Sven Hammond Big Band plays Ray Charles. Recorded live at The North Sea Jazz Festival on Saturday July 9, 2023 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

Berget Lewis, Jared Grant, John Harris, Bas van Holt (Dawn Brothers) (vocals); Lucas Santana (flute, saxophone); Sanne Landvreugd (saxophone); Wouter Schueler (baritone saxophone); Randell Heye, Rick Mol (trumpet); Martijn Sohier (trombone); Camilla van der Kooij, Rani Kumar, Sietse van Gorkom (violin); Tim Eijmaal (guitar); Tessa Boomkamp (guitar, percussion); Pablo van de Poel (DeWolff) (guitar, vocals); Chelsea Woerdings (keyboards); Sven Figee (Hammond organ); Glenn Gaddum sr. (bass); Joost Kroon, Yoràn Vroom (drums).

To call keyboardist Sven Figee a versatile artist is almost an understatement. Among other things, he was in Anouk’s band, has produced albums for his colleagues, and, of course, has graced TV shows with his house band Sven Hammond Soul and released eight swinging albums with a host of guest musicians. For his third visit to the festival, the Hammond phenomenon from The Hague draws on the rich and diverse collection of songs that Ray Charles gave to the world. The legendary pianist and composer put soul on the map in the 1950s. A young Figee fell in love with Charles’ magical way of playing and boundless energy after seeing the film The Blues Brothers. With his eighteen-piece Sven Hammond Big Band and special guests, Figee pays a colorful and, of course, swinging tribute to the “Genius from Georgia”, where the joy of playing and unbridled swing are paramount.


CD

SIDE A
1. One Mint Julep
2. Our Suite
3. HallelujaH I Love Her So
4. Feel So Bad
5. Eleanor Rigby
6. I’m Satisfied

SIDE B
7. Booty Butt
8. Baby Don’t You Cry
9. I’ve Got A Woman
10. What’d I Say
11. Compared To What

Release date: 3 November 2023