Programmers page

WHEN WE WERE BIRDS

Ineke Vandoorn (voc) – Yuri Honing (sax) – Marc van Vugt (git)

Remember cheering and laughing while dancing in circles
Remember feeling free as a bird with the world turning around you

‘When we were birds’ evokes a poetic and almost mythic sense of freedom that takes you back to a state of innocence, of being just as we once were. The music refers to a time before rhythm was measured, before song had structure, before emotion had to be explained. It is the body remembering a freedom the mind forgot.

In 2021 Ineke Vandoorn, Yuri Honing & Marc van Vugt took the stage together for the very first time – no preparations, no agreements – and played this concert that was coincidently recorded. Just three mics and the incredible mixing craft of renown Dutch pop producer Sander van Herk is what resulted in this breathtaking album. Improvised music at the top.

ABOUT YURI HONING

Saxophonist Yuri Honing is one of the most prolific musicians in the Netherlands. A three-time Dutch Edison Award winner and Boy Edgar Award winner, he has toured worldwide with his own groups for the past three decades and worked with Pat Metheny, Paul Bley, Craig Taborn, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Charlie Haden, and many others. With over 15 million streams on Spotify and an original and recognizable sound, Yuri Honing is one of those musicians who continue to shape the Dutch cultural landscape. Whether through music or his contemporary art and sculptures, Honing continues to evolve and surprise in every way.

Best selling saxophonist, composer, triple Edison winner (Dutch Grammy), Boy Edgar Prize 2012. Worked with Paul Bley, Pat Metheny, Charlie Haden, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Ibrahim Maalouf, Paul Motion, Graig Taborn and many others.

• One of the most creative and fearless saxophonists of the moment – The Times
• Honing  enchants his audience– ***** De Volkskrant
• With his Acoustic Quartet the music melts into something indescribable – ***** Trouw
• The sound, vision and seriousness are all Honing’s own – **** The Guardian 

ABOUT INEKE VANDOORN & MARC VAN VUGT

Dutch Grammy winners Singer/pianist Ineke Vandoorn and composer/guitarist Marc van Vugt have working togehter for a life-time. With fairy-like sounds, funky arrangements, modern music full of harrowing and twisting harmonies and sadly comforting songs, they explore boundaries in an admirable and fascinating way: between improvisation and composition, in original songs with regular lyrics and in pure improvisations, by giving their characteristic interpretation of standards or by amalgation of different musical expressions.

Marc and Ineke released 13 CD’s with line-ups ranging from a jazz trio to the Metropole Orchestra (conducted by Vince Mendoza) and the Dutch Chamber Choir. Their original approach has taken them to clubs and festivals in Canada, New York, Japan, France, Germany, Indonesia. Both in 2016, 2018 and 2023 they toured for 5 weeks in Canada.

Marc and Ineke also worked and recorded with artists like Kenny Wheeler(UK), Robin Eubanks (USA), Sylvain Beuf (F), Andy Sheppard (UK), Don Thompson (CA), David Linx (F), Norma Winstone (UK), Mario Pavone (USA),Thomas Chapin (USA), Paul van Kemenade (NL). Invited by the Dutch government, they worked and lived for two years in The Vandoesburghouse, Paris. They are both highly experienced educators as well. Ineke’s 300 page book on singing ‘Singing from the inside out’ was released in English in 2016.

ABOUT MARC VAN VUGT

In 2022 and 2024, Marc released two solo acoustic guitar albums which were unanimously praised by the press. Marc was voted one of the top three best acoustic guitarists in the Benelux in 2023 and 2024. His albums spent two years in the American jazz top 200.

His compositions reflect Marc’s experience in jazz and improvised music and contemporary composed music. The music is characterized by long, associative lines that often have melancholic overtones. Reviewers praise his eye for detail and the colorful harmonic elaboration that give the compositions their unique signature. “Music that stays in your head for a long time”.

• This sounds unique! – Steve Vai
• Very impressive technique, but most importantly he is an instrumental storyteller – LAJazzScene
• Absolute mastery and exquisite playing – Akustik Gitarre
• A bleeding-heart album, this CD is magnificent – JazzNU
• One of his country’s strongest acoustic guitarists – Jazzquad

ABOUT INEKE VANDOORN

Jazz singer Ineke Van Doorn is a highly respected authority as a jazz singer and improvisor. She has been praised for her personal style and her seemingly unlimited vocal capacities. The Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant called her ‘the adventurer among the Dutch jazz vocalists.’ Ineke specialises in performing original music that is thoughtful and multi-layered and combines lyrical songs with expressive improvisations. Her duo CD with pianist Jasper van ‘t Hof got raving reviews.

• Rarely, perhaps never heard how two musicians find each other in this way: monumental, unrelenting, closely matched, mutually uplifting – Jazznu.com
• Ineke Vandoorn’s singing voice is spectacular – The Walkers
• The sounding result is unpredictable, surprising, intelligent and original – ***** Zing Magazine
• This album is not of this world – ***** Jazzflits
• Daredevilry at the highest level – Jazzism
• It’s a genius connection like you just don’t hear. Each of the 6 tracks is a gem – ***** SKJazz