FESTIVAL FLASHES ZEELANDJAZZ (part one)

Written by | Concert Reviews, Festivals, News

Festival Orchestra highlight in Terneuzen – The first four days of Zealand Jazz had two highlights. The opening concert in Terneuzen (9 June), Opera Meets Jazz, and the performance of the Zeeland Jazz Festival Orchestra (12 June).

The Festival Orchestra played for the first time in public, but there was nothing of note. The chastened Dutch top musicians played almost exclusively their own compositions. Beautiful solos and solid interaction were the surprising result.

On Sunday, the band plaed during the second part of the festival, in Middelburg. Every year a Festival Orchestra performs at ZeelandJazz, with musicians who live in the province of Zeeland or are born there. The saxophonists Jan Menu, Paul van der Feen Yoran Aarssen, trumpeter Rik Mol, pianist Martin Fondse, bassist Guus Bakker and drummer Friso van WIjck were the band members this time.

At the opening of the festival musicians from the renowned, Metropole Orchestra accompanied soprano Claron McFadden and the trio of jazz pianist Mike del Ferro. The premiere of Opera Meets Jazz was a month earlier in the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. The critics where full of praise. The concert in Terneuzen met all expectations, with a leading role for Claron McFadden, who rose to great heights in some of the vocal numbers.

Traditionally, the Friday night during the jazz festival in Terneuzen is dedicated to the blues. The English group The Black Circles are rising stars in their home country. The first performance in mainland Europe was in Terneuzen. Guitarist and singer Sam Lucy is a worthy exponent of the English blues culture. Especially her tribute to Jimi Hendrix impressed me.

The Houdini’s performed in Porgy and Bess on Saturday night with as a guest guitarist Anton Goudsmit. He is a very expressive musician and always ensures that there is firework on stage. The sextet and the guitarist tried to find out how blue’s the blues? They will keep on searching (and performing), because the blues is a never ending story. The Houdini’s started some 25 years ago as hard bop band, but over the years, the band members have become all-round craftsmen.

Sven Hammond is the band of organist Sven Fisee, who regularly is on Dutch television in a popular program as a music expert. He has therefore become somewhat of a celebrity. The band was already popular, but popularity has grown since the joining of singer Ivan Peroti. Sven Hammond plays swinging dance music at a high level.

The second part of Zealand Jazz started, Thursday 16 June with a boat trip to Middelburg.

More info: www.zeelandjazz.nl

Photo credits: Wacon Images 

Last modified: July 15, 2018