Festival Program 2022
Opening night | W Koh Samui | www.wkohsamui.com| 20:00
Round Midnight Orchestra
New York Round Midnight is one of the hottest jazz productions of the moment in which you will experience the exciting nightlife in the renowned clubs around Broadway, New York, in the golden era of jazz. A group of exquisite musicians from the cream of the Dutch jazz scene will take you back to the heyday of jazz, a vibrant world full of thrilling music and compelling stories about love, desire, joy and despair. With this magnificent theatre show you can enjoy some hard-swinging jazz classics, meet the historical jazz figures who brought them into being and feel how vivid and urgent this music still is for today.
U Samui www.usamui.com | 20:00 | Paul van Kessel
Paul van Kessel
Paul van Kessel started singing at the age of eight in the church choir of Grevenbicht, a small village in the south of the Netherlands. At the age of 17, he began singing with a funk band in the nearby city of Sittard. The band continued playing in clubs, at festivals and musical venues for the next seven years, primarily in the southern province of Limburg.
Around the age of 20, Paul enrolled to study jazz at the Conservatory of Maastricht and Amsterdam. In 2001 he moved to Amsterdam, where he still lives today. Paul’s voice is ideally suited to both small jazz ensembles and large arranged, orchestrated music. He has made guest appearances with the Royal Orchestra of the Dutch Air Force, The New Cool Collective Big Band, the Metropole Orchestra, the Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw and the Symphonic Orchestra of the Hessischer Rundfunk. Paul’s music receives wide recognition through jazz radio broadcasts like Radio6, NPO Radio2 Soul & Jazz and Sublime FM, where he has been a regular guest for a number of years. He has been nominated several times for a Radio6 Award for Best Male Vocalist, Best Single and Best Jazz Talent.
Seen Beach Club https://www.seenbeachclubsamui.com/ Saskia Laroo Band Jazz meets Hip Hop start time 21:00
Saskia Laroo was hailed by American public and press at large as “Lady Miles of Europe”. She is one of the few women trumpet stylists and a delight on the music scene for almost four decades. Born in Amsterdam, it began for her on trumpet at age 8, never dreaming herself becoming a professional musician. That all changed when Saskia, turned 18, after briefly majoring in Mathematics at University of Amsterdam switched her focus to a career in music. She worked extensively in various groups from this point, primarily on upright bass, though eventually, on both bass and trumpet. Saskia Laroo combines today’s music by uncontrived romps into new styles, eagerly limned as “nu jazz” or “swingin’ body-music”–a vivacious blend of hip-hop, jazz, salsa, funk reggae, and world, that a select few others would dare venture. Her artistry and her groove ring vibrantly and free on her eight CD albums, a LP and a DVD, journeying us through all the music she has absorbed, played with heart and soul.
Sala Chaweng https://www.salahospitality.com/chaweng/ | Deborah Carter ft. Ben van den Dungen Quartet | start time 20:00
Ben has been performing as a jazz musician since 1983, but his professional career took off two years later, when he won the prestigious NOS Jazz award 1985. Ben has performed with numerous ensembles and over the years he did around 6000 concerts in about 70 countries. To name some of the bands: Ben van den Dungen/ Jarmo Hoogendijk 5 tet, Nueva Manteca, Tango Extremo, New York Round Midnight Orchestra.
Vocalist Deborah J. Carter was born in the U.S.A. and grew up in Hawaii and Japan. She travels extensively performing in jazz festivals, jazz clubs, seminars, and radio and TV shows through Europe and Asia with her trio or as a guest with various formations from solo pianists to large orchestras.
Deborah is also currently the Professor of Jazz Vocals at the Musikene Music Conservatory in San Sebastian, Spain. This prestigious school, in the Basque region of Spain, was founded in 2001 by the Basque Government through the establishment of a private foundation
This vocalist / composer / arranger definitely brings her multi – cultural experiences into her music. “We are so privileged in this day and age to have an open door to other cultures and perspectives that enrich our own.” And she brings it to light through her style. Described by the Music Maker magazine as “absolutely top-class”, she is one of the most dynamic vocalists in the jazz scene.
Santiburi https://santiburisamui.com/ | Alexander Beets Quintet & Koh Mr Saxman start time 20:00
When the Beets name rings anywhere in the world, a jazz lover somewhere will stand up and listen. Tenor powerhouse Alexander Beets has garnered international acclaim with his explosive sound and undeniable swing over the last few decades, appearing in lineups with greats such as Igor Butman (RU), Deborah Brown (USA), Sylwester Ostrowski (PL) and Koh Mr Saxman (TH).}
Paying tribute to the legends that inspired him throughout the years, his latest release Big Sounds features original compositions as well as long-time favorites by Stanley Turrentine and Cole Porter, among others. Sporting a lineup of latest and greatest musicians, he is joined by Miles Davis Institute-acknowledged trumpeter Ellister van der Molen, Beets brother Marius on bass, no less than two Dutch drum prodigies in the form of Sven Rozier and Tim Hennekes and, finally, renowned jazz-meets-classical Sebastiaan van Bavel and Spanish powerhouse Miguel Rodriguez on piano.
Aside from his own quintet, Beets also works with Saskia Laroo International Band, New York Round Midnight Orchestra and the Sound of Siam Band. Citing Stanley Turrentine and Hank Mobley as two of his prime influences, Beets continues to charm audiences all over the world with a perfect blend of swing and ballads: a prime cocktail of contemporary tenor jazz.
Melia Koh Samui Bruch Grand finale feat Nathalie Schaap & Koh Mr Saxman start time 12:00
Melia Koh Samui : https://www.melia.com/en/hotels/thailand/koh-samui/melia-koh-samui/index.htm
Nathalie Schaap made a great impression on her final exam at the Conservatory. Her virtuous combination of singing and playing the double bass did not stay unnoticed for long. Nathalie won several prizes, during the Christina Jazz Concours, de ‘Vriendenprijs’ from Artez Conservatory, a finalist place at the Conservatory Talent Award during Jazz in Duketown. Nathalie is actively working on her own projects, Cousin Hatfield, and the Medan Trio. Next to her own projects, she work(ed)s with Douwe Bob, Bertolf, Tangarine, and many more.
Summer Jam
Following the Secret Garden tradition there will be a JAM-NIGHT with Local and International Jazz musicians on Wednesday the 8th of June. Starting from 10pm till late.
