MICHAEL MOORE BIGTET (NL)

Alto saxophonist/clarinettist Michael Moore compiled the Amsterdam Real Book featuring compositions by Dutch jazz composers. For the project band All Ellington he arranges pieces by Duke Ellington. And he does the same for the ICP Orchestra. And with great success, for they’ve become world famous playing those arrangements. When Michael Moore turned sixty last year he came up with a small big band featuring seven big shots from both the Amsterdam and Groningen jazz scenes. Will this be Available Jelly part two?

LARS DIETRICH TRIO (NL)

Having graduated from the Amsterdam conservatory saxophonist Lars Dietrich left for New York to study with Dave Liebman. Ten years on Dietrich is now leading a fantastic trio. Gideon van Gelder played keyboards with the popular singer José James, but in this band it’s no holds barred for him. And drummer Jamie Peet’s contemporary beats are funking all over the place, also at the new SJCT starting point, across from the Chinese restaurant on the Friesestraatweg: the Van Gelder barn.

PAUL VAN KEMENADE THREE HORNS AND A BASS (NL)

Alto saxophonist Paul van Kemenade heads international groups featuring musicians like Ray Anderson and Aki Takase, but he also continues to work with a Dutch quartet, Three Horns and a Bass. It all started with Two Horns and a Bass (featuring trumpeter Eric Vloeimans). Van Kemenade liked the no-nonsense name and launched his Three Horns version at his own Stranger than Paranoia festival. His strong, emotional tone on alto sax will still give any listener goose bumps.

WINDBONE (CH)

A Swiss route shouldn’t be without an alphorn, of course. Hence the route kicks off with two mountain based wind players. The alphorn is trombonist Robert Morgenthaler’s speciality. Together with his colleague trombonist Jean-Jacques Pedretti he forms the Windbone duo, in which the musicians will also perform on sea shells. Morgenthaler toured with Carla Bley and worked with a large range musicians, from Robin Eubanks to Moondog. He was also Erika Stucky’s sideman in one of her first bands, Roots of Communication.

PAUL STOCKER TRIO (ES/SUR/NL)

The American saxophonist Paul Stocker has been living in Spain for 14 years now, but the 25 years before he co-led the Engelbewaarder sessions in Amsterdam with Sean Bergin. Paul Stocker was a member of the wild bunch JC Tans & de Rockets and headed the raucous big band The Maiden Voyage Jazz Orchestra. You can hear South-African influences in his playing, owing to tours with Joe Malinga. It’s a sound we we’ve been missing in the Netherlands for way too long.

WOOD: SÉBASTIEN BOISSEAU / MATTHIEU DONARIER (F)

Matthieu Donarier (saxophones) and Sébastien Boisseau (double bass) have been making music for fifteen years. They’ve called their duo Wood. What you may expect, are intuitive interactions and ingenious compositions, characterized by intimacy, carefully turning the music inside out. In everyday life these gentlemen perform with French jazz greats like Daniel Humair and Michel Portal. Wood’s repertoire also features some Duke Ellington compositions.

MATTHEW SHIPP (US)

The American piano virtuoso Matthew Shipp (1960) has often been compared to Cecil Taylor. In 1984 he moved to New York to be able to play with bassist William Parker. He eventually did so in saxophonist David Ware’s quartet. In the early days of his career Shipp was predominantly active in free jazz, but nowadays his music has branched out into the world of contemporary classical music. He is considered a stylistic innovator on piano. “Unique and recognizable style” (AllMusic) and “Stunning in originality” (Jazziz Magazine).

WHO TRIO (CH/US)

The American drummer Gerry Hemingway is best known in the Netherlands for his work with BassDrumBone (featuring Ray Anderson and Mark Helias), but he has always successfully been leading his own bands as well. His greatest quartet CD is possibly Johnny’s Corner Song from 1998, recorded at the Groningen Grand Theatre (featuring Robin Eubanks, Ellery Eskelin and Mark Dresser). Since his move to Lucerne Gerry Hemingway has been latching on to the Swiss contemporary jazz scene. The WHO piano trio with Michel Wintsch and Bänz Oester fits Hemingway like a glove. The idiosyncratic drummer can be heard later in the afternoon with the Swiss trombonist Samuel Blaser.

ALAN SKIDMORE / REIN DE GRAAFF (US/NL)

LEE KONITZ replaced by ALAN SKIDMORE

Due to recent commitments in the US Lee Konitz unfortunately does not come to the ZJFT. His place as duo partner of Rein de Graaff is occupied by the British saxophonist Alan Skidmore . Alan Skidmore (1942 ) played in the sixties with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers and Ronnie Scott. In the seventies he was part of the Keith Tippett monster big band Centipede and he worked with Soft Machine , Chris McGregor's Brotherhood of Breath and Kate Bush . He has also performed with jazz and blues musicians such as Chick Corea , Alexis Korner, Georgie Fame and Van Morrisson.

His first album under his own name came out in 1969 (Once Upon A Time) , on this album and other albums , from 1988 Tribute To ' Trane and After The Rain , the influence of John Coltrane can be heard. In 1973 together with John Surman and Mike Osborne he started the illustrious saxophone trio SOS . In 2012 Alan Skidmore and Rein de Graaff were on tour with a band featuring Tineke Postma and Benjamin Herman.

