tunes for Horn Guys'. At the last Doek Festival he premiered 'Low Slow and Wobbly'. As the title suggests, the music is meditative and soothing. This project is loosely based on a manner of singing in southern Albania. The happy-go-lucky jazz cyclist will finally be treated to a portion of tearful lamentation.

In 1987 Frank Nielander and Michiel Braam performed as a duo during their final exam at the conservatory. In 1995 they took part in the ZJFT as Two Penguins in the Desert. 23 years later they released their sophomore CD 'Crime', under the name of Penguins Too. Nowadays they are into crime films and TV series and we hear them playing themes like David Shire's 'The Taking of Pelham One Two Three', Ennio Morricone's 'La Piovra' or Duke Ellington's 'Anatomy of a Murder'. But fortunately all of those glorious melodies are inevitably treated to the tried and tested Braam approach.

Perch Hen Brock & Rain is an improvising quartet that was constructed in 2014 from two long-existing duos. Ingrid Laubrock and Tom Rainey represent the New York scene, while Ab Baars and Ig Henneman are key figures in Dutch improvised music. 'The seasoned improvisors have a keen ear for unity and produce compelling music.' (Jazzbulletin). 'It's astonishing that this music is made without any preconceived ideas. You can hear the musicians are at the top of their focus. What happens next, is a complete miracle.' (Mischa Andriessen in Trouw)

Cornetist Eric Boeren brings a new trio to Groningen, featuring tenor saxophonist Tobias Delius (who can boast of the greatest number of gigs at the ZJFT, ex aequo with Han Bennink) and British piano talent Alexander Hawkins. The 37-year-old pianist recorded duo albums with Joe McPhee, Evan Parker and is a member of Louis Moholo-Moholo's Five Blokes, along with Shabaka Hutchings. Eric Boeren has conceived of three portraits: 'It goes without saying that the musician portrayed is the soloist in that particular portrait.'

Of course, a tuba duo should be featured in the Low Route. In 2010 Oren Marshall turned the tiny church of Harkema inside out with a solo concert, and in 1997 he performed at the ZJFT with saxophonist Steve Buckley and drummer Steve Noble. When asked with which tuba player he would like to play as duo, he immediately suggested Michel Godard. The French tubist, who was at ZJFT three years ago, in the company of Steven Kamperman and Oene van Geel, responded enthusiastically. Hence the Low Route is concluded with a first musical encounter of two internationally renowned tuba players.

In 2007 alto saxophonist and band leader Martin Küchen started his Angles 6 in Stockholm. By now it's a nine-piece band. After three widely acclaimed albums for the Clean Feed label they're making their long-awaited debut at the ZJFT. We'd like to quote Belgian critic Guy Peters once again on Angles 9: 'The band uses compelling rhythms, mesmerizing melodies, majestic harmonies and offers tons of soul and emotion into the bargain. It is music that goes straight for the heart without ever getting cheap or shallow. If you don't feel this, you must be made of wood indeed.'

Han Bennink is a living legend. As a young drummer he performed with jazz greats like Sonny Rollins and Eric Dolphy, became world famous with the Instant Composers Pool, but never had his own band. In 2008 he formed his own trio, featuring the then unknown Belgian reedist Joachim Badenhorst and a young Danish pianist, Simon Toldam. The Han Bennink Trio released three albums: 'Parken', 'Bennink&Co' and 'Adalante'. Ten years later, the two youngsters have developed into unique voices in European improvised music. And Han Bennink has moved to Drenthe, to get closer to the ZJFT…

After more than thirty years DJ Sem 'Swingmaster' van Gelder has called it quits. When we tried to find a successor with a high percentage of rip-roaring saxes, we came across the Amsterdam DJ Ir. Vendermeulen. With his collection of singles from the 1940s, 50s and 60s he has managed to get many a party-crazy crowd on the dancefloor. We'll see how this turns out, for the combination of DJ Sem & DJ Yeah Man is a hard one to beat.

Having graduated from the Groningen conservatory, Uruguay born bassist/guitarist Miguel Petruccelli started a band in Amsterdam in which he combines the rhythm of the Colombian cumbia with the energy of free jazz. With front men like John Dikeman and Jasper Stadhouders this psychedelic mix is brought up to the boil. A special treat for Gato Barbieri fans. And for those of you who don't know who that was: start dancing. In late May we tested the band at the LenteJazzOostum series and all those present can confirm: they will bring down the house.