BIG

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.

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 introspective, soulful playing of tomasz stańko remains influential. tomasz stańko experience is dedicated to the legendary trumpeter, who passed away in 2018. the project has a remarkable origin story: ten years ago, eight musicians followed a workshop led by stańko in denmark. beautiful recordings of that event have recently resurfaced and will be released on two albums. the musicians that participated back then will now perform a selection of this music under the name scandinavian art ensemble. in the part polish, part scandinavian ensemble, a central place will be reserved for trumpeter tomasz dąbrowski, who had a unique relationship with the master. “it’s about preserving the spirit of stańko—his generosity, his curiosity, his way of bringing people together”, says dąbrowski about this project. “even after all these years, his presence can still be felt in every note we play.” alongside original compositions by the members, the program will obviously include music by the maestro  himself. this concert is co-organized by the adam mickiewicz institute as part of the international cultural program of the polish presidency of the council of the european union 2025.

in the indonesian national orchestra we see a rich diversity of percussion, string, plucked and wind instruments from all over indonesia, some tiny, others massive. most are made of natural materials, including bamboo, palm leaves and timber. the orchestra was founded fifteen years ago by prizewinning composer and ethnomusicologist franki raden, who made name creating film music. nu he brings together contemporary and traditional styles and instruments. “it’s about our slogan, bhineka tunggal ika (‘unity in diversity’), and presenting a tangible form of it through the glorious combination of these different instruments in making a singular beautiful sound,” says raden. members of the orchestra come from different areas of indonesia with different religious, social and class backgrounds. many are local maestros and are curious about each other's music, instruments and cultures.

get carried away by sonic bridges, a mesmerizing fusion of gnawa and contemporary jazz in all its versatility. it is a crowning achievement for marmoucha orchestra and moroccan guembri master mehdi nassouli. years of collaboration between them have culminated in an extraordinary synergy, bridging a wide variety of cultures. mehdi nassouli’s hypnotic guembri playing and commanding vocals transform every performance into an intense experience. he has previously shared the stage with legends such as herbie hancock and alpha blondy, bringing moroccan gnawa music to a worldwide audience. marmoucha orchestra is an ensemble of top class musicians blending contemporary styles with a wealth of traditions from southwest asia and north africa. guided by artistic director arin keshishi, the orchestra crafts compositions that both honor and innovate tradition.

nu art orchestra is not your average big band, but an ensemble that seeks adventure with brand new, original music written by its members. these seventeen players were brought together by saxophonist marike van dijk, who previously played on our stage as the composer of the north sea jazz composition assignment. her mission is a contemporary and fresh big band sound, and giving a platform to young women in jazz. the result is impressive. nu art orchestra consists mainly of women, including some of europe's most inspiring jazz musicians: tineke postma, suzan veneman, shannon barnett and ella zirina. the ‘nu’ in nu art orchestra stands for 'new' and 'uncompromising'. expect a big band that pushes the boundaries, challenges the jazz tradition and plays straight from the heart. this concert is part of big sounds amsterdam. this biennial festival highlights large ensembles that provide space for improvisation, bold ideas and worldly sounds.

the characters lume form the portuguese word for ‘fire’, but also the acronym for lisbon underground music ensemble. the fifteen members of this band have cut their teeth in jazz and classical music. whether through whimsical forays into jazz, rock, or contemporary classical music, or through fearless excursions into experimentalism, lume’s music deconstructs and reimagines musical heritage across genres. the result is a unique sonic language that escapes tradition and opens up new, vibrant perspectives. the ensemble now makes its long-awaited debut on our stage. this special concert will feature a curated selection of pieces ranging from signature works to brand new compositions. lume was founded in 2006 by band leader and pianist marco barroso, who also composes for the ensemble. with a fourth album on its way, the group has previously released material on the renowned portuguese label clean feed. lume has performed at major festivals, including london jazz festival and music meeting in nijmegen. this concert is part of big sounds amsterdam. this biennial festival highlights large ensembles that provide space for improvisation, bold ideas and worldly sounds.