JEAN-LUC CAPPOZZO / ERWAN KERAVEC (F)

Bagpipes and trumpet, what on earth were we thinking? An impossible combination, unless these instruments are played by the Frenchmen Erwan Keravec and Jean-Luc Cappozzo. Trumpeter Cappozzo is a powerful improviser with the Globe Unity Orchestra and in a duo with bassist Joëlle Léandre. Young Keravec (who works with Mats Gustafsson and Beňat Achiary) is also inventively exploring the boundaries of his instrument. Free improvisations by an unusual duo.

U’DUET: HAYTHAM SAFIA / OSAMA MILEEGI (NL)

Haytham Safia’s move to the Netherlands from Israel was the starting point for a quest for crossover music for his Arabian lute, the ud. He stood out in the highly successful band No Blues. He then further explored his sound in his own groups. The Haytham Safia Quartet kicked off the 2009 SJCT in Garnwerd featuring guest saxophonist Tineke Postma. U’Duet, his duo with the African percussionist Osama Mileegi gives free rein to improvisations with an Arabian tinge.

KUHN FU (CH/ISR/TUR/SRB)

Kuhn Fu started as a Groningen project by the Swiss guitarist Christian Kuhn in the Atelier Il sole In Cantina’s concert series. He joined forces with three fellow students from the Groningen Prins Claus Conservatory for a band in which anything goes. Jazz, rock and improv are all refreshed by a well-placed Kuhn Fu kick. The result is an adventurous hardcore mix which will make everyone happy.

DELIUS / STADHOUDERS / DE JOODE & GOVAERT (NL/D)

This year the SJCT’s regular guest, saxophonist Tobias Delius, has been summoned up by bassist Wilbert de Joode. The two old hands, deeply rooted in the Dutch improv scene, share the stage with two youngsters: Jasper Stadhouders and Onno Govaert. The guitarist and drummer are the rising stars of the Dutch scene. As members of the trio Cactus Truck they’ve toured the US twice. This will be a meeting of two generations of jazz musicians and the size of their ears will be the deciding factor.

NAKED WOLF (NL)

Bassist Luc Ex is a SJCT mainstay, always presenting exciting new projects. It’s quite an impressive list:  Roof, 4Walls, Fables, Triolex, Rubatong and Bouge. His latest outing is called Naked Wolf. The bassist has assembled a collective with some key players from the younger generation (Knalpot, EkE, Rooie Waas). The music’s outfit combines improvisations and heavy rock beats. And catchy dance rhythms take unpredictably weird turns. ‘Heavy recycled sounds, bouncing’ critic Henning Bolte’s noted (writteninmusic.com).

ATANGA BOOM (NL)

It’ll be a whole lot of fun, at the Huizinga family’s barn. Last year guitarist Mark Tuinstra put on an African party at Frytum with Zou Diarra. Now he will be talking the high energy outfit Atanga Boom along to Den Ham to produce some heavy afro funk. The pumping tuba is the band’s secret weapon to propel the catchy jazz licks and gyrating space rock. An irresistible mix of afro beat, funk and world music.

ERIKA STUCKY BUBBLES+BANGS (CH)

Swiss vocalist/accordionist Erika Stucky performed at the Huizinga barn three years ago. Her solo concert eventually turned into a duet with the cows in the barn next door. Her interpretations of pop and jazz standards managed to turn on the audience.  A woman with such a strong stage personality is certainly not to be missed. This time she takes tuba player Marc Unternährer and drummer Lucas Niggli (Steamboat Switzerland) along for the ride.

DE NAZATEN (NL/SUR)

De Nazaten celebrate their 20th anniversary, so they return to Niehove where they performed their cheerful mixture of Surinam kaseko and jazz a couple of years ago. At the time the Surinam alto saxophonist Carlo Jones, of The Surinam Troubadours fame, was still a member of the band. Misha Mengelberg, Roy Campbell and James Carter also guested with the world brass music ensemble. But for their 20th anniversary they have decided to stick to their joyful Surinam music.

TRISTAN HONSINGER HOUSE OF WASPS (US/JPN)

After some twenty years Tristan Honsinger has finally released a new quartet album. This time he is joined by Japanese musicians in House of Wasps. The cellist of the ICP Orchestra, This That & the Other and other outfits featuring Sean Bergin released the wonderful CD Map of Moods (on FMP) in 1996, featuring a  string quartet subtly accompanied by drummer Louis Moholo. Tristan Honsinger has a true gift for writing moving melodies that cling onto your brain. Don’t be fooled by his absurdist monologues or other stage antics, but let yourself be surprised by what Honsinger has cooked up this time.

ROBERT MORGENTHALER / URS RÖLLIN (CH)

Earlier this afternoon trombonist Robert Morgenthaler kicked off the Swiss route with Windbone in Aduard. Here he will be performing with the Swiss guitarist Urs Röllin, a loyal musical partner with whom he has been working since 1998 in the quartet ‘unart 4.0’. They use electronics to build subtle soundscapes or quirky little miniatures. Their adventures, however, are always musical stories with a beginning and an end. A truly magnificent duo.

