The Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw (JOC) and Jeangu Macrooy are joining forces in this musical tribute to legendary soul singer and songwriter Bill Withers. Withers, who died in 2020, was known not only for all-time classic Lean On Me but also for songs like Ain't No Sunshine, Grandma's Hands, Use Me and Lovely Day, which of course definitely will be in the repertoire.
Jeangu: "I find Bill Withers' oeuvre enormously inspiring. I just cannot wait to immerse myself in his artistry together with the wonderful Jazz Orchestra". To the JOC musicians Withers is also a great inspiration. In new big band arrangements the musicians are challenged to give their best and through improvisation add new layers of meaning to this influential oeuvre.
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About Jeangu Macrooy
The seeds for the musical journey of Jeangu Macrooy (Paramaribo, Suriname, 1993) are planted when he receives a guitar from his parents at age thirteen. In early 2020, it is announced that Jeangu Macrooy has been selected to represent the Netherlands at the Eurovision Song Contest with his song Grow. Eurovision cannot take place that year due to the pandemic, but Jeangu’s song receives widespread critical acclaim: a premiere on Dutch national television, placements in Spotify’s New Music Friday playlists in twelve countries, coverage on all major Dutch media platforms, millions of streams and views, and placement in the Dutch charts. On March 4, 2021, exactly one year after the release of Grow, Birth Of A New Age is released: Jeangu’s new submission for Eurovision. The music video, directed by Kevin Osepa and partially shot in the Rijksmuseum, has been viewed almost two million times and the song has been reviewed by The New York Times, among others.
About Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw
The Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw belongs to the absolute top big bands in Europe. It presents a strong vision on and respect for music in all its forms, played by a world-class rhythm section and brass sections. The JOC bears the name of the Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the only concert hall in the world that, in addition to a classical orchestra, also has a jazz orchestra attached to its name.
The JOC has worked with a wide variety of international guest soloists, from Roy Hargrove to Chick Corea, Branford Marsalis to Oleta Adams, Jose James to Jazzmeia Horn.
Having toured all over the world at all the large festivals and in the most beautiful jazz clubs - from Birdland New York to North Sea Jazz Capetown, from Tokyo to Moscow and from Rio to Budapest - the JOC is also highly respected internationally.
