Stéphane Galland & The Rhythm Hunters

pianist and composer franz von chossy revives ancient wisdom in his project mirror 9. thios nine-part suite explores the nine enneagram personalities: the perfectionist, the giver, the achiever, the individualist, the investigator, the skeptic, the enthusiast, the challenger and the peacemaker. the suite invites self-discovery and deepens the understanding of the various ways we think, feel and act. this project features top players in dutch jazz, who are known for their open approach. franz von chossy grew up in munich, where he learned to play piano at a very young age and came to know classical music through his mother. his ukrainian grandmother encouraged him to play folk music on the accordion. at conservatorium van amsterdam he studied jazz piano with several teachers including rob madna, and in new york he continued his studies with kenny barron, among others, and studied film composition as well. ‘lyrical and sparkling playing’ (de volkskrant on franz von chossy). ‘with him, magic on the keyboard is pure alchemy and a mix of the most different sounds. he can subtly create a delicate balance between orient and occident, between jazz, classical music and pop, light and darkness’ (jazzthetik).

what started with an invitation for a one-time duo concert, turned out to be an instant hit. meanwhile pianist ramón valle and brass player maite hontelé have toured europe and even recorded an album in havana, cuba. with the cuban musical language in their minds and bodies, they continue to challenge each other. together they experience total freedom on stage. their shared love for melody is a common thread in their collaboration. ramón valle has earned praise all over the world for his overwhelming, expressive piano playing, in which he incorporates his cuban roots as well as his classical education. dutch musician  maite hontelé has lived in colombia for many years and has released five albums, two of which were nominated for a latin grammy. with her salsa band she gave concerts all over the world. both maite and ramón always aim for the notes that reach the soul directly. that’s why each concert is a new adventure for them.

in the bimhuis productions series reflex we invite musicians to reflect on the world and society. the curator of this edition is jamie peet, who has proven himself in the last decade as a jazz drummer for the new generation who does not eschew complexity and who embraces the music of his own time. especially for reflex he has formed a band with saxophonist ben van gelder, bassist pat cleaver and renowned american vibraphonist joel ross. drummer jamie peet is one of the most in-demand drummers in the netherlands, who has worked in both jazz and hip-hop. he has toured with gregory porter and kris bowers, and he previously performed on our stage with y-otis, jasper hoiby 3 elements &tin men and the telephone. he’s part of a new wave of musicians and bands who fuse jazz, hiphop, dance and electronics. in this context he played with the likes of jameszoo, niels broos and dolphin hyperspace. reflex is supported by ammodo art & afk.