Sno Peas

Leticia, here on marimba

Some people just get all the fun… like me! I have the joy of announcing that I’ll be performing in Loosdrecht twice coming months, first occasion being Februari 2nd with ‘Leticia y su Rumbadama‘. The repertoire of this all-female salsa band spans from traditional Cuban Son to a diversity of Salsa and Caribean styles such as Cha Cha Cha, Guaracha, Son Montuno, Rumba, Plena, Bomba and the very danceable Merengue. It’s music made for dancing, but it can be just as much enjoyed sitting back and listening.

• Asdrid Diaz – vocals
• Ellister van der Molen – trumpet
• Mick Paauwe – babybass/backing vocals
• Lilian Jarad – piano
• Leticia Bal – conga/footpedals/backing vocals

Then March 22nd I’m lucky again: I play there with Triplicate plus Eric Ineke: the successful line-up  as on our cd ‘Three and One’ (iTunes / CDbaby).

Both concerts start at 8.30PM. For more information about the jazzclub, visit loosdrechtjazz.nl

picture by Jos Knaepen www.josknaepen.be

I didn’t really get to making end-of-the-year-lists last year, but if I would have, certainly the tour with Rein de Graaff trio plus Sam Most would have had a promintent place. Fortunately the concerts didn’t go unnoticed. In the weblog Draaiomjeoren Eddy Determeyer wrote the following (you can click here for the whole article):

Als tweede blazer had De Graaff trompettiste Ellister van der Molen uitgenodigd. Een goede keuze: deze dame behoort inmiddels tot de top en bewees dat met een fraai en logisch opgebouwde solo gelijk in het eerste nummer, ‘Take The A-Train’. Als collega Valaida Snow nog had geleefd, zou ik de respectieve middenriffen van de dames wel eens aan een vergelijkend warenonderzoek hebben willen onderwerpen.

(As second hornplayer De Graaff had invited trumpet player Ellister van der Molen. A good choice: this lady nowadays ranks among the top and proved so with a nice and logically built up solo directly in the first song ‘Take the A-Train’. Had colleague Valaida Snow still been alive, I would have liked to compare the two ladies’ abdominal muscles.)

Another nice review was written by Hans Koert in his Keep (it) Swinging weblog. He writes about Chris Peeters‘ cd ‘My name is Chris’, one of the cd’s that I have had the pleasure of contributing to. The whole story, plus nice pictures and a little youtube video of Chris can be found here.

Arriving the 26th in the afternoon I had some time to settle in my appartment in the West Village (great location around the corner from Smalls!) before going to the Mingus Bigband at the Jazz Standard. Kenny Rampton, Alex Sipiagin, Jeremy Pelt as a trumpet section. Nice!

Next morning a lesson with Laurie Frink. Very interesting stuff, plus I have a new daily routine that I have been doing already here at the appartment every day since (with a practise mute). Evening in the Fat Cat for the jam session with Russian-born trumpet player Vitaly Golovnev. Great guy and nice session.

Wednesday it was very nice weather so I went with the ferry to Staten Island and took a walk in Brooklyn. In the evening concert of Bernstein, Goldings and Stewart. Awesome! And of course jamming the rest of the night.

Thursday I went to see the Frick collection. Some nice Titian hanging there! Coffee with Amina Figarova, who now lives in NY and afterwards to the Guantanamera bar to see a great salsa band: Pedrito Martinez. Percussion player Sebastian Nickoll tipped me about that (he too lives in New York nowadays).

Friday Chinatown / little Italy; some nice food there and the weather was beautiful. In the evening Joe Magnarelli was playing. Session in the Fat Cat and for some serious American diner experience on Washington Square.

Saturday nice weather again: had a long walk to the amazingly big bookshop Strands. I had to buy an American cooking book; always buy some local cuisine book as a souvenir. Then to the New Year’s Eve party at Amina’s. Great food, great atmosphere, great people… wow!

Sunday MoMa day; amazing to see all those famous paintings for real and in the real proportions. Tim Hagans played in 55 bar. Very interesting. But no second set for me: Jon-Erik Kellso was playing in the Ear Inn and I had been told that was a not-t0-be-missed venue. Sat in for the second set and so did trombonist John Allred. Great fun, felt like a party! And some very nice conversations at the bar.

The day after I decided I should wait no longer going to the Guggenheim. They have a temporary exhibition of Maurizio Cattelan, where almost all his works are hanging in an installation in the central hall,  like laundry to dry. Very impressive indeed! In the evening I went to Dizzy’s club Coca Cola at the JALC for Frank Wess’ 90th birthday celebration. This was an allstar bigband including Jimmy Heath, Greg Gisbert, Lewish Nash and Claudio Roditi. I was seated next to John Marshall how great is that! More jamming in the evening.

