Mo van der Does Motet

Saxophone and clarinet player Mo van der Does has become one of the Netherlands’ most wanted young jazz musicians, and he is no stranger to inJazz. In the edition of 2019, his quartet made an impression on stage in Rotterdam. The Motet was put together for Mo’s final exam at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam in the same year.

Mo describes his Motet as “a seven-piece jazz formation with the flexibility of a small group and the force of an orchestra.” Mo’s compositions draw inspiration from jazz music of today (he mentions the larger ensembles of Kit Downes and Pablo Held) and the past (Mingus), as well as classical music like that of Ravel and Brahms. “Our goal is to put the collective sound first and still leave space for the individual voices of the band members. On stage we constantly search for this by balancing composition, orchestration, and improvisation. Fierce grooves, melancholy passages, and orchestral outbursts.”

An important boost for the Motet came – unexpectedly – during the pandemic. Mo: “I received a composition assignment from the BIMHUIS to support musicians during the pandemic. This gave me the chance to compose for the band for three months and record it at the BIMHUIS afterwards. A great catalyst for the creative process and a wonderful opportunity.”

Mo van der Does – alto saxophone, clarinet, compositions
Jessie Brevé – bass clarinet
Alistair Payne – trumpet
Matthias van den Brande – tenor saxophone
Floris Kappeyne – piano
Tijs Klaassen – double bass
Wouter Kühne – drums