Dick de Graaf

Trio Nuevo

With his big, hip sound Dick de Graaf combines tradition and innovation. As a soloist he always offers a spontaneous, passionate contribution that makes a band feel good and play better. That is why is frequently being asked as a soloist with various trios and bigbands in Europe, Africa and the United States.

After major tenor and soprano saxophonist Bob Berg had tragically died at a car accident Dick was asked to replace him during a project with the Eastern Illinois University’s bigband at the Spring Jazz Festival. He also toured the St. Louis area with the Simon Rowe Trio.

With a trio led by pianoplayer Andrea Pozza he is touring the Genova area regularly as a guest soloist with the project Out of the Blue(s) honouring giant musician Oliver Nelson who died some 30 years ago.

Arrangments on the musical heritage of saxophonist and composer Oliver Nelson were also played with the Rotterdam Jazz Orchestra, with the Oslo Big Band and Jazzmania Big Band led by Peter Guidi in the Amsterdam Bimhuis with Dick as a guest soloist.

Press:

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. Jazz CD Review, Lee Prosser

…with his warm, full tone, thoughtful pacing and mounting of substantive ideas on phrases that slowly burn to the heart...Downbeat****

Tradition dans les doigts, son énorme, esprit vif et inspiration en plus, rien ne vaut une plage du saxofoniste Dick de Graaf pour vous remonter le moral et vous donner le sentiment d’avoir toujours vos 20 printemps. Jean-Jacques Taib, Jazz Hot****

Mit vollem, runden Ton nimmt de Graaf die Spur der Vorbilder auf, findet zu ihnen aber einen ganz eigenen Zugang. Berthold Klostermann, STEREO****

Dick speaks when he plays and that ‘s what I like... Joe Lovano

...with his big hip tone..Dick has something important to say. Bob Malach

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