The Dutch Jazz Competition has been the national platform for up-and-coming jazz talent for 25 years. A total of 124 bands have entered the Dutch Jazz Competition 2024. Of these, four bands will reach the finals and compete for the main prize, audience prize and, again, a prize for the best composition. Winners will go home with cash prizes, places to play at relevant festivals and a network for international tours.

The Dutch Jazz Competition aims to give talented Dutch or Netherlands-based musicians the opportunity to present themselves to a wider audience, the press and the music industry. Previous editions were won by Jamesz with Izaline Calister (2000), On the line (Oene van Geel, Albert Veenendaal and Tmucin Sahin) (2001), Agog (2002), As Guests Quartet (2004), Robinson, Freitag & Caruso (2005), Fransz Von Chossy Quartet (2006), The Blazin’ Quartet (2008), The Castel/ van Damme Quartet (2010), Kapok (2012), the Loran Witteveen Quintet (2014), the Xavi Torres Trio (2016), Sun Mi Hong Quartet (2018), the Aviv Noam Quartet (2020) and Ragazzi (2022).

🪩 Party

Bimhuis

Dutch Jazz Competition

Eric Vloeimans

Vincent Courtois

Ryan Keberle

Frank Woeste

Eric Vloeimans, one of the best known trumpeters of The Netherlands, shares a fascination with the international ensemble Reverso: the intersection between jazz and classical music. Over a century ago, European composers such as Ravel and Debussy incorporated influences from the new American jazz in their music. Reverso continues this tradition with “thrilling patterns, long pictorial lines, open fields and pointillist statements”, according to JazzTimes.

Reverso plays in a line-up that is related to chamber music, with American trombonist Ryan Keberle, French cellist Vincent Courtois and German-born pianist Frank Woeste. The trio has released several albums with tributes to the likes of Ravel and Parisian composer group Les Six. Vloeimans also eschews categories and barriers. His work is characterized by melodic and lyrical strength and a characteristic sound, ranging from bright and glowing to velvety and whispery.

Reverso ft. Eric Vloeimans

Seated

Standing

Joao Driessen

Eddy Veldman

Yannick Hiwat

Robin van Geerke

Opo Yeye (‘elevate your soul’) is an energetic, groundbreaking band led by Eddy Veldman, the Paramaribo-born drum veteran. Expect a dynamic mix of jazz, funk, hip-hop, and Surinamese dance music such as kaseko and kawina. Opo Yeye fuses many rhythms and styles into a unique sound full of groove and improvisation.

As a co-founder of the legendary Surinam Music Ensemble, Eddy Veldman is one of the originators of the Paramaribop sound. Since the 1970s he has played in innovative bands such as Reality and Solat, and since 1998 he is leading Opo Yeye. In its current form, the group has a richly varied line-up including members of the influential Fra Fra Sound and rising star violinist Yannick Hiwat, who played on our stage with his own bands.

Norman van Geerke vocals, Yannick Hiwat violin, Robin van Geerke piano, Fantison Araby O’Byan percussion, Álvaro Jiménez trumpet, Joao Driessen saxophone, Rob Dirkson bass, Eddy Veldman drums

Eddy Veldman & Opo Yeye

Joost Buis

Eric Boeren

Wilbert de Joode

Mo van der Does

Jimmy Sernesky

Jodi Gilbert

Natalio Sued

Peter van Bergen

All Ellington builds on the rich tradition of Duke Ellington. Ellington said, “The music of my race is something more than the American idiom.” Improvisation and individuality were the pillars of his music, and that is also at the core of All Ellington. With a warm ensemble sound and adventurous solos, they present new compositions and arrangements. The emphasis is on the question: “What else can we do with this music?”

All Ellington combines the detail of ensemble playing with high-level individual contributions. The group consists of young, well-trained musicians and seasoned improvisers. They know what a melody is all about.

