Marit van der Lei

The Marit van de Lei Nextet plays its own compositions. Deeply convinced of the soothing power of music, Marit has written her second album, entitled "Clementia". This was written from the perspective of someone who sees that, collectively, we have become less kind and have mostly moved to more radical ways of thinking. She found her music by searching out corresponding colours, noises, sounds words and chords that could put this message across. Marit is convinced that soothing is the first step towards renewed kindness, helping us to achieve a reconciliation with ourselves, each other and everything around us.
The Marit van der Lei Nextet was created in 2014 as a collective of musicians at the Utrecht Conservatoire and has now reached its fixed format, in which it has been performing over a number of years. It has become a band of top young musicians who currently represent the "Next Generation" of the jazz scene. The Nextet plays original compositions, creating soundscapes that will transport you to a gentler world. She performs either with her band or sometimes as a solo singer, manipulating her voice with guitar pedal effects to achieve unique pieces. The underlying layers of both hope and despair seem to turn the new music on her album "Clementia" into a quest for security. It is the outstretched hand of trust, searching for peace. Marit is continuously investigating different ways of using her voice; a sigh, a moan, sometimes having a greater impact than words alone could ever achieve.
Marit van der Lei – vocals, compositions / arrangements Kika Sprangers – alto sax Matthias van den Brande – tenor sax Federico Castelli – guitar Marre de Graaff – bass guitar Ruud Voesten – drums