Zapp 4 is a band with the line-up of a string quartet. It combines groove, improvisation, and fantasy with passionate solos. On stage the group is a blast: They interact with high speed and have a huge musical spectrum. No matter how wild or mild they get, there is always a poetic side to their music. Another striking item about the quartet is that all four members compose for the band.
The uniqueness of the group and its repertoire makes Zapp 4 very acceptable for a large audience including all sorts of music lovers. Because of this quality Zapp 4 won the Kersjesprijs, a prestigious music prize in the Netherlands, in 2005.
The band continues to look for new adventures so there is much more to expect for the (near) future.
Whoever is present at a Zapp performance will be guaranteed to leave the place with a big smile and freshly washed ears!
Composer/violist
Oene van Geel (1973) is u true adventurer in music. Influenced by jazz, Indian music, chamber music and free improvisation, he has applied his virtuoso improvisation skills and his composition talents to a wide scope of musical activities.
His main groups at the moment are: Zapp 4, The Nordanians, Estafest and OOOO. Besides these formations he is featured as a soloist with several (big)bands, and ensembles.
He has won the Deloitte Jazz Award (2002), Dutch Jazz Competition (2001), Jur Naessens Music Prize (2000) and has received composition commissions from the Orlando Festival (2012), Amsterdam Cello Biennale (2008), November Music (2006), the North Sea Jazz Festival (2005), SJU Jazz Festival (2002) and the Marathon Festival (2002). As a composer Oene works al lot in combination with theatre with artists such as Boukje Schweigman, Kenzo Kusuda, jeugdtheater Sonnevanck, Ted van Lieshout and Holland Opera.
Jasper le Clercq is a lucky guy who's life is full of diverse musical activities.
He is touring around the world with Zapp 4.
As an improvising violinist he is a member of New Niks; a high energy band that can really rock but also includes lots of (free) improvisation.
With Jargon he is floating in the No man’s land between improvisation and composition.
The often absurdistic animations of Kijkshock are accompanied by a brisk live band and with poetess Tjitske Jansen he regularly plays his electrified violin at festivals and literary evenings.
With his own Jasper le Clercq Quartet he makes colorful music, which always tells a story.
As a composer and arranger Jasper writes with a lot of pleasure for all sorts of music and theatre projects.
Emile Visser (1973) studied with Godfried Hoogeveen and Dmitri Ferschtman at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. During his classical studies he started playing jazz, pop music and world music in the Ricciotti Ensemble as section leader of the celli. Later he studied with Henk Huizinga and Frans Elsen (jazz arranging) and Erik Gieben (jazz piano).
In 1994 he joined ZAPP 4, then still called Popstrijkers.
After his graduation he continued to develop his playing of different music styles: while regularly playing in classical orchestras he also performed with cello quartet Djessus with Ernst Reijseger, with Bayuba Cante (latin/Cuban music), Ilse de Lange (pop), Jargon (with Maurice Horsthuis), with Eric Vaarzon Morel (Flamenco) and Bart van Dongen in a show for cello, laptop and 10 skaters.
Emile Visser is member of the Metropole Orkest, the well-known jazz and pop orchestra in the Netherlands.
He also plays folk- and Klezmer music with Nikitov.
Jeffrey Bruinsma has proven himself to be one of the most remarkable jazz violin players of his generation. His personal style of composition together with his passionate playing have gained him international acclaim.
He studied classical and jazz violin at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague and the Conservatory of Amsterdam, graduating cum laude in 2002.
Jeffrey has since led his own group Bruinsma Syndicaat, a contemporary jazz ensemble, releasing their first CD Area 51 in 2009. He has played with (among others) theater group Orkater, singer Maarten van Roozendaal, the Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw, Scapino Ballet and Room Eleven.
May 2006 he won the Deloitte Jazz Award in the Bimhuis of Amsterdam. The jury called him a communicative and creative musician and praised his well-built improvisations and passionate playing
Along with choreographer David Middendorp and bass player Brice Soniano, Jeffrey was part of the creative team for Basluik, After Dark, Mr. Hands, composing the music. They make shows with a magical mixture of dance, music and animation. In januari 2010 they premiered their new piece Maanschaduw.
Currently Jeffrey is also teaching jazz violin at the Conservatory of Amsterdam.
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