Author Archives: Ellister

Crowdfunding RED album NOLA has started!

RED is releasing a new album coming November. And we are thrilled that it will be more than an audio release alone: Quirine Reijman made an illustration for every track so it will become a book-album!

The album is called NOLA as it is inspired by the music of New Orleans. Last November Bob Wijnen and me paid a visit to this city where all jazz related music originates and the experiences there truly changed our view on music.

Normally we would be able to play many concerts to support the costs of the production. This year everything is different. That’s why we launched a crowdfunding on Voordekunst. Your support would be highly appreciated!

https://www.voordekunst.nl/projecten/10616-nola-new-orleans-in-geluid-en-beeld

 

Jazz in Europe interview

I must admit: I’m a wee bit late with posting, but how nice this interview that was published on the jazz in Europe website!

Ellister van der Molen is one of the few female trumpeters at the top of her game within the European jazz scene.  In recent years she’s also been a regular player in theater productions.  Starting with the performance ‘A Night at the Club’, followed by ‘Swingin’ Harlem’. In ‘Swingin Harlem’ famous Dutch jazz musicians recreate an atmosphere reminiscent of jazz clubs in the New York district of Harlem before the Second World War. The theatrical performances also aim to stimulate the interest in jazz in the Netherlands.

She has produced a number of fine CDs as a leader and recently was part of a new band producing the album ‘RED’. It has a soulful jazz flavor and [click here for the complete interview]

 

Modji crowdfunding

Have you met Modji yet? No? I think you will like it, and I think this will be a hit on all festivals!

Soon we’ll release our first album (on vinyl!): Epifania. Produced by Stefan Schmid and with all originals by Yannick van ter Beek and Ramon Mendeville. Although the Sena was kind enough to help out a bit with the financing we are still short of a bit money for the recording. This is your chance to participate! Go to the crowdfunding page of Voordekunst to read the whole story.

 

AHOOO!

One of my favourite projects at this moment is RED, the organ quartet I started some time ago with Bob Wijnen. I’m so proud of the material we have so far!

If you like what you see en/or hear, please feel invited to subscribe to our YouTube Channel, buy our CD “Ahooo!” through our site or via iTunes and stream us through Spotify.

 

Dizzy Gillespie in Amsterdam

Kasper Kalf, Ellister van der Molen and Joep Lumeij

Celebrating 100 years of Dizzy

Dizzy Gillespie: one of the great reformers of jazz music. An intelligent player who always played enjoyable music. Happy tunes with a quirky twist, don’t we just love that!
With Joep Lumeij and Kasper Kalf on double bass we’ll pay a tribute to his music. From Groovin’ High to Manteca, from Night in Tunesia to Oo-Bop-Sh’Bam, from Con Alma to a joyful vocal shoutchorus in the Sunny Side of the Street: we are looking forward to it!

Holland for Puerto Rico: A Benefiet Concert

This Sunday I’ll be participating in an event aimed at raising funds for the victims of Hurricane Maria on the island of Puerto Rico. A big hand to Leslie Lopez, who took the initiative! For tickets, please go to the eventbrite site!

Come and join us for an evening of lively soul tunes, upbeat latin rock and sensual salsa music, as well as other activities, among them raffles and auctions, aimed at raising funds for the victims of hurricane María and the long-term revitalization of the island of Puerto Rico.
We aim to provide aid through a number of grassroots organizations situated in Puerto Rico, specifically targeting local farmers, who wer heavily impacted by the hurricane, and local medical care providers. We believe it is important that help reaches those who need it most as soon as possible, and so, we aim to bypass NGOs, to forget about the middlemen. All of the proceeds will be accounted for and distributed between the following organizations:

  • Proyecto Matria
  • Comedores Sociales
  • Boricuá
  • Brigada Solidaria del Oeste
  • María Fund

We are confident that we can make a difference, but we need your help.
Save the date and join us on the 12th of November at 19:00. We will be waiting for you at:
Club Mystique
Smaksteeg 19
1012 SV Amsterdam
Among the artists confirmed for this event are:

  • Shirma Rouse
  • Friends of the New Cool Collective
  • Rolf Sanchez and Latin Society
  • Gerardo Rosales
  • Picaflor

And more!
Tickets are 25 EUR and available for sale online through the Eventbrite ticketsite.