MICHAEL MOORE / ACHIM KAUFMANN (NL/D)

In 2013 Michael Moore released three CDs of his duo with Achim Kaufmann (all on his own Ramboy label). Two of the albums contain original compositions and the third one, Furthermore, is filled with pieces by Herbie Nichols and Andrew Hill. This duo is truly versatile, and it is crystal clear that the two give one another ample room to shine musically. One critic had this to say about the Furthermore album: ‘This is music that frees the mind, it doesn’t push but gently offers you the opportunity to go wherever it moves you’ (freejazzblog.org)

BERT VAN ERK ALTO TRIO'S (NL)

Just before the summer bassist Bert van Erk finished his third Alto season. For three years he has been assembling a new trio at café Alto every month, with the bassist himself as the only stable factor. We have picked two saxophonists from this great Stichting Jazz in Groningen concert series: Alex Simu and Frans Vermeersen. We asked Bert van Erk and Frans Vermeerssen to write special new compositions celebrating the work of Groningen graphic artist Hendrik Werkman. The first set of this concert will feature Alex Simu, in the second set the floor is for Frans Vermeerssen.

LAMA & JOACHIM BADENHORST (PT/CAN/B)

The Rotterdam based LAMA Trio consists of two Portuguese musicians and one Canadian. Trumpeter Susana Santos Silva and bassist Gonçalo Almeida (Spinifex) met at the Rotterdam conservatory. When the Canadian drummer Greg Smith (Shuffle Demons) showed up in Rotterdam, LAMA was complete. Well, almost. For their first CD they asked saxophonist Chris Speed to guest. This summer saw the release of their third album for the Portuguese label Clean Feed, featuring Joachim Badenhorst (known for his work with the Han Bennink Trio) on bass clarinet.

SAMUEL BLASER / GERRY HEMINGWAY (CH/US)

Switzerland brings us a new trombone master. In a relatively short period of time Samuel Blaser has gained quite a reputation. He performs with Swiss percussion legend Pierre Favre, John Hollenbeck, Benoit Delbecq, Marc Ducret and Gerry Hemingway, who subbed for Paul Motian on Samuel Blaser’s Quartet CD Consort in Motion (Songlines, 2011). Trombonist Blaser and drummer Hemingway are a match made in heaven. This is improvised music of the highest category.

MICHEL GODARD & STEVEN KAMPERMAN / OENE VAN GEEL (F/NL)

Michel Godard is France’s prime tuba player. He is active in both baroque music and jazz. He worked with all French modern jazz greats: from Louis Sclavis to Henry Texier. But his true claim to fame is his role as a steady sideman to ud player Rabih Abou-Khalil. He also performs in a beautiful trio with accordionist Luciano Biondini and cellist Ernst Reijseger. Steven Kamperman and Oene van Geel will take on Godard as a special SJCT project in two concerts. They will kick off the Prologue on Friday and the next day they will be present at the Garnwerd church.

NJJO / MARTIN FONDSE (NL)

Two years ago the NJJO (Dutch Youth Jazz Orchestra) performed two enthusiastic sets under the guidance of trumpeter Eric Vloeimans. Once again over twenty talented young musicians have been selected to form this smashing big band, and this time Martin Fondse is in charge. Pianist Martin Fondse has made a name for himself especially as a composer and arranger. He has introduced an unusual instrument in jazz: the vibrandoneon. And he has recently worked with the Brazilian singer Lenine.

JORIS ROELOFS TRIO (NL)

Last year saw the release of his impressive album Aliens Deleberating. For this CD alto saxophonist Joris Roelofs decided to play bass clarinet exclusively. He chose New York bassist Matt Penman and drummer Ted Poor as his musical associates. In Garnwerd he can be heard with a Dutch rhythm section assembled specially for the SJCT. Bassist Clemens van der Feen and drummer Onno Govaert are two sensitive musicians, marvellously equipped to perform Roelofs’s subtle compositions. Onno Govaert can be heard earlier in the day in Ezinge with Tobias Delius, Wilbert de Joode and Jasper Stadhouders.

DJ SWINGMASTER SEM & DJ YEAH MAN

It’s always a pleasure to hear the traditional 78 RPM extravaganza featuring DJs Sem van Gelder and Eddy Determeyer. We are looking forward to their Battle of the 78s and this year’s winner. In any case it’s a fine warming-up for the band Black Flower, which will take the stage at ten o’ clock.

BLACK FLOWER (B)

The Belgian five piece band Black Flower will bring you a mixture of afro beat, dub and Ethio jazz. The outfit is spearheaded by two horns: band leader Nathan Daems, a specialist in non-Western music, and cornetist Jon Birdsong (known for his work with dEUS, Flat Earth Society and Beck). The rhythm section features De Beren Gieren drummer Simon Segers, who knocks out the inescapable Ethiopian grooves. ‘Catchy, almost physical music, exuberant and danceable.’ (Guy Peters, enola.be)