Over het album

WARM TO THE TOUCH is the recorded result of my labor-of-love-project that is all about creating connections between my percussion instruments and as many other instruments as possible. In order to create a strong sense of closeness and intimacy, these connections are made with one, and sometimes two, instruments at a time, so each track is either a duet or a trio. My musical partners in this adventure are nothing short of the top players in Dutch classical music and jazz. This high level of skill is essential because the compositions are challenging, both technically and in terms of musical choices. The performance of music in the unusual combination of percussion and melodic instrument has no standard approach. What’s more, I have insisted on some degree of improvisational input from each musical partner, which for some is not within their natural comfort zone. The result is a collection of eight highly diverse pieces, showcasing a broad range of interests and inspirations.

Throughout my career as a performing musician, I have focused on using percussion to evoke a multitude of moods and emotions, from meditative to exuberant, tender to aggressive, humorous to dead serious. The underlying idea is the belief that (non-melodic) percussion can communicate the entire spectrum of musical experiences.

There is an element of emancipatory drive in this, as percussion is often still seen as support/ accompaniment/embellishment rather than the core of the music itself. A powerful illustration of this is the audience comment I received recently after a concert: “the way you play percussion, it’s truly an instrument.” This drive for emancipation is also a significant reason for choosing very small ensembles; this immediately makes it clear that the players are equal communication partners. Because, ultimately, communication is what matters most in the performance of these pieces.

In my compositions, as a writing percussionist, I also have a point to make. The pieces explore all expressive possibilities of percussion, from aesthetically melodic to groove-driven rhythmic elements, always looking for a meaningful synergy with the other player’s instrument. This synergy often involves playing the instruments in rhythmic unison, creating an entirely new overall sound. If at times the listener has difficulty distinguishing the individual instruments, then I consider this a job well done. The inspiration for the compositions comes from various sources: a lot of Shostakovich, but also Messiaen, Debussy, Berio— the form of a series of solo compositions for all instruments, as in the case of Luciano Berio’s Sequenzas, is a strong inspiration. Persian classical music, Jazz, Pink Floyd, and the American Drum Line group Carolina Crown also contribute to my diverse palette of inspirations.

I have set myself the task of creating a set of musical pieces that bring out the best in the instruments but also showcase some unexpected qualities of those instruments. And of course, rhythm plays an important role, specifically in two ways. First, there is the pursuit of rhythmic aesthetics; beautiful rhythmic sections can be found in the pieces. So, not ‘interesting’ or ‘propulsive’ or ‘exciting,’ but ‘beautiful.’ Typically, this form of rhythm occurs at a distinctly primitive level in Western classical music, so there is still much to be gained. Second, there is groove (the propulsive element). Groove never happens in the notes, only in the performance, and is a rarity in Western classical music. I feel I have succeeded in getting classical musicians to truly get into the groove on this recording.

Whether I am playing or writing, I always feel a strong link between music-making and storytelling, so I try to give the pieces a sense of narrative, like the unfolding of a plot. In some of the tracks on this album the narrativity is very clear (at least, to me), but of course I gladly leave it to the listener to interpret this in their own way.