The Contemporary Fortepiano by Rembrandt Frerichs Trio

Rembrandt Frerichs Trio

The Contemporary Fortepiano

Price: € 17.95
Format: CD
Label: Jazz in Motion
UPC: 0608917470925
Catnr: JIM 74709
Release date: 08 March 2018
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Label
Jazz in Motion

UPC
0608917470925

Catalogue number
JIM 74709

Release date
08 March 2018

"... Rembrandt Frerichs is an open mind, a musician in the best sense and with all his heart. One can be curious to see what other sound worlds he discovers for himself in order to bring them closer to the audience. It is in any case a new discovery to listen to this music of the Rembrandt Frerichs Trio! "

Pianonews, 30-10-2018

Album

Artist(s)

Composer(s)

Press

About the album

Hip music on historic instruments Did you ever hear an 18th century fortepiano, a violone from 1560 and a historical drum and percussion kit playing contemporary music full of improvisation and groove? On the latest release of the Rembrandt Frerichs trio this unlikely combination has come together. And how! This mix of sounds has never before been heard, certainly not in jazz. The chosen repertoire is equally unorthodox: the trio play original compositions, baroque repertoire, modern improvisations and even Herbie Hancock's jazz-rock hit “Butterfly”.

Piano-pioneer Rembrandt Frerichs developed a unique playing style on the fortepiano, an idea that was spawned by the many collaborations with musicians from the Middle East. The National Musical Instrument fund had such an instrument built for Rembrandt by Chris Maene in Belgium. In response to this, Tony Overwater started to master the violone, precursor to the double bass. Vinsent Planjer complements this with an unconventional collection of percussion instruments from all over the world, the Whisper Kit.

The Rembrandt Frerichs Trio demonstrates that instruments from centuries gone by can sound totally modern when placed into a new context. The listener experiences a sound palette like they have never heard before but that’s strangely familiar.

Das zeitgenössische Hammerklavier, Wiederbelebung eines historischen Instruments.
Der Pianist Rembrandt Frerichs (Rotterdam, 1977) ist ein einzigartiger Musiker. Ein aufsteigender Star in der aktuellen Jazzszene. Er absolvierte sein Studium mit Auszeichnung am Königlichen Konservatorium in Den Haag. Mit 22 Jahren debütierte er beim North Sea Jazz Festival, wonach er ebenfalls intensiv im In- und Ausland auftrat. 2003 spielte er mit der Saxophonlegende Michael Brecker (1949-2007).
Rembrandt hat einen einzigartigen Stil, der von Inhalt und nicht von Virtuosität geprägt ist. Seine Musik trägt stets eine künstlerische Botschaft, welche seinem Werk eine zusätzliche Dimension verleiht. Rembrandt integriert Elemente der arabischen Musik in seine Performances: ein einzigartiges Konzept, das nahtlos Ost und West verbindet. Er fühlt sich ebenso wohl in seinem Element, wenn er den kraftvollen Hammerflügel des 18. Jahrhunderts, ein Harmonium des 19. Jahrhunderts oder seinen modernen Flügel spielt. Mit dem Bassisten Tony Overwater und dem Perkussionisten Vinsent Planjer bildet er ein einzigartiges Trio, dessen subtiler Stil ihr Markenzeichen ist. Auch bei Overwater kommt ein frühes Instrument zum Einsatz: die Violone, ein Vorläufer des aktuellen Kontrabasses. Planjer spielt ein selbstgemachtes Perkussionsset. Die Improvisation des Trios haucht ihrer Musik ein besonderes Leben ein. Das von Frerichs verwendete Harmonium ist ein Trayser von 1860, den er selbst restauriert hat. Aber Frerichs' Juwel ist das Hammerklavier, dessen reiche Obertöne sich harmonisch in die der anderen Instrumente einfügen. Der seltene Hammerflügel wurde von Chris Maene erbaut und ist eine Kopie eines Walter aus dem Jahr 1790, der im Haus von Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart stand. "Ich betrachte es als eine wahre Ehre, dass der Fonds mir diese Möglichkeit gegeben hat", sagte Frerichs. "Es ist das erste Mal, dass das Hammerklavier einen ernsthaften Platz in der improvisierten Musik einnimmt. Der Klang des Hammerflügels passt sehr gut zu unserer modernen Zeit", stellt Frerichs fest. "Es ist ein Instrument, das Kulturen verbindet." Mit seinem neuen Album The Contemporary Fortepiano nimmt er den Zuhörer mit auf eine Welttournee mit 15 musikalischen Miniaturen, die jeweils einen anderen Aspekt des Ensembles hervorheben.
... "Das Contemporary Fortepiano bildet in diesem besonderen Ensemble eine einzigartige musikalische Umsetzung. Es ist das erste Mal, dass dies weltweit geschieht", so Rembrandt. Frühe, fast vergessene Instrumente wie das Hammerklavier und das Harmonium werden entstaubt und können neu erstrahlen. Die reiche Plattform, die das musikalische Genre des Jazz bildet, kann mit dieser Aufnahme unbegrenzt erweitert werden.

