Last February, Elsa van der Linden curated a night called “This is Doek”; a concert full of quotes, objects, movement, music, and most of all improvisation based on one question: How diverse is Doek?
We were fortunate to have filmmaker Elsie Vermeer document the occasion and create this small film.
After a refreshing summer filled with festivals and fun, the new season for improvised music has now begun. Amsterdam is chock-full of great venues and improvised series – be sure to check out Present Sounds Amsterdam to get an overview of everything going on. Here are some highlights featuring Doek ensembles.
Impro Jazzcafe
Zaal 100 is back with regular shows every Tuesday night including the monthly showcase for All Ellington every third Tuesday of the Month.
Space is the Place, Second Stop is Jupiter, Ditdit-dada-ditdit
Space is the Place at De Ruimte has already hosted a number of great shows and will begin their collaboration with Doek November 9 featuring Cactus Truck with special guest James Brandon Lewis as well as an incredibly rare, heavily amplified bass solo by Wilbert de Joode.…
Sep 12 Brodie West Presents featuring Jasper Stadhouders and many more, Tranzac, Toronto, CA
Sep 13 Marielle Groven, Aaron Lumley & Jasper Stadhouders, Guelph Jazz Festival on CFRU Radio Guelph, Toronto, CA
Sep 15 Marielle Groven, Aaron Lumley & Jasper Stadhouders, Guelph Jazz Festival @ River Run Centre, Guelph, CA
Sep 22 Marielle Groven, Aaron Lumley & Jasper Stadhouders, Marjolein Vogels, The Rat Drifting Series presented by Array Music @ The Array Space, Toronto, CA
Jasper Stadhouders has been invited to perform at the Guelph Jazz Festival in Canada with pianist Marielle Groven and bassist Aaron Lumley.…
Wolter Wierbos
Featured Ensemble for Doek Festival 2018
Amagi
Friday June 15 – Bimhuis
It is hard to think about the trombone in improvised music without thinking about Wolter Wierbos. Wolter plays with such passion and intuition that one can sometimes forget how mind blowing his abilities on the instrument really are. As fellow trombonist Jeb Bishop said: “there are things on the trombone Wolter can do that no one else can do”. However, it’s still his strengths as an improviser that shine the brightest.…
Jasper Stadhouders
Featured Ensemble for Doek Festival 2018
Stadhouders, Oliver, Vitols, ‘t Hart, Rosaly
Friday June 15 – Bimhuis
Jasper Stadhouders is one of the newest members of Doek and belongs to the youngest generation of Dutch improvisers. Since arriving in Amsterdam, Jasper has exploded onto the international improvised music scene. His playing showcases a completely natural musicality. One has the sense that he is so connected with his instrument he can play whatever he imagines. His ability to perform difficult compositions, with an assured sense of rhythm and harmony, combined with his extremely physical and dynamic approach to improvising, has led to him being one of the most sought after guitarists and electric bassists around.…
Michael Moore
Featured Ensemble for Doek Festival 2018
Low, Slow, and Wobbly
Thursday June 14 – Splendor
It is incredibly rare to find a musician who is truly a master of free improvisation and traditional jazz forms. It’s reasonably common to find an improviser who can play within the jazz idiom, often in alarming and interesting ways, bending the conventions of the form to fit their interests. It’s also not uncommon to come across a consummate jazz musician who is willing to “go out” from time to time and explore the freedoms of non-idiomatic improvisation.…