Dick de Graaf Quartet
Listen to tracks of the
cd Moving Target:
Dick de Graaf – tenor- and sopranosaxophone
Jeroen van Vliet – piano
Guus Bakker – electric and acoustic bass
Pascal Vermeer – drums
After releasing his CD SOUNDROOTS that he recorded in New Orleans Dick de Graaf toured Europe, USA, Indonesia and Singapore. January 2002 he was one of the jury’s honorable mentions at the Washington D.C. Jazzcompetition. In the March 2004 issue of french magazine JAZZ HOT he scored the highest possible rating ‘indispensable’.
February 2007 the new Dick de Graaf Quartet released its first CD on Dick’s label Soundroots Records. 10 Originals, five of them inspired by chamber music by Bela Bartok.
The Dick de Graaf Quartet presents a swinging mix of De Graaf’s originals and cross-overs with classic, pop and world music. Jimi Hendrix, Lennon/McCartney and Sting are inspiring de Graaf as much as Franz Schubert’s chamber music, Bela Bartoks Mikrokosmos and West African griots.
Press:
De Graaf is a fine Dutch tenor in the Joe Henderson mould, but with a more barnstorming approach to almost everything. He has the technique and ideas to back it up and a crisply supportive rhythm section who manage to stay on board no matter what storms de Graaf blows up. A strong set.
Irish Times, Ray Comiskey
"Moving Target" shows de Graaf's saucy sax playing to be on the mark, whether his direction is Bartok or bebop.
Palo Alto Daily News, Paul Freeman
Straight Hawkins-style on tenor, works around the melodies, loves how the sax sounds, group swings.
Tom Hull (Village Voice) blog
…solid mainstream blowing.. .
All About Jazz, Michael P. Gladstone
... when music moves like this, no "blue meanies" will ever be able to target it! While De Graaf's playing is clearly in the realm of "sophisticated", it also achieves a pinnacle that few groups do these days - timeless!
Rotcod Zzaj, Improvijazzation
Dick de Graaf is one of the finest contemporary jazz composers and musicians performing today. His music is memorable for its uniqueness, clarity, and purity of jazz sound. Listening to this CD collection is a fine outing, and each song lingers in the listener's memory.
There are ten original compositions in this fine collection. Each is composed by Dick de Graaf. These songs include "Casade," "A Touch of Bela," "Deka Deka," "Stolen Dream," "Climate Change," "Why Birds Always Sing," "Moving Target," "Handicap," "Somsok Orkim Saleb II," and the subtle, creative "Demasque."
Those who enjoy contemporary jazz at its finest will find this collection enchanting. Each performer, whether solo or in unison, creates a wonderful jazz photograph in sound.
Jeroen van Vliet does fine work on piano and on Fender Rhodes. His piano techniques are complex and brilliant. Each performer adds a certain touch of class and brilliance to the ten songs found in this collection.
This collection is flawless, perfect from the beginning to the end, with flawless performances and intimate stylings. This is one of Dick de Graaf's finest hours and the quartet shines with mellow jazz that will delight the listener over and over again.
This is a classic. Get a copy for yourself and a friend, and have your local library place a copy in the library for jazz listening patrons who enjoy fine jazz performances. Highly recommended.
Jazzreview, Lee Prosser
…with his warm, full tone, thoughtful pacing and mounting of substantive ideas on phrases that slowly burn to the heart …
Downbeat
…bridging the gap between pop and jazz music…
De Stem
…elegant fireworks…
Volkskrant
… a full, royal sound on the tenor and a clear modern sound on the soprano sax. Under the surface of straight-ahead jazz there is a brewing and fermenting of inspiring and felicitous ideas...
Tom Beetz (JAZZ)
...hip sound...rich fantasy...fresh though respectful view at the jazz tradition
Muziekwereld
…he is an amazing saxophonist who plays with a command of the instrument, and a grasp of modern jazz harmony, that very few players ever attain…
Saxophone Journal