Many people may say that ‘music is life', but what does that really mean? Does music have the power to invoke hidden emotions that take us on a journey in time to the moments that resonate with them? Or does it mean that music is like food for our souls, and we need a regular dose of it in order to heal the rough patches in our lives?
The thing is, it may be this or it may be that, but the fact remains that everyone experiences music differently. This, in itself, is a beautiful thing, which is why we set the stage for four incredible musical performances at Wester-Amstel. In addition to our beautiful park and gardens, we wanted to give our friends a unique way to enjoy our country estate.
Therefore, since the first week in September, Wester-Amstel has hosted professional jazz ensembles for the concert series: ‘Zondag jazz op Wester-Amstel’ (Sunday jazz at Wester-Amstel). The concerts took place on the first Sunday of every month, from September to December, and were organised by our volunteers, in close collaboration with the Professional Association of Improvising Musicians (BIM)- in celebration of its 50th anniversary.
With this wonderful lineup of musicians, each of whom represented a different style of jazz, the tradition of high-quality, intimate concerts at Wester-Amstel was restored. We would like to thank all the people who bought tickets. With your support, all the shows were completely sold out.
About the musicians
The first artist we had the pleasure of welcoming was Fleurine Elizabeth Verloop. The first artist we had the pleasure of welcoming was Fleurine Elizabeth Verloop on Sunday, 4 September 2022. She is a singer, composer, lyricist, and authority on Brazilian jazz. She has gained a devoted international following for her "warm, enveloping sound and gentle rhythmic drive" (Los Angeles Times) and "a voice of an angel that has taken over a living room" (Elsevier Magazine).
The next performers to take the stage were the Carmen Gomes trio on Sunday, 2 October 2022. They treated the audience to jazz blues music, complete with songs by Nina Simone, Ray Charles, Billie Holiday, and others. The group consists of vocalist Carmen Gomes, guitarist Folker Tettero, and double bassist Peter Bjørnild. Carmen won the “Dutch Jazz Vocalist Competition” and the "Singer of the Year Award" at the Breda Jazz Festival.
On Sunday, 6 November 2022, Wester-Amstel welcomed its third musician Sylvi Lanewho specialises in soul jazz. She was accompanied by keyboardist Leo Bouwmeester and surrounded by her own paintings. Sylvi is a vocalist, songwriter, improviser, vocal coach and painter. She coaches talents at the Conservatory of Amsterdam and gives workshops and master classes.
The last artist of the series was Eva Scholtenwho performed a gypsy jazz set on Sunday, 4 December 2022. Eva was accompanied by guitarist Thomas Baggerman and double bassist Jort Terwijn. As a singer and arranger in the former vocal group "YesSister,JazzSister" which released two albums, she has played at all major Jazz festivals in the Netherlands. She enjoys international fame with her Django Reinhardt compositions.
If you missed out on getting a ticket to this exciting series, do not fret. We will be hosting more events in the future. Please follow our Facebook to stay up-to-date on the latest events and happenings at Wester-Amstel.
By: Abhishek Mangla