The Jazz Influencers

The Jazz Influencers was released on 15 October 2020. For this album, we invited nine prominent young musicians to write for our orchestra. Reinier Baas, Gideon van Gelder, Joris Roelofs, Maartje Meijer, Ben van Gelder, Simin Tander, Maarten Hogenhuis, Morris Kliphuis and Tineke Postma created compositions in which they each give their take on big band jazz in the 21st century from their own musical perspective. Conductor Rob Horsting elaborated the diverse works into new arrangements. The result is a very challenging CD in which the boundaries of big band jazz are explored in a series of compositions inspired by jazz from the 60s and 70s, contemporary chamber music, minimal music, pop, Olivier Messiaen and traditional Afghan music. The album was recorded at the Conservatory of Amsterdam.

Reviews

‘A handsome album with fresh, new repertoire, clever solo work and thunderous ensemble playing.’
●●●● - De Volkskrant

'The album The Jazz Influencers is really to get very excited about. Highlighting a new generation of composing jazz musicians is not only a very strong idea to the brand new repertoire. It also once again underlines the JOC's aim: to test the boundaries of big band music. In Rob Horsting's elegant arrangements, The Jazz Influencers is a tastefully progressive direction.' ●●●● - NRC Handelsblad

'.. Sometimes the epithet Influencers is entirely appropriate. Because just look at the line-up for this album; basically just big names from contemporary Dutch Jazz' - Jazzism

'Trombonist Bert Boeren's solo on “Open Water” is another highlight, with Marco Kegel and Simon Rigter on sax, sustaining the song's exoticism. Indeed, all the soloists aim high, supported by a rhythm section providing sensitive colouration, as well as power and sometimes swing. Throughout, the orchestra performs sectional call and response, rich harmonies, tricky syncopation and counter- point faultlessly.' - Downbeat (US)

‘All the pieces are completely convincing, the arrangements sound like clockwork and the musicians play fantastically.’ - Parool

‘Sound colour, atmosphere, beautifully developed themes, which you only enjoy even more on second and third listenings.’ - Den Haag Centraal

‘A great CD with a great variety of melodies, timbres and atmospheres, with quality as the greatest common denominator.’  - ‘Jazzflits

‘With JOC, the future of Dutch jazz is in good hands’ - Jazzenzo Jazzmagazine