“I feel the music… as clear as a mountain path. Art inspired by Art. Simplicity. Simplicity brings forth such strong emotion. Contemporary Art makes a return to its primitive origins. However in reality it is not a ‘return’…but a ‘renewal’, a new beginning, a new way of seeing things which this new knowledge has enabled. Death signals no end but is necessary to allow for new growth and regeneration. Indeed Art looks back to its source, in order to be reborn with renewed creativity. Simplicity of form…primitive realization…Naïve construction…but always present and most vital is the intensity of emotion. Tranquil music to calm our anxious beings. Destruction and reconstruction. Art needs…both simplicity and complexity. Now…Art inspires rebirth.” F. Mompou (1893- 1987)
This research project is inspired by the wonderful music and philosophy of the Catalan composer Frederic Mompou. This exploration has led to the formation of the group Matisos, which formally emerged in September of 2007. Matisos takes as a starting point the simplicity of Mompou´s melodies and chords, which are used as a springboard to push the group into exploring new sonic terrain. As Matisos we desire to experience a musical world, one full of surprises, which places an emphasis on clear communication and offers us a freedom which we believe to be fundamental and vital in our music making. Matisos seeks not to reinterpret or perform Mompou´s existing repertoire. We take inspiration from his ideas and sound world and with that we build our own unique sound and repertoire. “… it is not a ‘return’… but a ‘renewal’…” Matisos is in a constant state of change, of growth and development. We believe that this is essential for the vitality and energy of our music. We invite listeners to join us on this new and inspiring journey and we seek and hope to move them…like this music has moved us.
Rui da Silva (Guitar)
Was born in 03/02/1977(Portugal). In 1998 studied music in the jazz school Hot Clube (Lisbon). In 2001 got admitted in the Royal Conservatorium (Den Haag) were in December 2005 got his diploma. Since he finished the conservatorium has been playing has a professional musician in Holland and has experience performing around Europe.
www.ruidasilva.net
Daniel Van Huffelen (Contrabass)
Was born in 1981 in Epe (Holland). As a young boy he starts playing piano, guitar and electric bass. After a year of double bass lessons, in 1999 he gets accepted to study Jazz Contrabass at the Conservatory of Utrecht, where his teacher is Harry Emmery. Two years later he moves to the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague to follow classes with Hein van de Geyn en Frans van der Hoeven. During his second year he decides to do an exchange (Erasmus) at “L´Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya” (ESMUC), where he studies with Horacio Fumero, Albert Bover y Jonathan Camps. After this great experience he stays a year more in Barcelona to really taste the musical live. In September 2007 Daniël graduates for his study Jazz Contrabass and directly starts a master Composition Jazz at the same Conservatory. At the moment he is busy writing jazz music, pop, film music, music for big band, etc. His whole live Daniël has been playing in different jazz formations. He also plays guitar, keys and sings in 2 popbands. In May 2009 completes his Master in Jazz Composition.
www.danielvanhuffelen.com
Pepe “José” García (Percussion)
Was born in Córdoba, Mexico and studied at the Facultad de Música de la Universidad Veracruzana. He completed the Diploma of Advanced Percussion Studies with the Tambuco Percussion Ensemble and completed bachelor’s degree at Koninklijk Conservatorium (NL). He has been a member of Ensamble de Percusiones de Xalapa, Sinfónica Juvenil de Veracruz and Banda Sinfónica del Estado de Veracruz. He was a founding member of the XOC Percussion Ensemble, which performed throughout Mexico. While in The Netherlands, Pepe has played timpani in the Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra and performed with the National Percussion Ensemble and Insomnio. He toured both Holland and Germany with The Barton Workshop, and has performed at festivals such as the Steve Reich Festival, Karnatic Lab Festival, Festival de Percusiones Merza, Gaudeamus Muziek Week, and the International Recorder Festival. He is currently a member of the Axyz Ensemble and Modelo 62.
www.earmassage.com
Neues Flamenco Jazz Projekt!
Eva Folch (geboren in Barcelona) liebt den Wandel, die Improvisation, das Ausschöpfen aller denkbaren Möglichkeiten ihrer Stimme und Musikalität. Ihre Stimme ist energiereich und zugleich filigran und nimmt vom ersten Ton an den Raum ein. Mit ihrem international besetzen Trio und ihren kongenialen Partnern Johann May (Deutschland) an der Gitarre und Daniel Manrique-Smith (Peru) an verschiedenen Querflöten zeigt sie kompromisslose Spielfreude und südländisches Temperament. Zugleich ist die Musik zutiefst zeitgenössisch. Diese Mischung ist es, die den Zuhörer mit ihrer Lebendigkeit und Vielseitigkeit fesselt.
Eva Folch
Eva Folch wurde in Barcelona geboren, wo sie Musik, Gesang und Klavier am Konservatorium von Barcelona studierte. 2003 zog Sie nach Den Haag (NL) um und studierte dort am Königlichen Konservatorium Jazz mit Rachel Gould, Anette von Eichel, John Roucco, Eric Vloeimans, Frits Landersberger, und Sanna van Vliet. Zudem besuchte sie Workshops von Barry Harris, Mark Murphy, Judy Niemack, Meredith d´Ambrosio, Debora Brown, Jeanne Lee, und andere. Sie machte ihren Bachelor-Abschluss in 2007 und ihren Master-Abschluss in 2009.
Während ihres Studiums trat sie europaweit, insbesondere in den Niederlanden und in Spanien zusammen mit vielen erfolgreichen Künstler auf. Oktober 2006 war sie Halbfinalist beim „Brussels Jazz Singers Competition“ und ihr Auftritt wurde vom Publikum begeistert.
Momentan leitet sie die Band „Matisos“, die sie in 2007 gründete. 2010 war die Band im Finale des „Den Haag´s Mozaique Festival“, das Live im Fernsehen übertragen wurde. Die Band veröffentlichte ihre erste CD „Impressions on Frederic Mompou“ im Dezember 2010.
Daniel Manrique-Smith
Daniel Manrique-Smith (geboren in Lima 1982) studierte Klassik- und Jazzflöte an der “Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln” und an der ”Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Frankfurt”. Er hat mit Musikern wie Paulo Alvarez, Dee Dee Bridgewater (mit der MHS Big Band), Djelma Correa, Tilmann Dehnhard, Jeff Denson, Mark Lotz, Claudio Puntin, Samuel Rohrer, Lalo Shifrin (mit der MHS Big Band), Michael Sagmeister, Manfred Schoof und John Tilbury, u.a. zusammen gearbeitet und hat für mehrere Fernseh-, Film-, Radio- und Theaterproduktionen kollaboriert.
www.myspace.com/danielmanriquesmith
Johann May
Studium der Jazzgitarre, sowie Kontrabass bei Frank Sichmann und Henk Haverhoek an der „Hoogeschool voor de Kunsten“ Arnheim/Niederlande. Darüber hinaus studierte er am „Instituto Superior del Arte(ISA)“ in Havanna (Kuba), wo er sich mit der Musik Lateinamerikas und klassischer Musik auseinander setzte. Während und nach seiner Studienzeit arbeitete er unter anderem mit den Musikern Dean Bowman(Screaming Headless Torsos), Emilio Morales, Omar Gonzasles (Roberto Fonseca), Michiel Braam, Helmuth Oehring, Jorge Triana, Merlyn Twaalfhoven, Marc Mommaas u.a. zusammen.
www.myspace.com/johannmay