Sjoerd van Eijck’s OAK

Melodically rich music with wide open spaces – this quartet is the perfect addition to this year’s inJazz line-up!

Over the years, the Dutch jazz pianist and composer Sjoerd van Eijck (1992, Breda), has refined his lyrical style of improvisation. Van Eijck took his experience with ensembles like Mudita (ft Sanne Rambags, Koen Smits), and as a sideman in various projects of Eric Vloeimans, to create his own sound. He plays in a humble way, ever searching the edges of silence and serenity. His touch on the piano is unparalleled. Melodies and rhythms are reduced to its essence – materials with which Van Eijck paints intimate stories. “I think very harmoniously. Melodies well up, sometimes I sing. New things always emerge from singing along to the piano chords. I prefer playing less notes to more. I live by the ‘virtuosity of elimination’, every note should be spot on.”

With his ensemble OAK, Sjoerd steps into the spotlight as composer and band leader. Trumpet player Koen Smits, bass player Alessandro Fongaro and percussionist Willem Romers add richness and steering rhythms to his distinct style. In the sound of OAK, influences from free improvisation, classical music (Bach to Ravel), minimalism and the Scandinavian melodic jazz come together. “I tell a story that anyone can experience in their own way. The listener is taken on a journey that is never the same,” Van Eijck emphasises.

Sjoerd van Eijck – piano
Koen Smits – trumpet (& effects)
Alessandro Fongaro – double bass
Willem Romers – drums