Fay Claassen Symphonic Stories - Cr73557 - Jazz - by Challenge Records

In 2019, the Artistic Director of the Residentie Orkest The Hague, Sven Arne Tepl, invited me to appear as guest soloist in the concert series Symphonic Junction. The Residentie Orkest regularly collaborates with musicians from different musical directions, creating really delightful connections and really special projects. We explored our common ground and shared musical language in this Symphonic Junction. Despite, or perhaps even because of the fact that I regularly work with big bands and larger ensembles and orchestras, this musical journey proved to be a unique experience. In part, it was due to the special instrumentation and the crossover with classical music. I was also allowed to take my own beloved band along. I’ve been on the road with them since 2018, giving concerts, writing songs and philosophizing about life. Alongside some beautiful songs by Ennio Morricone, Paul Simon, Burt Bacharach and The Beatles, I was also able to get some of our own music arranged by some of the finest arrangers. It was fortunate indeed to be surrounded by these great artists, including Jörg Achim Keller, Magnus Lindgren, Bob Zimmerman, Ansgar Striepens and, last but not least, Roeland Jacobs! We were to give a live concert at PAARD in The Hague, but when it was finally decided to live-stream the concert because of the tighter restrictions after the lockdown in winter 2021, the placement of the orchestra and the band was quite unusual. We were sort of opposite each other, with the conductor, Joost Geevers, in the middle and myself beside him. This meant we were sort of playing to each other! The concert was broadcast in the autumn of 2022 on TV West.