The North Sea Jazz festival is a three day cruise with the finest of the finest in artists. This year, Ari Hoenig, Vinnie Colaiuta, Dave Weckl, Mark Guiliana and many more of the best played the 43th edition of the annual Jazz coup that overtakes the city of Rotterdam. Here we watch and scroll through the drummers and percussion players with their own bands, or that played with artist like Herbie Hancock, Erykah Badu, Mary J Blidge, Doyle Bramhall II and Bill Laurance. Video fragments are included when available. Later, we will publish a special item on the talented Makaya Mccraven, who played the festival three times with three different groups- on day 1.
Video compilation First, here's a 5-minute compilation of artists at #NSJ17. A quick and dry overview with 30 second fragments of all the footage that we could make, or that was send to us and good enough to add.
Watch more videos and photos below of Mark Guiliana, Ari Hoenig, Dave Weckl and more.
In this compilation
Joshua Blackmore, Felix Higginbottom, Steven Brezet with Bill Laurance
Justin Tyson with Robert Glasper Experiment
Ari Hoenig Trio
Mark Guiliana with his Jazz Quartet
Rexsell Hardy Jr. with Mary J Blige
Makaya Mccraven
Jamie Peet and Phil Martin with Bart Wirtz
Stephen Hodges with Mavis Staples
Jeff Ballard with the Wolfgang Muthspiel Quintet
Anthony Cole with Doyle Bramhall II
Derrick McKenzie and Sola Akingbola with Jamiroquai
Friday, July 7, 2017 The first day of the festival was as diverse as the others. The North Sea Jazz festival features many styles in many forms, like Grace Jones versus Mark Guiliana and Steve Winwood versus the Robert Glasper Experiment. Here are the videos and photos of artists playing on the several stages at the festival.
Edison for Peter Erskine The Peter Erskine Trio, with John Taylor and Palle Danielsson, received an Edison (the Dutch Grammy) for their 4cd box 'As It Was'. It features the four cds the trio released between 1992 and 1997, namely "You Never Know", "As It Is", Time Being" and "Juni".
Koffie Featuring Abe van der Woude (drums), Steven Brezet and Vernon Chatlein on percussion.
Afrobeat and Funk from the Netherlands. The band's recent new album 'Huntu' is bursting with Latin and funk grooves.
Abe van der Woude Steven Brezet and Vernon Chatlein
Bill Laurance Featuring Felix Higginbottom and Steven Brezet on percussion and Joshua Blackmore on drums.
Bill Laurance is pianist, keyboard player, composer, and producer and one of the driving forces behind the renowned jazz fusion band Snarky Puppy.
Nils Fischer's Cabocubajazz Featuring Armando Vidal (drums, vocals) and Nils Fischer on percussion.
The multi-national band Cabocubajazz mixes music from the Cape Verde Islands with Cuban, Jazz and other music styles.
Beat Summit with Mark Guiliana, Nate Smith & Dave Weckl In the North Sea Jazz Cafe, the idea was to talk about deeper assumptions how drums have changed Jazz and other music styles through rhythm. Moderator Ashely Kahn was grasping a bit high with that theme, since the drummers on the couch are making music first, and consider their role humble, as part of a process with other musicians who are just as great.
The first ten minutes you see here focused mainly on the role of the drummer. And this is where you learn from three of the best in how to grasp their idea of making music and playing in a band.
Nate Smith talks about the role of the drummer and how it relates to the public.
Dave Weckl goes deeper into the role and the power that a drummer has.
Mark Guiliana gives exactly the reasons that explain why the video of his Quartet below shows that he is there primarily for the music, and not for being there as a drummer.
Ari Hoenig Trio New York based drummer Ari Hoenig once again showed his immense and intense skills in storytelling a song like no other. Watch him in the video below.
Steve Winwood's Richard Bailey (drums) and Edwin Sanz The legendary Richard Bailey still playing as if he is 20 years old.
Mark Guiliana Jazz Quartet We said on Twitter that Mark Guiliana 'was king for a day' at NSJ. Possibly true, when you watch his band perform below. A ray of talents creating incredible vibes and atmospheres.
José James with Nate Smith on drums In previous years, José James played the North Sea Jazz Festival with British phenomenon Richard Spaven. This year another singularity in the form of Nate Smith showed why he is able to play any style in any setting.
Saturday, July 8
John Beasley's MONK'estra with Peter Erskine Multi-price winning Peter Erskine with Multi-price winning John Beasley, playing the music of Thelonious Monk. His latest album MONK'estra Volume 1 earned double-Grammy nominations in 2017. Beasley leads a 15-piece big band that plays the singular music of Thelonious Monk in new arrangements flavored with New Orleans spirit, Afro-Cuban rhythms, and even hip hop.
All Ellington's modern creative and swing ensemble Michael Vatcher was at the right spot with this modern creative and swing ensemble at North Sea Jazz
Bart Wirtz Bart Wirtz' Neo-bop-Jazz Fusion-Straight Ahead Jazz - band featured the insanely talented Jamie Peet and Phil Martin on percussion and synthesizers.
Shabaka & the Ancestors Shabaka Hutchings' band featuring Tumi Mogorosi on drums and Gontse Makhene on percussion. The Ancestors recorded 'Wisdom of Elders,' that is bursting with spirituality and creativity.
Tumi Mogorosi Gontse Makhene
Jason Marsalis Vibes Quartet Need we say more on this cat? Well, his band was Swedish and Jason played his best skills as always. Funny detail in his intro prior to the concert, Jason noted his current residence in France: "I moved from the New Orleans, to the real Orléans."
Woman to Woman! Allison Miller played with 'Woman to Woman!' A female group lead by Renée Rosnes. What a delight to finally see a complete female group at the festival, let alone a female drummer!
Sunday, July 9
Michelle David & The Gospel Sessions Featuring Bas Bouma and Toon Oomen on drums, guitar, percussion and anything they could get their hands and sticks on.
Justin Tyson with Robert Glasper Experiment Justin Tyson's spectacular style is a joy to watch.
Jazz The Story, 100 years of Jazz Recordings Carl Allen is one of those drummers not many have heard of, yet has played on several dozens of recordings, a plentitude of artists and still remains strong.
Erykah Badu Cleon Edwards and Frank Moka kicked the show off with an incredible drum and percussion solo, before the diva herself entered the stage.
Cleon Edwards Frank Moka
Jeff Ballard with the Wolfgang Muthspiel Quintet Jeff Ballard is one of those true Jazz legends, who just as easy takes different routes with artists like Ray Charles and Pat Metheny. With Austrian guitar player Wolfgang Muthspiel he was truly enjoying the musical explorations of this band. Other noteworthy drummers Muthspiel has worked with are Paul Motian, Gary Burton (vibraphone) and Brian Blade.
Doyle Bramhall II Doyle Bramhall II is the son of Stevie Ray Vaughan drummer Doyle Bramhall. Hence the II in his name. Anthony Cole on drums and vocals instantly reminded us of J.J. Johnson and Steve Jordan. His grooves with DBII are intensely tight, open and vibrant at the same time. With just the Yamaha backline bass drum and floor tom, two Ludwig snares and three Paiste cymbals (+ HiHat) in front of him, he was one of the most pleasant surprises at the festival.
Watch Anthony Cole in the compilation video at the top of this article. Sadly enough, the sound of his show was not good enough to publish a full length song. Worth checking it out though!
© Ronald Rijntjes