Artist(s)

Tony Overwater (double bass)

Tony Overwater is an award winning bass player whose sound and unique way of playing have established him as a key player in the European music world. He is a remarkable solo performer and leader of his own projects but also a collaborative and attentive sideman. He is well known for his pioneering work in Arab music.
In 1995 Tony Overwater went on tour with the Yuri Honing Trio through the Middle East, notably Lebanon and Syria, and fell in love with Arab music culture. He met musicians from lebanon, Syria and Iraq and started a long time collaboration with the Lebanese singer Rima Khcheich.
He has been involved in Arab music ever since and developed a unique new playing style on the acoustic bass which allows him to play the microtonality of the Arab scales. He has been studying the maqams (scales), rhythms and songs of classical Arab music. He recorded several albums with Rima Khcheich and eventually became the musical director of her ensemble. Regularly Rima Khcheich and Tony Overwater play duo concerts in which they perform classical Arab music in muwashah style in which the acoustic bass replaces the Oud. This has never been done before and is highly successful at festivals around the world.
Tony Overwater played concerts with many arab musicians among which Moroccan ud player Said Chraibi, Syrian clarinetist Kinan Azmeh and Algerian violinist Kheiredinne M’Kachiche.
He started a salon of Arab music in the Netherlands, Salon Joussour, creating a bridge between musicians from the Middle East and Europe.
in 2009, together with pianist Rembrandt Frerichs and percussionist/drummer Vinsent Planjer, Tony Overwater formed the Rembrandt Frerichs Trio. Three musicians with strong interest and highly developed skills in Arab music and with roots in Western classical music and jazz united in the trio to play with different guest musicians from the Middle East.
Tony Overwater has created the music for many documentaries, among which the Berlin Award winning documentary Justice For Sergei and Om de Oude Wereldzee about Dutch politician Abraham Kuyper.

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Rembrandt Frerichs (piano)

REMBRANDT FRERICHS is a Dutch pianist and composer. As a student, he received a scholarship from the Excelling Young Musicians Fund, to study at the New York Conservatory. He graduated with honors from the jazz department of the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. | INFLUENCES He debuted at the North Sea Jazz Festival aged 22, and worked with saxophonist Michael Brecker, who said about him, “This guy sounds great!” Rembrandt plays in various of his own ensembles, such as the Rembrandt Frerichs Trio and Levantasy. His sound is characterized by influences of Arabic music and baroque music, which stand next to the American jazz tradition. His special style and use of instruments has not remained unnoticed: in 2016 the Foundation of the Performing Arts had a fortepiano made specially for Frerichs, which he currently uses for various projects. MUSICIAN, TEACHER & ARTISTIC LEADER Frerichs teaches jazz piano as a main subject at the Tilburg Conservatory, and works as a guest lecturer at the conservatories of Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Utrecht. He is also artistic leader of several cultural fora, such as the Rabo Jazz Festival (Oud-Beijerland), the Waterfront Jazz Club (Almere) and the Regentenkamer (The Hague). | RECOMMENDATIONS His debut CD Self Portrait (2007) was nominated for an Edison Award and was ‘Album of the Week’ on London Jazz Radio. In 2010, Rembrandt Frerichs played in the legendary jazz club Birdland in New York, together with, amongst others, trumpet player Michael Varekamp. That same year, the NRC Handelsblad wrote about him: “Rembrandt makes the story of jazz a richer one”.