Art Blakey’s “A Night at Birdland”: a tribute

“WOW! First time I enjoyed a record session!”. Those were the words of drummer Art Blakey about the legendary concert in New York’s Birdland Club on February 21st, 1954. For myself and many other musicians the recordings of that evening – made by the Blue Note label – have made a major impact. Trumpet player Clifford Brown has been my hero ever since.  Just listen to the way he plays the ballad “Once in a While”. And I don’t think I ever heard Lou Donaldson play so inspired as on this session. The pieces that Horace Silver wrote are lively and energetic, while the blowing changes are a feast.

Together with alto player Donald Simoen we decided it would be great fun to play this repertoire. And as this only works with the best musicians around, I’m very proud to have pianist Miguel Rodriguez, bassist Marius Beets and drummer Sander Smeets join forces.

The funny thing is that as I was searching for some information in the record, I found an old newspaper interview where I explained how this record changed my life.

 

Lentekriebels

A thrilling afternoon where all senses will be stimulated. I’m very proud of this spring fever event that Offbeat and Fruitvis are organising together! Spring is all about a promise of bloom which is yet to come. Guests Thierry Reniers & Inge Aanstoot and Sebastiaan van Bavel will give food for thought and chef Gilbert Kolff will make sure there is some real food! To end the evening in a joyful mood uplifting soulful hammond jazz band RED! will be playing. As I said: very excited!

LENTEKRIEBELS

Een middag vol prikkelende kunst, muziek en heerlijk eten

Lente → ontluikende, nieuwe, frisse dingen. Soms dingen waarvan je nog niet weet waar het heen gaat (lelijk eendje wordt een mooie zwaan) maar ook frisse liefde, optimisme, vruchtbaarheid, nu zaaien om later te oogsten… nog niet volgroeide knoppen

Kriebels → dat wat net niet vanzelf lekker voelt. Prikkelend, aantrekken en afstoten tegelijk.

Laat die lente maar komen! Offbeat Collective en de Fruitvis in Rotterdam slaan de handen ineen om jou op een zondagmiddag vol kunst, muziek en lekker eten te trakteren. Met uiteenlopende gasten als Sebastiaan van Bavel, Inge Aanstoot en Thierry Reniers (wat maakt hen nieuwsgierig en wat/wie motiveert hen?) en een slotoptreden van RED! Uplifting soulful jazz met Ellister van der Molen, Bob Wijnen en Wouter Kühne. Fruitvis chef-kok Gilbert Kolff wakkert het lentegevoel aan tafel nog wat extra aan.

De gasten:

Pianist Sebastiaan van Bavel schrijft muziek die niet per se licht verteerbaar is voor het grote publiek. Zijn compositiestructuren zijn ingewikkelder dan gebruikelijk in de jazz. Toch is het Sebastiaan uitdrukkelijk niet te doen om intellectualisme. Hij is continu nieuwsgierig naar technieken en kunstvormen (Frans impressionisme, Indiase klassieke muziek, Engelse poëzie) en laat zich daardoor inspireren. Laat je verrassen door een kort solorecital met uitleg van de componist zelf.

Galeriehouder Thierry Reniers van galerie Vonkel is heel actief in talentscouting en -ontwikkeling. Daarnaast is hij medeorganisator van Art The Hague.

  • Op basis waarvan kiest hij met wie hij gaat samenwerken en wanneer is iets echt vernieuwend? En hoe vernieuwend moet iets echt zijn?
  • Een van zijn meest succesvolle kunstenaars is Inge Aanstoot. Zij heeft inmiddels een aanzienlijke reputatie opgebouwd in de Nederlandse beeldende kunst. Haar werken zijn heel herkenbaar, met terugkerende thema’s die voor haar een eigen symboliek hebben.

RED! is een no-nonsense band die vooral de onderbuikgevoelens wil stimuleren zonder daarbij tot lege simpliciteit te komen. Een feel-good afsluiting van de middag waarbij ook gedanst kan worden.

Wanneer?    zondag 2 april 16:00 uur (deur open om 15:00 uur)

Waar?        De Fruitvis, Marconistraat 43 Rotterdam; gratis parkeren en vlakbij OV

Entree        €17,50 (concert +hapjes; diner apart te bestellen)

Reserveer nu!

Tagged , , , , ,

RED!

RED!

picture by Maurits van Hout

RED! is one of my newer projects and it’s very dear to me. February 12th we’ll be playing in Leusden, I’ll keep you posted on concerts to follow.

