Photography by Alina Timmerbeil (2023)
About
If the world was up to me, art would be its centerpiece.
As a wise man once said: “Art is what separates us from the animals”.
Dutch jazzpianist, composer and art history student Fee Aaij (19) makes quite an impression. With her movement JOKERJAZZ combining modal jazz and (post-)punk, Fee likes to imagine herself as a troubadour converting people to the power of art.
Although in the end it always comes down to a good (simple) song, Fee embraces the greater depth that conceptualism and visual aesthetics create. Her compositions are reflections of her rebellious spirit: dramatic, authentic, strong but fragile.
A show that grabs the heart and squeezes it.
The influences in her playing and writing go from modal jazz and hardbop
to baroque and classicism to new wave and punk:
David Bowie, Thelonious Monk, McCoy Tyner, Bobby Timmons, The Velvet Underground, Radiohead, W.A. Mozart, Brad Mehldau, Talking Heads, Igor Stravinsky,
Paul Bley, Siouxsie and The Banshees, J.S. Bach, John and Alice Coltrane, to name a few...
Music was introduced into Fee’s life by the church organ.
In her teenage years the tables turned towards rock and later towards jazz.
Taught by her dear teacher and mentor Hans Kwakkernaat,
Fee started studying jazz piano at the ArtEZ Conservatory in Arnhem
being only 15 years old.
Recieving the teachings of Jeroen van Vliet, Robert-Jan Vermeulen, Henrique Gomide, Angelo Verploegen, Michiel Braam, Dion Nijland, Mete Erker and André Groen, amongst others.
In 2021 Fee wrote a book about French Impressionism called ‘De Blik’ and
won the grand prize of the Junior Fellowship competition at the
Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam:
I Am The Joker - Fee Aaij 4tet
Say hello to JOKERJAZZ, a combination of modal jazz, baroque and punk.
‘I Am The Joker’ by Fee Aaij and her 4tet is a to be released conceptual album of improvised music. Rising against to neglection of art in today’s society, the Joker underlines the necessity of art.
Imagine:
A big and abandoned medieval castle where Radiohead, J.S. Bach, Thelonious Monk, McCoy Tyner and David Bowie suddenly run into each other. It's the middle of a dark dark night and the only object in the scary ruin is a long table with six chairs. They decide to sit down.
Trying to kill the time the men start telling each other stories. Yet something feels off. Everyone's tale mysteriously concludes the same thing; a figure, a presence, they all know, although never have met.
Watching them from afar The Joker laughs silently, it's time...
Album information:
1. I am The Joker part I
2. Solitary Soul
3. RED
4. Emerald
5. The Last Lament
6. I am The Joker part II
Fee Aaij (piano, compositions en concept)
Pauline Timmerbeil (bassguitar)
Daniel Louis (drums)
Huub Schoolkate (electric guitar)
The Fee Aaij 4tet came about in the winter of 2022 with the specific goal to record and present 'I Am The Joker'. Throughout the process a strong friendship and devotion to the project grew among the bandmembers. Meanwhile The Joker has shown its face on stage. The audience felt absorbed by the story during our performances at theatre De Roode Bioscoop Amsterdam and Doesburg Jazz Festival. To spread the word of the Joker Fee perfomance the music and concept also solo piano titled as 'Songs of The Joker'.
The project is extensively supported by Stroomversneller (Cultuur Academy), Music Support Gelderland (Poppunt Gelderland) and X Amarte.
Photography by Alina Timmerbeil (2023)
I am The Joker live at De Roode Bioscoop Amsterdam
OUT NOW!
The Starpeople
We are The Starpeople.
Beings from another universe.
We have landed on planet Earth to share our belief:
“Everyone is equal, but still an individual”.
What we present can be found in the mysterious space between modal jazz
and experimental sounds, distinguished by a spiritual energy.
“In order to become The Starpeople they surrender their worldly desires and let
go of their ego’s. They have no purpose beyond sharing their message. For this,
the medium they choose is music. However, they also have a weakness for
theatrics and drama. Be prepared for anything…”
The Starpeople is an initiative by Fee Aaij and Elias Luijten.
On the 29th of September The Starpeople released their first EP called: 'Happening #1'.
The small album opens with ‘Exposition’, a three-part horn harmony composed by Elias Luijten to specifically play with Mete Erker on bass clarinet and Jeroen Pek on flute.
‘Exposition’ transitions into ‘Starstruck’, the first piece, also composed by Elias Luijten. The concept for ‘Starstruck’ is to make the horns, as melody instruments, play the chords that are usually played by harmony instruments such as piano or guitar.
