Ineke Vandoorn

Biography
Influencers

‘The adventurer among jazz singers’ (De Volkskrant). Dutch Grammy winner Ineke Vandoorn still lives up to this description. This time in an exciting duo with pianist and multiple award-winner Jasper van ‘t Hof. Both are known for their longstanding careers wherein they each developed their own inimitable styles. An unlikely but unique duo that offers a new perspective on the traditional ‘singer and pianist’ combination.

Together they surprise us with a delicate dance of an expressive voice, with seemingly unlimited potential and warmth, and ten virtuosic, sometimes ferocious, fingers. They deliver an original and varied repertoire that combines intricately intertwined melodies with an Indian raga, a Paul Simon song, and dazzling improvisations. Musical conversations that evoke artists as disparate as Betty Carter, Joni Mitchell, Norma Winstone and Flora Purim.

Ineke: ‘I like a challenge. A close friend recently remarked that if something seems easy, it usually doesn’t interest me. And indeed, a duo with a piano virtuoso like Jasper van ‘t Hof is not the most likely choice for a singer. I have known Jasper for a long time and admire him for his enthusiasm and his attitude towards music. His playing is always recognizable; after four notes you know: this is Jasper van ‘t Hof. Whether in a beautiful ballad or when he goes completely wild with bursts of energy, Jasper always has a story to tell, it always makes sense. I was very curious to hear where our collaboration would lead. Playing with this duo feels like walking on a very thin line, like a beautiful and exciting balancing act, or like a dance on water, in which we both give and take, inviting each other to give the best of ourselves to the music.

Jasper: ‘Ineke’s invitation to make a duorecording certainly hit my musical sweet spot. I was able to reveal the soul of my playing within the freedom of Ineke’s concept. The content of the music became a kind of spinning top, where our interaction was intensely and creatively captured in the moment. A studio recording can too often be experienced as a constraint on your creative freedom. With Ineke, however, it was like a very profound conversation! Westood right across from each other and… just went for it!! A great recording experience! Enjoy.’