Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw
Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands | MAJOR
Music
Press
Roerige tijden Concertgebouw Jazz Orchestra
door Rene Steenhorst
Amsterdam, dinsdag
Het Concertgebouw Jazz Orchestra bevindt zich op een ingewikkeld kruispunt van tegenstellingen. "Gevoelsmatig worden we hevig door elkaar geslingerd", beaamt dirigent-arrangeur-componist Henk Meutgeert (62). "Het gaat muzikaal en creatief werkelijk fantastisch met de band. We spelen veel en voor vaak uitverkochte zalen. Eerlijk gezegd is het nog nooit zo goed geweest. Anderzijds is onze toekomst in eigen land momenteel best onzeker door subsidieproblemen en weten we, eerlijk gezegd, niet hoe het straks verder zal moeten." - De Telegraaf
Discography
Festival 1999, Via Records
Sunday Nights in Amsterdam, Munich Records
Tribute to Ray Charles, Munich Records
Riffs'n Rhythms, JOC Records
Silk Rush, JOC Records
Blues for the Date, Challenge Records (Edison winner)
Photos
Bio
Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw
The 18 members of The Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw conducted by Henk Meutgeert (JOC) are the current most talented jazz musicians in The Netherlands. The orchestra is the leading Dutch big-band and performed all over the world. All music is composed and arranged especially for the orchestra. The big band performs regularly with guest jazz artists of the highest standards such as Chick Corea, Branford Marsalis, McCoy Tyner, Lew Tabackin, James Carter, Richard Galliano, Deborah Brown, Madeline Bell, George Duke, Ellen ten Damme, Benny Golson, Trijntje Oosterhuis, Lee Konitz, Roy Hargrove, Dennis Mackrel, Toots Thielemans, Ack van Rooyen, Rita Reys, Bert Joris, Mathilde Santing, Miranda van Kralingen, Joe Lovano, Joe Henderson, Han Bennink, Johnny Griffin, Misha Mengelberg and Dee Dee Bridgewater.
History The orchestra was founded in 1996 as the New Concert Big Band. In 1999 the band swiftly moved to centre stage under an arrangement with Amsterdam’s prestigious Concertgebouw to become The Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw. Currently the JOC has more than 35 000 visitors a year throughout The Netherlands, Europe, South America, China and Japan.
Co-productions The Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw initiates and participates often in extraordinary projects with other ensembles and art forms. For instance, when the motion picture “Ray” hit the screens, the big band toured through The Netherlands and performed in the movie theatres in a tribute to Ray Charles.
Also, the orchestra co-produced an All American Program with Het Gelders Orkest and performed pieces by Gershwin and Ellington and also music written by Henk Meutgeert himself. The music was especially arranged for this extraordinary big band-symphonic orchestra combination. Further co-productions are for example the successful double big band concert with the NDR-big band (Germany) and Ellington’s Sacred Concerts with Miranda van Kralingen.
CD’s In 2007 the Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw started it’s own label JOC Records and recorded and produced her first CD in the Dutch Series collection. With this collection the big band strives to enhance the focus on both Dutch Jazz and Dutch Jazz musicians within the international scene. At least one album a year is currently being released with exclusively Dutch music or by Dutch soloists. In 2007 the album ‘Riffs ‘n Rhythms’ was released, followed in 2008 by Silk Rush, a recording of the music by Jesse van Ruller. In April 2010, the CD Blues for the Date with the music of pianist Peter Beets was released. This cd was awarded with the Edison Jazz&World 2010.
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