The third song is called ‘Bayou Fever’ and was originally composed by Jack DeJohnette and featured on the album ‘Together’ by McCoy Tyner. We have been playing ‘Bayou Fever’ since we’ve started this group and wanted to record it to pay tribute to the spiritual masters.
Albumdesign by Fee Aaij (2023)
Media
Interview with Jazz in Arnhem (2023)
Agenda
Previous
8/3/2023 JIGSAW, Brebl jamsession International Womens Day
28/5/2023 The Starpeople, Thiemeloods Nijmegen
28/09/2023 MonkeyJam, Café Bosch Arnhem: https://cafebosch.nl/
17/10/2023 The Starpeople jamsession, Paradox Tilburg: https://paradoxtilburg.nl/programma/jazzsessie-45/
28/10/2023 I Am The Joker (Fee Aaij), Amarte Studio Concert x De Roode Bioscoop: https://www.roodebioscoop.nl/roode-bioscoop-sessies-6-0-fee-aaij-qwartet
5/11/2023 I Am The Joker (Fee Aaij), Doesburg Jazz Festival: https://doesburgjazz.nl/evenementen/fee-aaij-qwartet-exclusieve-try-out/
28/12/2023 MonkeyJam Arnhem, Café Bosch Arnhem: https://cafebosch.nl/
26/1/2024 Fee Aaij piano solo concert, CAPS LOCK Arnhem Uitnacht 2024: https://www.uitnacht.com/capslock
5/2/2024 Norman Samuels Trio, Science Café Nijmegen
22/2/2024 MonkeyJam Arnhem, Café Bosch Arnhem: https://cafebosch.nl/
5/3/2024 I Am The Joker live at De Roode Bioscoop Amsterdam video-release by X Amarte
8/3/2024 JIGSAW International Womens Day concert, ArtEZ University of The Arts Arnhem (CANCELED)
27/3/2024 JIGSAW Coaching Band Festival, ArtEZ University of The Arts Arnhem (CANCELED)
28/3/2024 Norman Samuels Trio, De Basis Nijmegen
29/3/2024 Fee Aaij piano solo concert International Piano Day, Libertas Arnhem
25/4/2024 MonkeyJam Arnhem, Café Bosch Arnhem: https://cafebosch.nl/
8/5/2024 Norman Samuels Trio Jazzbites Jamsession, Brebl Nijmegen
23/5/2024 MonkeyJam Arnhem, Café Bosch Arnhem: https://cafebosch.nl/
25/5/2024 Fee Aaij solo piano x AVA Trio, Brebl Nijmegen:
https://www.brebl.nl/event/2024/05/fee-aaij-solo-i-am-the-joker-and-ava-trio
26/5/2024 MonkeyJam Nijmegen, Brebl Nijmegen
1/6/2024 I Am The Joker (Fee Aaij 4tet) at Vlooienbeet Festival 2024, Kultuurwerkplaats Oosterbeek (CANCELED)
12/6/2024 I Am The Joker (Fee Aaij 4tet) pre-release concert and punkjazz collaboration with Esat Ekincioglu (double bass), Café Bosch Arnhem (CANCELED)
27/7/2024 MonkeyJam Arnhem, Café Bosch Arnhem: https://cafebosch.nl/
26/9/2024MonkeyJam Arnhem, Café Bosch Arnhem: https://cafebosch.nl/
3/10/2024 Norman Samuels Trio, Libertas Arnhem: https://abc-libertas.nl/event/live-muziek-norman-samuels-trio/
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Upcoming
23/10/2024 MonkeyJam Arnhem, Café Bosch Arnhem: https://cafebosch.nl/
30/10/2024 Norman Samuels Trio, Touchstone Utrecht: https://www.touchstoneatelier.com/event-details/norman-samuels-trio
5/11/2024 JIGSAW blackhole, ArtEZ University of the Arts Arnhem
12/11/2024 Norman Samuels Trio, Café Classen Arnhem
29/1/2025 Norman Samuels Trio, CODC Nijmegen
2025 I Am The Joker (Fee Aaij 4tet), albumrelease on ZenneZ Records
8/2/2025 Fee Aaij solo - Songs of The Joker, Théâtre de l'île Saint Louis Paris
Spring 2025 I am The Joker (Fee Aaij 4tet and solo), release concerts The Netherlands
Spring 2025 I am The Joker (Fee Aaij 4tet and solo), tour Paris
6/5/2025 Norman Samuels Trio, ArtEZ Univsersity of The Arts
July 2025 The Starpeople, Music Meeting Festival Nijmegen