ZomerJazzFietsTour Founder Suzanne Rohde:

It's been great

What were founder Suzanne Rohde’s feelings when she heard that the ZomerJazzFietsTour in its current form would stop after this year?

If the success of the ZJFT taught her one thing, it's that you shouldn't listen to people who say that something can't be done. For the first edition (1987), Suzanne was told there wouldn't be enough of an audience for experimental jazz (turned out to be false), that people wouldn't bother cycling dozens of kilometres to attend performances (completely untrue), that the acoustics of a church were unsuitable for this kind of music (usually not an issue, and if it was the case, there’d always be a barn to move to), and that bad weather would keep people away (nope).

But then again, even Suzanne doubted whether people would come to the first edition. She was worried. Because you never know: you start something new, mostly outdoors... and it rains heavily. From her home in Garnwerd, which would later become the unofficial headquarters of the ZJFT, she asked her two children to check out the first concert of the day in Oostum to see if there was an audience. Mobile phones didn't exist yet. Not even walkie-talkies. So, they got on their bikes. Suzanne: “After half an hour, they returned. I saw them cycling towards me. My daughter Marije raised her fist, with the thumb down, I thought. Oh no, I thought, it's a flop! How terrible! But I had seen it wrong. The thumb was up. The church was full.”

Of course, Suzanne's fear was understandable. Before the first ZJFT, concerts were organized in the villages, and even there, it wasn't always a full house. “Classical concerts were held, and sometimes jazz concerts as well. The classical concerts attracted a reasonable amount of interest, the jazz events less so. I found that disappointing. One day, while walking through Garnwerd, I saw people cycling. People enjoying the landscape in summer. Then I got the idea to combine these two things: cycling through the area and attending small concerts in churches.”

So, the ZJFT was born. Over the years, the cycling tour grew. More performances, more locations, more visitors from all over the Netherlands and abroad. The original idea remained intact: cycling through the cultural and historical landscape of Groningen, enjoying experimental jazz in churches and barns. A unique combination. And a logistical mammoth task. Suzanne saw how heavy the workload was for the people involved and that all efforts to find new blood for the board were insufficient.

“No, I wasn't surprised when the core team indicated that they didn't want or couldn't continue in the present form. I saw it coming. I said that immediately. It was a relief for them, they found it hard to tell me, as the founder, this news. But as strange as it may sound, it's good as it is. That's how I feel about it. It is what it is. It's now up to others to take over. In a new setup. What I hope is that this platform for experimental jazz continues to exist. There aren't many platforms for this type of music. These musicians deserve it. They are such nice, kind people. Approachable. Not arrogant at all.”

That last point especially appeals to her. “I don't need the attention. Don't talk too much about it, just do it. Because you enjoy it and can mean something to others.”

In her backyard, literally bordering the hefty dike that keeps the water of the Reitdiep in check, Suzanne flips through her diary. It’s a diary that is completely filled with appointments. In retrospect, it's not surprising that she, along with like-minded individuals, was at the start of the ZomerJazzFietsTour. Suzanne is and was involved in various committees, has a philosophy club and a walking club with friends. She talks with villagers about how things can be improved in the village. She attends various cultural events with friends. Singing, dancing. She often arranges the outings. “I just love culture and I love organizing things. When we go on vacation with friends, they ask me, ‘what's on the program today, Suzanne?’ Organizing gives me energy.”

Finally: is it true that Suzanne hasn't attended a concert all these years? “That's not true. At least not completely,” Suzanne laughs. “Especially in the early years, I just didn't get around to it. I had to stay at the headquarters. Cooking meals for the volunteers and the musicians. Later, I did attend concerts sometimes. I'm not a jazz specialist, but I enjoy it immensely.”