Jazz Articles about Peter Beets

Peter Beets: New York Trio Page Two

by C. Andrew Hovan
February 22, 2023

In its relatively short history, American jazz music has established a language that while having some ties to the European tradition is more fully rooted in the rhythms and folk melodies of the African slaves. What is even more significant is the profound impact that the music and musicians have had in breaking social boundaries such as race, culture, and ethnicity. Way before there were even the thoughts of equal opportunities for all individuals in the American South, Benny Goodman ...

Peter Beets: Chopin Meets the Blues

by Greg Simmons
February 20, 2011

While a knowledge of romantic pianist Frederic Chopin (1810--1849) can add to the experience of listening to pianist Peter Beets' Chopin Meets the Blues , it is by no means essential to enjoying it. This is a jazz album first and foremost, and a very good one at that. Beets uses Chopin's charts as a jumping off point, and does not constrain himself by the mood or tempo of the original music. The opener, “Nocturne in Eb Major, ...

Peter Beets: New Groove

by C. Andrew Hovan
July 8, 2008

Although his passion has always been in documenting important New York players worthy of wider recognition, producer Gerry Teekens has occasionally turned the spotlight on worthy talent from his Dutch homeland as well. Along with guitarist Jesse van Ruller, the most visible Dutch artist on the label recently has been pianist Peter Beets. His three previous sessions for Criss Cross have found him working in a trio format and including many of his own substantial compositions. His new work, the ...

Peter Beets: New Groove

by Dan McClenaghan
April 3, 2008

What zesty, light-stepping, buoyant sounds these are. There's some serious swinging happening on Dutch pianist Peter Beets' New Groove.

Beets employs two different trios, one from New York, the other from his native Netherlands. Both trios utilize piano, guitar and bass, reminiscent of Ahmad Jamal's 1955 recordings with guitarist Ray Crawford and bassist Israel Crosby, available on Ahmad Jamal Trio (Definitive Records, 2006), or more swingingly on the work of Oscar Peterson, bassist Ray Brown and ...