Jazz Articles about Nils van Haften

About Nils van Haften

Album Review

Rodrigo Faina and Change Ensemble: Different Roots

Read "Different Roots" reviewed by Jerome Wilson

by Jerome Wilson
April 25, 2021

This is not the usual large ensemble jazz recording. Instead of having instrumental groups play against each other, this music moves largely as a massed force with only sparing solo statements. It carries the gravity and weight of classical music and mixes in the harmonies and colors of jazz composers like Gil Evans and Kenny Wheeler with occasional blasts of other musical forms like rock and tango. It is the work of Rodrigo Faina, a composer born and raised in ...

Album Review

Rodrigo Faina and Change Ensemble: Different Roots

Read "Different Roots" reviewed by Hrayr Attarian

by Hrayr Attarian
March 24, 2021

The cohesive and captivating Different Roots is Rotterdam- based guitarist and composer Rodrigo Faina's cinematic debut for the Red Piano label. For this six-part suite, Faina draws inspiration from three literary works from his native Argentina, two by Julio Cortazar and one by Jorge Luis Borges. On this genre-defying release, Faina also conducts the Change Ensemble which consists of several accomplished European, primarily Dutch, musicians. In fact, Faina utilizes the orchestra as a single unit at times and ...

Album Review

Udo Pannekeet: Electric Regions

Read "Electric Regions" reviewed by Glenn Astarita

by Glenn Astarita
July 24, 2020

Udo Pannekeet is the current bassist for the legendary Dutch progressive rock band Focus, featuring original members Thijs van Leer (flute, vocals, keyboards) and Pierre van der Linden (drums). On this album the bassist goes for the gusto, supported by an extensive lineup, where jazz rock, fusion and modern jazz concepts co-align, most noticeably on the opening and adrenaline-charged long-form composition “Electric Regions Part One," which is basically the album's tour de force. Drummer Marcel Serierse kicks off ...