Dikstra / Hollenbeck Duo
- jorrit dijkstra - alto sax, lyricon, analog electronics
- john hollenbeck - drums, percussion, toys
Dikstra/Hollenbeck Duo
John Hollenbeck and Jorrit Dijkstra have been playing duets on and off since 1998. In their improvisations they investigate the minuscule details within the sonic palette of their instruments by “zooming in” to a whole new world of sonic textures. With the help of some analog electronics, they place their sounds under an imaginary microscope, to orchestrate the overtones, micro-beats, wind flows, clicking of the pads, impact of the stick on the drumhead, and sub tone effects, without losing their strong sense of melody and groove. They also share an interest in improvising with multiple-tempo layerings, melodic cells, cut and paste methods, extended techniques and integrating uncommon (analog) instruments such as the Autoharp and the Lyricon. Their music shows influences from Ornette Coleman, Steve Lacy, György Ligeti, and Conlon Nancarrow, as well as minimalists like Morton Feldman, and ambient music pioneer Brian Eno. Their debut CD “Sequence” on Trytone Records has received critical acclaim in the international press.
Saxophonist and composer Jorrit Dijkstra has been an active member of Amsterdam’s vivid jazz and improvisation scene since 1985, before moving to Boston early 2002. The critical press compares his clear, flexible sound and lyrical improvisation to Ornette Coleman, Paul Desmond and John Zorn, showing the broad spectrum of his saxophone style. Besides the alto saxophone he plays the Lyricon (the first electronic wind instrument from the 70’s) and uses electronics to process his saxophone sounds live on stage. He has released seven CDs of his own music on the Songlines, BVHaast, Trytone and Skycap labels and he has worked with Anthony Braxton, Gerry Hemingway, Herb Robertson, Barre Phillips, John Butcher, Willem Breuker, and Guus Janssen. In 1995 he received the prestigious Podium Prize from the Dutch Jazz Foundation, and in 1998 a Fulbright grant to study and teach at the New England Conservatory in Boston. As a composer, Jorrit has written commissions for the Tetzepi Big Band, Kaida, Duo X, and The Harvard Jazz band. Jorrit is currently co-leading his trio Tone Dialing and the cool-jazz quartet Sound-Lee! (Amsterdam), The Flatlands Collective (with musicians from Chicago). In Boston he is active with Curt Newton, James Coleman, and Stephen Drury’s Callithumpian Consort.
Percussionist/composer John Hollenbeck’s music is a bold attempt to combine a wealth of experience into a passionate new musical language based on world rhythms, lyricism, and spiritual practices. Hollenbeck leads the critically acclaimed Claudia Quintet and performs frequently with Bob Brookmeyer, Fred Hersch, and Meredith Monk. Hollenbeck has been commissioned by the Windsbacher Knabenchor, the University of Colorado, The Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, and Bang on a Can. In June 2005, Hollenbeck released his first large ensemble recording, A Blessing, on Omnitone Records, which received 4 1⁄2 stars (out of 5) from Downbeat magazine, and a Grammy nomination. In September 2005, The Claudia Quintet released Semi-formal, its third recording (second on Cuneiform), and Hollenbeck released his second large ensemble recording, Joys& Desires, on Intuition Records with Jazz Big Band Graz. John is currently a professor of drumset and improvisation at jazz Institute Berlin, Germany. For more info: http://www.jorritdijkstra.com/