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Vinsent Planjer (drums)

Jazz drummer VINSENT PLANJER graduated from the Royal Conservatory in 2001. His final exam stood out because it only consisted of his own compositions. Since then, he has turned into a highly sought after accompanist of jazz soloists at the Dutch music venues and festivals. He is also increasingly involved in producing, developing and organizing artistic endeavours. He plays an important role in the concert series of The Hague Ethospheric Orchestra, which has been performing with the absolute top of the national jazz for the last couple of seasons. | BROADENING HIS PLAYING FIELD As a member of the Rembrandt Frerichs Trio, Planjer has developed into a leading exponent on his instrument, to be seen at many music venues in the Netherlands and far beyond. His sound is appreciated for its sophistication and at times melodic approach. As a co-project owner of The Contemporary Fortepiano, in which members of the Rembrandt Frerichs Trio use historical instruments, he paves the way for broadening his playing field. Planjer plays the self-designed and built whisperkit. With this line-up, Planjer is increasingly seen at classical music venues and festivals.

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Rembrandt Frerichs Trio

Composer(s)

Tony Overwater (double bass)

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Rembrandt Frerichs (piano)

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Herbie Hancock

Vinsent Planjer (drums)

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Press

... Rembrandt Frerichs is an open mind, a musician in the best sense and with all his heart. One can be curious to see what other sound worlds he discovers for himself in order to bring them closer to the audience. It is in any case a new discovery to listen to this music of the Rembrandt Frerichs Trio!
Pianonews, 30-10-2018

The intimate sound of the fortepiano combined with the violone does well in these works with strong Arab influences.
Luister, 05-10-2018

First of all, the music is anything but old-fashioned. It sounds modern, fresh, sometimes even groovy….
Jazzthetik, 31-8-2018

Often it does not happen that the reviewer has to make some settings on the home HIFI stereo system. In this case, however, this seems absolutely necessary, as the booming sound of the violone played by Tony Overwater often threatens to push the other instruments into the background. After the level has been readjusted, however, a fascinating sound experience is revealed to the listener... Rembrandt Frerichs' subtle sound modelling play culture reminds us of the exciting promise that the young Wolfgang Dauner made 40 years ago with Dream Talk; here the promise is kept...
Piano News, 07-7-2018

An extraordinary recording by Dutch pianist Rembrandt Frerichs, who in his trio around bassist Tony Overwater and drummer Vinsent Planjer plays exclusively on a contemporary pianoforte. Rating: unique and big tip for all piano jazz fans!
InHard, 23-6-2018

It is a wonderful concert that is recorded on the CD 'The contemporary fortepiano'. The three musicians manifest themselves in fifteen compositions, fourteen of which were written by themselves.
De Nieuwe Muze, 15-6-2018

... Anyone who senses snored historical performance practice is completely wrong. The three climb on a time machine with their instruments and travel from the Baroque with the quarter-tone carpets from 'TausendundeinerNacht' to Steve Reich, Tango Nuevo and Herbie Hancocks 'Butterfly'...
Jazzthing, 25-5-2018

These are fifteen musical miniatures that each play a different cultural idiom in the form of a 'world tour'. Fascinating to listen to that with these old instruments.
Music Emotion, 04-5-2018

The pianist is working on a spectacular project: playing jazz on a fortepiano.
Jazzism, 26-4-2018

Very, very special, highly original and innovative. Can not be missed!
Stretto, 12-4-2018

By combining jazz with baroque and Arabic influences, a completely new sound is created that keeps fascinating fifteen intriguing parts, not in the least because of the large variation.
Mania, 06-4-2018

In exactly seventy minutes they play fifteen pieces that they composed themselves, except for 'Butterfly' by Herbie Hancock.
JazzFlits, 02-4-2018

This trio is a model of harmony, true gentlemen's music. Eloquent, erudite and so controlled, that eruptions and unrest are largely lacking.
Trouw, 30-3-2018

Jazz pianist Jazz pianist Rembrandt Frerichs only had five months to learn to play fortepiano only had five months to learn to play fortepiano
De Volkskrant, 19-3-2018

Rembrandt Frerichs' contemporary jazz with subtle sound richness.
VPRO Vrije Geluiden, 15-3-2018

... "The Contemporary Fortepiano forms a unique musical realization in this special ensemble. This is the first time this has happened worldwide. "Early, almost forgotten instruments like the pianoforte and the harmonium are dusted off and can re-shine. The rich platform that forms the musical genre of jazz can be expanded indefinitely with this recording.
Jazz-Fun, 03-3-2018

The Rembrandt Frerichs Trio has succeeded with 'The Contemporary Fortepiano' in making music and instruments into a beautiful whole.
Jazzenzo, 01-3-2018

The music spreads out wide; there is jazz, there are Arabic influences and sometimes there is also a reference to minimal muslc.
Jazzism, 16-2-2018