Jodi Gilbert vocals, Jimmy Sernesky trumpet, Eric Boeren cornet, Maarten Combrink trombone, Gregor Sperzel trombone, Joost Buis trombone, Mo van der Does alto sax/clarinet, Natalio Sued tenor sax, Peter van Bergen baritone sax, Wilbert de Joode bass, Giacomo Camiletti drums

All Ellington

Sjoerd van Eijck

Michiel Stekelenburg

Jesse Schilderink

Tom Ridderbeekx

Odei Al-Magut

Jeroen Vierdag

Jasper van Hulten

Catharsis can be defined as the process of releasing strong or repressed emotions. It is also the name of the new band of rising star guitar player and composer Michiel Stekelenburg. The eponymous album reflects his inner struggles, the search for balance between vulnerability and strength. ‘It is a journey through my soul, a quest for balance between my inner world and the expectations of the external world,’ says Michiel, who formed a band featuring seven top players who draw from jazz, rock and contemporary composed music.

Catharsis provides a fresh take on the conventional septet line-up. The modernly arranged three-part harmonies of the horn section are essential to the overall sound. Expect fiery improvised solos, ethereal textures and dynamic compositions. Catharsis is Michiel Stekelenburg’s fourth album. His previous album Onoda earned him the second place in the poll for best jazz guitarist in the Benelux of the magazine Gitarist. As a sideman he collaborated with celebrated artists such as Marcus Miller, Damien Erskine and Eric Vloeimans.

Michiel Stekelenburg – Catharsis

Alessandro Fongaro

Sun-Mi Hong

Pietre (‘stones’ in Italian) is a band led by bassist Alessandro Fongaro, who previously played on our stage with Sun-Mi Hong, Ambergris and Brainteaser Orchestra. Pietre is a scream to live again, love again. As if recovering from an emergency break, the music stutters, collapses and pushes on, laced with stories of love and friendship that manifest through intensity, sensitivity and vulnerability.

The two saxophonists in Pietre show an impressive range, supported by a tight-knit rhythm section of double bass and drums. The debut album First Time (A)live celebrated the end of the lockdown with a recording of the very first concert they played. Recently they presented the studio-produced album Pietre that is sure to be a stepping stone towards a bright future.

‘The tone is playful and on the dark side with a great freedom for the bass and drums. This freedom gives Fongaro’s melodic themes, which sometimes bring to mind Ornette Coleman, a remarkable sense of urgency’ (Jazzism).

Alessandro Fongaro’s Pietre ft. Sun-Mi Hong, Nicolo Ricci & Jesse Schilderink

Guillermo Celano

Iman Spaargaren

Suzan Veneman

Marcos Baggiani

A highlight among the Dutch jazz releases of last year is Cloud Song by Undercurrent Trio and rising star trumpeter Suzan Veneman. With melodies from the heart, exciting cinematic parts and thick grooves, these maestro’s offer a wide variety of moods. While the music sounds fresh and contemporary, there’s a clear link with the jazz’s rich past.

In this formation, composer and band leader Iman Spaargaren plays tenor sax as well as clarinet and bass clarinet. His musical goal is to have a great deal of freedom in melody, harmony and rhythm and presenting that in a comprehensible context. Iman considers guitarist Guillermo Celano and drummer Marcos Baggiani two of his favourite musicians of all time. “I’ve been creating music with them for many years now and it continues to be magical,” he says. “Letting Suzan Veneman contribute her flawless playing, innovative musical concepts, and stunning improvisations to the trio’s sound, truly breathed new life into everything.”