Red stands for energetic, passionate, tempestuous and sexy. Red is also the colour of Bob Wijnen’s instrument.
In the spotlight are trumpeter Ellister van der Molen and the very talented saxophonist Gideon Tazelaar, while organist Bob Wijnen and drummer Wouter Kühne form the engine of this steaming band.The solo careers of all four musicians are impressive: Bob recently recorded his first cd in New York with a.o. Peter Bernstein and Billy Drummond, Ellister is touring with the successful theater show New York Round Midnight and several own projects Gideon is widely acknowledged as the new Dutch tenor saxophone talent and Wouter is studying with the very best of the New York jazz scene.
The result of all of this is uplifting, soulful jazz. Red! stands by Art blakey’s statement: “We’re here to have a ball”.

Ellister van der Molen – trumpet and flugelhorn
Gideon Tazelaar – tenorsax
Bob Wijnen – organ
Wouter Kühne – drums

Tagged , , , ,

Breda Jazz Festival 2016

I am very happy and proud to be one of the festival soloists of this year’s edition of the Breda Jazz Festival. I’m very much looking forward to this! As many people have asked me for exact details about where I will be playing when, here is a little overview. More information can be found on the festival website.

DONDERDAG 5 MEI

14:00 – 15:45
Festival Surprise Band o.l.v. Jean van Lint (INT)
Jean Van Lint (BE)(b)(leader); Ellister van der Molen (NL)(tp); Lars Frank (NW)(reeds); Dirk van der Linden (BE)(g/p); Hans van Oosterhout (NL)(dr)
Forza Refurbished podium – Havermarkt

19:30 – 21:30
Festival Surprise Band o.l.v. Dirk van der Linden (INT)
Dirk van der Linden (BE)(p)(leader); Ellister van der Molen (NL)(tp); Jonny Boston (UK)(reeds); Peter Mingaars (NL)(g); Jean Van Lint (BE)(b/voc); Hans van Oosterhout (NL)(dr)
Grote Markt noord

—–

VRIJDAG 6 MEI

14:00 – 16:00
Frits Bayens Big Band feat. Ellister van der Molen (NL)
Holland Casino podium – Grote Markt

20:00 – 21:45
Festival Surprise Band o.l.v. Béla Szalóky (INT)
Béla Szalóky (HU)(tb)(leader); Ellister van der Molen (NL)(tp); Jonny Boston (UK)(reeds); Peter Mingaars (NL)(g); Joep Peeters (NL)(p); Jean Van Lint (BE)(b/voc); Danny Coots (US)(dr)
Holland Casino podium – Grote Markt

—–

ZATERDAG 7 MEI

13:45 – 15:45
Festival Surprise Band o.l.v. Lindy Huppertsberg (INT)
Lindy Huppertsberg (DE)(b)(leader); Ellister van der Molen (NL)(tp); Eiji Hanaoka (JP)(reeds); Ian Bateman (UK)(tb); Peter Mingaars (NL)(g); Harry Kanters (NL)(p); Hans van Oosterhout (NL)(dr)
Princess Traveller podium – Spanjaardsgat

20:00 – 22:15
Festival Suprise Band o.l.v. Ellister van der Molen (INT)
Ellister van der Molen (NL)(tp)(leader); Jonny Boston (UK)(reeds); Béla Szalóky (HU)(tb); Ben Paterson (US)(p); Jean Van Lint (BE)(b/voc); Hans van Oosterhout (NL)(dr)
Grote Markt zuid

—–

ZONDAG 8 MEI

13:00 – 14:45
Festival Soloists (INT)
Ellister van der Molen (NL)(tp); Ben Paterson (US)(p); Jean
14.00-14.45 Van Lint (BE)(b/voc)
‘t Sas terras

15:45 – 16:30
Festival Surprise Band o.l.v. Jean Van Lint (INT)
Jean Van Lint (BE)(b/voc)(leader); Ellister van der Molen (NL)(tp); Jonny Boston (UK)(reeds); Béla Szalóky (HU)(tb); Ben Paterson (US)(p);); Hans van Oosterhout (NL)(dr)
‘t Sas pleintje

17:45 – 18:45
Festival Surprise Soloists Final Session (INT)
Ellister van der Molen (NL)(tp); Jonny Boston (UK)(reeds); Frank Roberscheuten (NL)(reeds); Ben Paterson (US)(p); Lindy Huppertsberg (DE)(b); Sebastien Girardot (FR)(b); Guillaume Nouaux (FR)(dr) + special guests
‘t Sas pleintje