Tuesday was freezing cold! I had lunch with my old classmate composer Merlijn Twaalfhoven. Inspiring to talk about putting goals in your carreer, developing projects and getting things done. After that Metropolitan museum of art. Toooo big for one day! But wow, wow! In the evening I went to the Barry Harris workshop. Great to see Barry again. I just love the guy. Needless to say: jamming in the evening.

Day after that: lesson time! Scott Wendholt is one of the most amazing player I know; seemed like a plan to hear some inside information. Great to just trade chorusses and hear his view on stylistic choices and finding / changing your own voice. Afterwards for beers with bari player Lauren Sevian and in the evening listening to the Jeremy Manasia trio. I would have planned to go to Brad Mehldau trio but it the Vanguard was sold out.

Jan 5th: Nice walk through the city, some shopping and a visit to the empire state building. Just the tourist stuff, but then a lesson with Alex “Pope” Norris. Amazing lesson, glad I recorded it. Useful tips, and great to listen to his ideas. Not only about how to play a melody, or how to develop ideas, but also about his daily practise routine. Plus the trading choruses was incredibly inspiring. Evening to the Jazz Standard for the Tom Harrell chamber music project. Feels pretty funny eating chicken wings while listening to a program like that

Next day: coffee with old friend Jeremy Manasia. Great to see he’s doing so fine. He was already a very in demand player back in the days when he studied with Frans Elsen, about fifteen years ago. Later that day I was invited for a drink and a talk at the dutch consulate, together with all dutch APAP participants. And in the evening Scott Wendholt was playing. Couldn’t miss that one! All originals, mostly based on standards. Adam Kolker was co-leading, Victor Lewis on drums. And of course a bit of jamming afterwards.

After almost two weeks wasn’t easy to say goodbye to my new friend New York. But even more than the pain of parting I feel something else very strongly – and a friend had warned me already: “as soon as you’re there you just get the vibe of wanting to practise like crazy, just like everybody there does.” It’s true: I have loads of new ideas, new material to work on. Very inspired am I.

I have been taking some private lessons recently. Both for jazz playing and for technique / sound. Such a boost that is! Have been practising a lot.

So if I might seem to have been a bit lazy in keeping up this blog… now you know why

As soon as I know how it works I shall post the new cd (and Chris Peeters’) on my discography section.

From the Triplicate concert last week, which  was almost just as exciting, I just found a little review from a very enthousiastic listener.In between those gigs there was also the concert of the New Generation Big Band plus Anton Goudsmit at Pulchri Studios, The Hague. Some hip cat that Anton is! Really a pleasure to play with. It was pretty hard to play in a loud sounding room such as Pulchri. Nonetheless I think we did a good job.

Whatever the case: I had a blast with Bob Wijnen, Johnny Daly and Joost van Schaik. And such nice festival crew! Plus: I love it when I have my name written on my dressing room door

Sunday all Cuban musicians gathered in Amsterdam to celebrate for Jesus Hernandez’ 50th birthday. Jamming till late with great musicians. Wow!

Now for some nice gigs next month: some gigs with Triplicate, a very nice gig with the New Generation Big Band + Anton Goudsmit, CD presentation with Dim Kesber, guest appearance with Heleen Schuttevaer, little gig with Ellister 3 and a small tour with Rein de Graaff trio + Sam Most. Did I leave out something? I probably did… But wow what a month this is going to be, I’m very happy!

Related show

• Artist / Group: Chris Peeters
• Date: Tuesday, September 13th 2011
• Time: 8:00pm
• City: Chris Peeters in Rotterdam
• Venue: Heidegger
• Address: Grotekerkplein 70
• Country: Netherlands
• Notes: http://www.chrispeeters.nl/
• Add to Google Calendar | Download iCal

Adinda playing with Leticia y su Rumbadama @Groenmarkt

Last weekend was great fun in Amersfoort. On Saturday I played with Zule Max. We were the finishing act at the “Hof” stage. The square (which is pretty big!) was getting so crowded, the organization had to shut the entrances!

Next day I played with Leticia y su Rumbadama at the wonderful cosy Groenmarkt location. Great to play with a smaller band and to have some more solo space! Performing with that band is always such a great joy!

Since I had a carpool date with bassist Adinda I had to attend the Cubop City Bigband gig as well. Can’t say I minded: it was a good concert with a good atmosphere, and I got to meet up with some old friends.

Last but not least: the jam session at grand cafe Vyssotski. Ramon Valle on the piano, Lesley Lopes on the bass, Liber Torriente on drums, Nils Fischer on congas, Alberto Caicedo on vocals and Adinda on campana (after five gigs her finger was hurting too much to play any more bass). Who wouldn’t like to join a band like that

Next gig with Leticia y su Rumbadama is September 3rd at “Het Witte Theater”, IJmuiden. I would say: not to be missed!

Rumbadama trumpet section photo by Bert Muijen