Reinier Baas

The omnipotent Lucas van Eck has made a High Definition video ánd audio registration of our concert at the Bimhuis, last September. Below, you’ll find an example of a numerous multitude of different videos that we’ve posted here.

I’m excited to announce that I will take part in a series of concerts with the New Rotterdam Jazz Orchestra. This former big band recently transformed into a large ensemble, and now features 12 stellar jazz musicians and myself. During a program of monstrously hip contemporary jazzdance boogaloo, written and arranged by Johan Plomp, Louk Boudesteijn and Rob van de Wouw, the NRJO will feature trumpeter Eric Vloeimans during a small tour in the week of December 12th.

Furthermore, an extra special concert will take place in De Doelen in Rotterdam on Januari 27th. Seven short films will be showcased, each one by a different director. The music, by seven composers, will be performed live by the NRJO. Later that week we’ll hit the studios (so to speak) to record the soundtrack for a DVD of this project.

Our concert at the Bimhuis was recorded by Dutch broadcasting station VPRO. Listen to both sets here!

Coming Thursday (September 22nd, 2011) we will officially present our debut album ‘More Socially Relevant Jazz Music’ at the incredibly famous Bimhuis in Amsterdam. This happy event will involve free beer, Brazilian dancers, and some of the most notoriously handsome musicians in the Northern hemisphere.

“A lot better than I was expecting from a few white dudes from Amsterdam.” – Almonds_areGood (reddit.com).

Also, check out this great review in yet another major Dutch newspaper: “Technical inventiveness and a perfect ear for intensely built songs, that will play in your ears untill long after hearing them […]. Baas has immediately become part of the world of the great, at least in the Netherlands.” (Armand Serpenti in Trouw). Read the full article (Dutch) by clicking the thumbnail.

The wise and admirable people at NRC Handelsblad, one of Holland’s major newspapers, have included an extensive interview by Amanda Kuyper with yours truly in today’s edition. Read the article (Dutch) by clicking the thumbnail.

My debut album ‘More Socially Relevant Jazz Music’ has received two great reviews by leading Dutch newspapers De Volkskrant and De Telegraaf.

DE VOLKSKRANT **** : “[..] An organic sound, teeming with pleasure. Driven on by drummer Mark Schilders’ angular grooves, the uptempo pieces sound fresh, spontaneous and enticing. The energetic exchanges between alto saxophonists Maarten Hogenhuis and Ben van Gelder are rock solid, and representative for the variation within the compositions. [..] In the daring solo and duo pieces, Baas’ musical idiom appears to be without limits. His soulful sound on the ballads wins over hearts.” - Read the full article (Dutch)

DE TELEGRAAF: “An adventurous record on which Baas displays not only a surplus of technique, but also humor, guts and a flexible mind.” - Read the full article (Dutch)

The physically attractive and mentally capable people at Dutch public broadcasting station Radio 6 posted this HQ recording of our visit to their studio, during the North Sea Jazz Festival. Also, they’ve put my album ‘More Socially Relevant Jazz Music’ up on their website: you can check it out here for free (!) over the next weeks.

My debut album ‘More Socially Relevant Jazz Music’ is available as of now. It features world champion shot putting Ben van Gelder (alto sax), the bewilderingly beautiful Maarten Hogenhuis (alto sax), Sean “Shenaenae” Fasciani (bass) and HRH The Duke of Waalwijk Mark Schilders (drums).

In honor of this joyful event, we will be performing in Rotterdam (June 30th, 22.00 in Dizzy), and Amsterdam (July 2nd, 20.30 at Meneer de Wit).

Check out two tracks here:

Jazz magazine ‘Jazzenzo’ uploaded an interview by Marloes Jager with Ben van Gelder, Jasper van Damme, Thierry Castel and yours truly. Read it, and Bob will be your uncle!

Photos © Eddy Westveer, except Ben van Gelder (left) © Jelmer de Haas.

Jazzlog ‘Draai om je oren’ posted a great review of Mona Lisa Overdrive’s concert in De Toonzaal, Den Bosch. Photos can be found here!