What a treat it was to be the featured soloist/ composer with this band, consisting of so many world-class players/buddies. Recorded live at the Bimhuis and Paradiso, both in Amsterdam.
Henk Meutgeert and Rob Horsting both did a great job on arranging, and I lively remember the meetings we had to create frameworks for the arrangements.
We performed this program many times live, even in Japan in Kawasaki and Tokyo (the Blue Note Club), together with special a guest the great Lee Ritenour. The album was the JOC’s first approach to a more contemporary sound. I still get many invitations from orchestras to perform this repertoire, and students from everywhere, including many Japanese musicians want to play these compositions with their own bands which I take as a huge compliment!
They always write a very kind email, asking for my personal permission to play my music.
So kind, off course!!
Another funny detail: I was delighted to hear that one of my favorite teachers at Codarts (my former school), Ab Schaap, used to teach my composition “Somewhere between the stars” during his theory class. Circle Completed.