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Sezen Aksu Tour in Europe and US
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After working with Ugur Isik & Derya Turkan I'm in for more Turkish delight. This beautiful great Turkish singer is Sezen Aksu. I'm part of her band for a European and US tour in the end of March and beginning of April 2010. In February first rehearsals took place in Istanbul - European Cultural Capitital in 2010- what an impressive city! Sezen Aksu has released 14 singles and 22 albums and has sold more than 20 million copies. She is well known internationally for the song “Kiss Kiss” which she wrote. Her songs have also been performed and/or recorded by more than 100 different artists and she has won over 200 awards.
The new acoustic band consists of Fahir Atakoglu music director, piano, Özer Arkun cello, Göksun Çavdar clarinet, Fatih Ahiskalı oud, buzuki, guitar, Nurcan Eren backing vocals, myself on upright bass, Mustafa Boztüy percussion & Jarrod Cagwin drums, percussion. All of them are fantastic musicians!  The tour is booked and hosted by Riza Okcu who owns  Stage Art Organisation.  

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Sezen's music is a great mix between pop and authentic Turkish music. Of course there's the Arabic side as well but her music is different. Her songs are great even when we play them with an acoustic version of the glamorous pop hits. Every now and then I hear a touch of Jacques Brel in her songs which is, of course utterly beautiful. She 's really very special in her writing and singing. Besides that she's a great person to be with!  Check Sezen's site: http://www.sezenaksu.com.tr

 

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The Devine Cockeyed Glimpse
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It is here: "The Devine Cockeyed Glimpse" will be presented. On September 10 we play the official cd release concert in Paradox in Tilburg; opening the season. The day after we play in Lantaarn Venster Rotterdam 11-9 (how appropriate) Then 1st of october in De Toonzaal in Den Bosch. I'm working to present more dates a.s.a.p.

The line up:

Femi Dawkins a.k.a. Jimmy Rage: poetry
Erwin Vann: saxes & sounds
Mete Erker: saxes & sounds
Bram Stadhouders: guitar & sounds
Angelo Verploegen:trumpet & fluegelhorn
Ilja Reijngoud:trombone
Wiboud Burkens:keys
Erwin Hoorweg:keys
Hans Timmermans:beats & sounds
Onno Govaerts (t.b.c.): acoustric drums
Eric van der Westen:acoustic and electric double bass
Rob Moonen:video art

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Starvinsky Orchestar

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Martin Fondse's Starvinsky Orkestar
released a beautiful album last year: Fragrant Moondrops. It's a highlight of my recording career so far. Martin's fabulous writing and tasteful arranging has supplied the band with a deep warm sound. The high level line up adds to the promise of this composer/arranger/improviser/pianist/melodicaplayer to become one of the most important musicians in The Netherlands. There's superb playing on the album by Dirk Peter Koelsch on Drums, Toys, Utensils, Claudio Puntin on Clarinets, Micro Megaphone, Steffen Schorn on Baritone Sax, Contrabass Clarinet, Tubax, Bass Flute, Eric Vloeimans on Trumpet, Irma Kort on Oboe, Soren Eriksen on  C-melody Sax, Gerdur Gunnarsdottir & Herman van Haaren on Violin, Benni von Gutzeit on Viola & Joerg Brinkmann on Cello. Fragrant Moondrops is released as Double LP as well! Check the Orkestar site : www.starvinsky.com for details on concerts and news!

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Eric van der Westen New Director Muzieklab Brabant

mlblogo.jpgFrom September 1st 2009 I have accepted the offer to become Muzieklab Brabant's new Director. I already worked there as producer for VERS; the MLB production for the devellopment of young creative artists.
Together with Gert Gering and Anneke van Oel I will set out a new course to further establish Muzieklab Brabant as a solid, well organised and trustworthy music productionhouse.

 
Brabantse Immigranten: Project With Rob Moonen

I've had the pleasure of working with video artist Rob Moonen when participating on Noord. However plans are being develloped to start a series of videos about people who have moved from all over Europe to Noord Brabant; the province in which we live. Rob is a dedicated artist who has great capabilities in capturing the right mood with his films. I wrote the filmscores for three pieces of the serie. It's still a pilot, but I hope we'll start soon!