Peter Beets & Henk Meutgeert New Jazz Orchestra

September 10, 2020
20:15
Rotterdam
De Doelen
Peter Beets & Henk Meutgeert New Jazz Orchestra
Peter Beets

Peter Beets & Henk Meutgeert New Jazz Orchestra

Big band jazz in all its glory! Swinging, groovy, modern and contemporary.

The phenomenal pianist Peter Beets and the renowned composer/arranger Henk Meutgeert are continuing their decades-long collaboration by recruiting the best of the new generation of young Dutch jazz musicians into a brand new orchestra: the Peter Beets & Henk Meutgeert New Jazz Orchestra. This first-class orchestra plays original big band compositions and arrangements by Henk Meutgeert. The result is a big band grounded in the jazz tradition, but keeping groove and swing alive. Meutgeert adds a modern and contemporary twist to standards from both the jazz and classical canon.

The program that can be heard this evening in De Doelen consists entirely of the music of Charlie Parker, the most influential alto saxophonist of his time. At the request of Jazz International Rotterdam, Rotterdam alto saxophonist Jasper van Damme will be given a special role: it is his honor to interpret the beautiful themes of “Bird” (Parker’s nickname). Not an easy task, but certainly one that this rising star in the Dutch jazz scene is ready to take on.

In addition, the concert will feature the virtuosic piano playing of Peter Beets, a musician who demonstrates with every concert why he is regarded worldwide as one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time. The orchestra is conducted by Henk Meutgeert. His track record for Dutch jazz is impressive. He worked as the artistic director of the Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw. Under his leadership, the JoC won an Edison (the Dutch version of the GRAMMYs). He is also a pianist, and was part of the quartet of Herman Schoonderwalt and The Skymasters.

';