Suzan Veneman trumpet/flugelhorn, Iman Spaargaren tenor sax/clarinets, Guillermo Celano guitar, Marcos Baggiani drums

🍿 Chill

Undercurrent Trio & Suzan Veneman

Reinier Baas

FaKruTu

Jazzfest Amsterdam, ‘undoubtedly the best jazz festival in Amsterdam’ (het Parool) is known for its remarkable new combinations of young talents and established names from various directions in music. Looking ahead to a new fully-fledged edition of JazzFest on 22 March 2025, we present an exciting mini-version with three performances on one evening:  Mn3mosyne, Anja Gottberg & Reinier Baas and FaKruT:u Dakar Edition

Mn3mosyne

Drummer/composer Ilia Rayskin presents his upcoming album “Beauty in Complexity” on Boomslang Records with his trio “Mn3mosyne. This adventurous project uses music by 20th-century contemporary composers such as Sofia Gubaidulina & Witold Lutosławski as the basis for the compositions, mixing live electronics with sophisticated through-composed material.

Ilia Rayskin drums/live electronics/compositions, Chaerin Im piano/midi-keyboard, Hristo Goleminov tenor sax/midi-trigger

Anja Gottberg & Reinier Baas

Groundbreaker on guitar, Reinier Baas, duets with Anja Gottberg. The Swedish double bass player lives in Amsterdam and is an active part of the current jazz scene. In September, for example, she played our venue in the trio of (for this time pianist) Ernst Glerum. As the ‘uncrowned king of contemporary jazz’ (Jazzism), Reinier Baas is an essential part of the Dutch jazz and improvisation scene.

Reinier Baas guitar, Anja Gottberg double bass

FaKruTu: Dakar Edition

The trio of Sean Fasciani, Stefan Kruger and Mark Tuinstra – or FaKruTu – draws inspiration from the angularity of Thelonious Monk, the wringing harmonies of Igor Stravinsky, contemporary electronics and African rhythms. For some time now, the trio has been crossing musical swords with unusual colleagues from Senegal in their project FaKruTu: Dakar Edition, featuring kora player Bao Sissoko, percussionist Oké Sène and vocalist Mola Sylla.

Mark Tuinstra guitar, Sean Fasciani bass, Stefan Kruger drums, Mola Sylla vocals, Bao Sissoko kora, Oke Sene percussion.

Jazzfest Minifest: Mn3mosyne, Anja Gottberg & Reinier Baas, FaKruTu: Dakar Edition

Benjamin Herman

Han Bennink

Ernst Glerum

Oscar Jan Hoogland

The brand-new quartet EHBO brings together four generations of improvisational stars, formed during the Han Bennink Vierdaagse at the Roode Bioscoop. The quartet consists of Han Bennink (drums), Ernst Glerum (bass), Benjamin Herman (saxophone) and Oscar Jan Hoogland (piano). All four have long earned their own spurs within jazz and improvisation and are now joining forces for a limited number of concerts.

Han Bennink, known for his collaborations with big names like Dexter Gordon and Sonny Rollins, and as co-founder of ICP (Instant Composers Pool), forms the core of the quartet together with bassist Ernst Glerum, also a member of this group. Saxophonist Benjamin Herman, known from New Cool Collective, and pianist Oscar Jan Hoogland, prominent in the Amsterdam improv scene, complete the ensemble.

Benjamin Herman alto saxophone, Oscar Jan Hoogland piano, Ernst Glerum bass, Han Bennink drums

EHBO ft. Ernst Glerum – Han Bennink – Benjamin Herman – Oscar Jan Hoogland

Chaerin Im

Modar Salama

Oene van Geel

Antonio Moreno

Pouriya Jaberi

For Oene van Geel it feels like a absolute necessity to lead this new, extended formation. The renowned violin and viola player will introduce you to eight musicians of the new generation, who will all be given the room to shine. From oriental jazz to cinematic metal, from ambient soundscapes to lyrical chamber music: everything is possible.

Oene himself feels like a fish in water among these exceptional players. He offers them his compositions, but they will also bring in their own works. Expect close-knit ensemble playing by a wonderful palette of personalities: Chaerin Im, Antonio Moreno Glazkov and Alkistis Misouli are strong young jazz musicians. Christoph Teuschel and Fred Jacobsson are well-versed in the metal genre. And Modar Salama and Pouriya Jaberi form a groove tandem with a deep drive as well as a subtle touch.

