New Dutch Jazz

the dutch jazz competition has been the national platform for up-and-coming jazz talent for 25 years. a total of 124 bands have entered the dutch jazz competition 2024. of these, four bands will reach the finals and compete for the main prize, audience prize and, again, a prize for the best composition. winners will go home with cash prizes, places to play at relevant festivals and a network for international tours. the dutch jazz competition aims to give talented dutch or netherlands-based musicians the opportunity to present themselves to a wider audience, the press and the music industry. previous editions were won by jamesz with izaline calister (2000), on the line (oene van geel, albert veenendaal and tmucin sahin) (2001), agog (2002), as guests quartet (2004), robinson, freitag & caruso (2005), fransz von chossy quartet (2006), the blazin' quartet (2008), the castel/ van damme quartet (2010), kapok (2012), the loran witteveen quintet (2014), the xavi torres trio (2016), sun mi hong quartet (2018), the aviv noam quartet (2020) and ragazzi (2022).

catharsis can be defined as the process of releasing strong or repressed emotions. it is also the name of the new band of rising star guitar player and composer michiel stekelenburg. the eponymous album reflects his inner struggles, the search for balance between vulnerability and strength. ‘it is a journey through my soul, a quest for balance between my inner world and the expectations of the external world,’ says michiel, who formed a band featuring seven top players who draw from jazz, rock and contemporary composed music. catharsis provides a fresh take on the conventional septet line-up. the modernly arranged three-part harmonies of the horn section are essential to the overall sound. expect fiery improvised solos, ethereal textures and dynamic compositions. catharsis is michiel stekelenburg’s fourth album. his previous album onoda earned him the second place in the poll for best jazz guitarist in the benelux of the magazine gitarist. as a sideman he collaborated with celebrated artists such as marcus miller, damien erskine and eric vloeimans.

pietre (‘stones’ in italian) is a band led by bassist alessandro fongaro, who previously played on our stage with sun-mi hong, ambergris and brainteaser orchestra. pietre is a scream to live again, love again. as if recovering from an emergency break, the music stutters, collapses and pushes on, laced with stories of love and friendship that manifest through intensity, sensitivity and vulnerability. the two saxophonists in pietre show an impressive range, supported by a tight-knit rhythm section of double bass and drums. the debut album first time (a)live celebrated the end of the lockdown with a recording of the very first concert they played. recently they presented the studio-produced album pietre that is sure to be a stepping stone towards a bright future. ‘the tone is playful and on the dark side with a great freedom for the bass and drums. this freedom gives fongaro’s melodic themes, which sometimes bring to mind ornette coleman, a remarkable sense of urgency’ (jazzism).

in recent years, pianist jef neve and trumpeter teus nobel have become regulars in the (inter)national jazz landscape. after years of successful collaborations on major stages in the netherlands, belgium and australia, they now present their long-awaited duo album, recorded live with an audience. the album contains both their own compositions and jazz classics, with the title track, “esho funi,” revolving around the japanese idea of unity between man and environment. during their extensive tour, neve and nobel bring their close musical connection and inexhaustible joy of playing to the stage, constantly challenging each other and treating the audience to fascinating anecdotes. a guarantee for an evening full of musicality and stories.