Suzan Veneman

Jazz trumpet player and composer Suzan Veneman captures audiences with her adventurous and soulful sound. After finishing her studies in the USA she has played an active part on the jazz scene both in the Netherlands and abroad. Comfortable in many genres of modern music, she can be seen playing with a wide variety of bands, including: the Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw, BvR Flamenco Big Band, Zack Lober’s NO FILL3R, Iman Spaargaren's 'Undercurrent Trio' and her own ambitious projects ‘Zinder’ and the 'Suzan Veneman Sextet'. 

Her early achievements include being finalist at the Prinses Christina Concours (NL, 2010) and partaking in the exclusive Jazz Rising Stars Program at Ravinia, IL (USA, 2013) lead by former jazz giant David Baker.

Suzan has also excelled as a skilled composer and arranger, being a finalist at the ASMAC Big Band composers and arrangers competition in LA (USA, 2014) and awardee Jazz Comp Graz Big Band Composers Competition in Austria in 2021. She was invited as guest composer at NDR big band in Hamburg, as part of their ‘Arrangement Podium’ in 2021 and was recipient of the ‘Week van de Jazz’ composers assignment in 2022. Suzan is the recipient of the annual 'Rogier van Otterloo Award' 2024, a prestigious award given to the 'most promising Dutch composer/arranger'. 

Veneman made her debut as a bandleader in 2019, further discovering and developing her voice as trumpet player and composer. Her first album ‘Migrations of the Mind’ with the Suzan Veneman Sextet came out in 2022, and revolves around her healing process after being diagnosed with MS.

The sextet has had a very succesful touring roster, playing around the country and establishing their very own sound. Their latest album entitled 'The Art of Letting Go', was released in 2025 and is nominated for the Dutch Edison (2026). The band is currently playing concerts around the country, including the prestigious North Sea Jazz Festival, on July 9th. 

Suzan started her second project 'Zinder' in 2021, a sextet consisting of 4 trumpets, upright bass and drums. Her idea was to combine the dynamic force of 4 trumpets with the freedom of a chord-less trio. Within this special set-up, Veneman playfully explores different roles the trumpet takes on within the jazz idiom, using big band-like tuttis, desolate melodies, free improvisation and warm harmonic interplay. Her second album 'Zinder' was release at the Bimhuis in Amsterdam in 2024. 

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Suzan studied with Kurt Weiss, Alex Sipiagin, Joe Magnarelli, Jim Rotondi, Victor Lewis and Conrad Herwig, among others. 

Gear

Yamaha YTR 6335 (2004-2023)

Yamaha Flugehorn YFG 6310Z (1999-present)

MG Trumpets - UWH (2023-present)

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