Oene van Geel 5-string violin/percussion/spoken word, Alkistis Misouli viola/vocals/spoken word, Antonio Moreno trumpet, Chaerin Im piano, Christoph Teuschel electric guitar/effects, Fred Jacobsson bass guitar/electronics, Modar Salama percussion/drums, Pouriya Jaberi frame drums/ghatam/tanbore

Oene van Geel’s Untravelled Land

Adam

Maggie

Christie

Eric

Anna

Standard

guestList

Het BIMHUIS is een plek voor baanbrekende musici en nieuwsgierige luisteraars van alle generaties.

Hier wordt jazzgeschiedenis gevierd, ontwikkelt jong talent zich en wordt het gesprek over muzikale conventies en vrijheid doorlopend gevoerd. Al sinds 1974 zijn we een knooppunt in het nationale en internationale netwerk van grensverleggende muziek.

ONZE MISSIE

Wij beloven het publiek een wederkerige concertervaring op een prachtige plek, waar state-of-the-art, grensverleggende jazz ontstaat. In een persoonlijke sfeer met perfect geluid.

We programmeren vanuit het vrije denken. Dat doen we sinds 1974 met musici, makers, programmeurs en publiek die allen een bijdrage leveren aan het gesprek over (muzikale) conventies en vrijheid.

We geven vorm aan de veranderende wereld: we faciliteren projecten, initiëren en organiseren het maken van nieuw werk.

Het BIMHUIS is, net als jazz zélf, een open vorm, onophoudelijk in ontwikkeling, in relatie met de wereld – een mentaliteit. We scheppen in alle lagen van de organisatie condities om goed te luisteren voor meer wederzijds begrip. Luisteren naar de muziek, naar makers, naar elkaar, naar de bezoekers en naar de samenleving.

De uitgebreide versie van onze missie, doelen en plannen de aankomende jaren zijn te lezen in ons Beleidsplan.

STEUN
Het BIMHUIS heeft een ANBI-status. De Gemeente Amsterdam steunt ons met een meerjarige subsidie en ons programma wordt mede mogelijk gemaakt door het Fonds Podiumkunsten, Ammodo, Sena, Janivo en Brook Foundation. Wij zijn zeer dankbaar voor de steun van de leden van NEWTHING, onze vrienden en donateurs. Het BIMHUIS wordt gesponsord door Grolsch.

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Bimhuis

1.1K

693

Dutch Jazz Competition

Reverso ft. Eric Vloeimans

Eddy Veldman & Opo Yeye

All Ellington

Michiel Stekelenburg – Catharsis

Alessandro Fongaro’s Pietre ft. Sun-Mi Hong, Nicolo Ricci & Jesse Schilderink

Undercurrent Trio & Suzan Veneman

Jazzfest Minifest: Mn3mosyne, Anja Gottberg & Reinier Baas, FaKruTu: Dakar Edition

EHBO ft. Ernst Glerum – Han Bennink – Benjamin Herman – Oscar Jan Hoogland

Oene van Geel’s Untravelled Land

December

Bimhuis

1.1K

693

Dutch Jazz Competition

Reverso ft. Eric Vloeimans

Eddy Veldman & Opo Yeye

All Ellington

Michiel Stekelenburg – Catharsis

Alessandro Fongaro’s Pietre ft. Sun-Mi Hong, Nicolo Ricci & Jesse Schilderink

Undercurrent Trio & Suzan Veneman

Jazzfest Minifest: Mn3mosyne, Anja Gottberg & Reinier Baas, FaKruTu: Dakar Edition

EHBO ft. Ernst Glerum – Han Bennink – Benjamin Herman – Oscar Jan Hoogland

Oene van Geel’s Untravelled Land

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December