he last Saturday in August sees the start of the 28th edition of the SummerJazzCycleTour (SJCT). Four cycling routes will take you through the beautiful Reitdiep valley, to the north-west of the city of Groningen. You may take your pick from no less than 26 concerts in medieval churches and farmer’s barns. There are some tough decisions to be made this year.
The four cycling routes offer a way into the varied programme full of the latest trends in jazz and improvised music.
The Italian route takes its pick from the lively Italian jazz scene and features old masters (Gianluigi Trovesi, Diego Spitaleri) as well as contemporary key figures (Francesco Cusa, Gianni Gebbia, Daniele D’Agaro).
The Sena route presents outfits led by Eric Boeren and Michiel Braam, who will hook up their music to the poetry of the Dutch poet and painter Lucebert. In addition to energetic new bands with Groningen roots (Trio Goudsmit/Bakker&Jäger and Voort) the Sena route offers world music by Steven Kamperman’s Horizon Trio, Zoumark Express and the New York Xalam Trio, featuring ud player Brandon Terzic and reedist Matt Darriau of Klezmatics fame.
The Internationale route starts in Aduard with two great French improvisers (Vincent Courtois and Joëlle Léandre). By way of Luc Ex’s Bouge (featuring trombonist Johannes Bauer from Berlin) we get to the Sicilians Gianni Gebbia and Diego Spitaleri. Then on to the two most adventurous accordionists from Belgium (Tuur Florizoone and Didier Laloy) and the duo of Swiss vocalist Susanne Abbuehl and pianist Wolfert Brederode. In Feerwerd you will be awaited by 1000, the international quartet featuring the Flemish trumpeter Bart Maris and the German saxophonist Jan Klare (The Dorf). Guesting with 1000 is Eugene Chadbourne, an exceptional guitarist from the States.
Route 4 opens with a concert in the series Jazz & Literature. It takes some highlights from the so-called Brokkenbal to Garnwerd. Spoken word is provided by Dutch authors Kees van Kooten, Tonnus Oosterhoff, A.L. Snijders and Tjitske Jansen. The musical curator is guitarist Corrie van Binsbergen. Route 4 continues with unusual guitarists: From Bert Dockx and his Belgian trio Dans Dans to the French guitarist David Chevallier in British vocalist Maggie Nicols’s trio featuring drummer Denis Charolles (La Campagnie des Musiques à Ouìr) and from Corrie van Binsbergen’s jazz & poetry in Garnwerd to Eugene Chadbourne & 1000 in Feerwerd, where ud player Brandon Terzic’s Brooklyn based Xalam Trio will also perform its exciting fusion of jazz, Arab and Balkan music.
After the traditional 78 RPM fest with DJs Swingmaster Sem and Yeah Man the Balkan party continues at 10 PM with a rollicking performance by the Amsterdam Klezmer Band. .
At this point we would already like to thank all of the SJCT volunteers who will be making this last Saturday of August a great success.
