Bo van de Graaf saxophonist and Composer

read press reviewS from CD JAZZ IS FREE AND SO ARE WE by BO'S ART TRIO 2008 beneath

He started playing saxophone at 18 after a few years of piano lessons.
Soon he felt fascinated by the modern jazz from among others: Mingus, Dolphy, Coltrane, Shepp. Art Ensemble of Chicago, Braxton but of course also the Dutch scene: Breuker, Bennink, Loevendie, Mengelberg etc.

At the age of 20 he founded his own Free-jazz groups. Later on he also played in big bands He continued with a 9-men group under the name Het Neptet; he attended jazz workshops given by (among others) Nico Langenhuisen and Butch Morris.

Since the mid 70’s he is involved in the local jazz scene. He co-organized many jazz concerts in his home town . He is also a member of some committees about subsidizing jazz music .
Since 1976 he plays in many groups and special projects. Contemporary jazz music with lots of influences such as: modern classical music, music from the Balkans and oriental music, circus music and cartoon music. The music of Kurt Weill, Eissler, Strawinsky, Nino Rota, Ennio Morricone , George Antheil, Astor Piazzolla and Zappa had a great impact on him.

He is very active as a composer; writes music for his own groups but also “commissioned by” film and theatre plays. He wrote modern tango’s for Barrel Organ “the Busy Drone” which is owned by the Amsterdam ‘Stedelijk Museum’. Regularly he conducts ‘Claxon Concerts’ for ‘Old timers’ and their drivers. He also composed music for Carillon and Orchestra .And in 2005 he composed the “Symphony Poubelle” with only “garbage as instruments ! Also in 2005 he conducted his composition “Ringtone” for 700 Bicycle Bells .

He gives workshops for improvising music but also the film music of Nino Rota.

In 1985 he founded I Compani and adapted a lot of music from Fellini's house composer Nino Rota for jazz septet. He visited Fellini in his film studio ‘Cinecitta’ in Rome. I Compani performs in and outside of The Netherlands (such as Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Belgium, England and Portugal). I Compani was involved in a various productions, such as: ‘Example’ (education project) and 8 seasons as the orchestra from the ‘Utrecht Christmas Circus’.

Especially for I Compani they realized the project Gluteus Maximus (about Buttocks).
This involved a combination of music, film, photography, literature, poetry, performance en mode.
Recent productions: “His master her voice” together with theatre group Flint from Amsterdam.
Since the Summer of 2000 a big project with compilations of the opera AIDA from Verdi. Premiere during the HOLLAND FESTIVAL.
With Bo's Art Trio the program ‘Cobra’ is put on the stocks. With this project the well known Dutch poet Simon Vinkenoog has been involved as a performer.

Discography

- How is Life at 4 a.m. ? Neptet 1981 BVHAAST
- de O42 suites 1982 O42 productie
- Music to the films of Fellini I Compani 1985 BVHAAST & ITM records (1988)
- Ecco !!! I Compani 1988 BVHAAST
- Luna Triste I Compani 1991 BVHAAST
- Sogni d'oro I Compani 1994 BVHAAST
- I Compani plays Rota I Compani 1995 BVHAAST
- Gluteus Maximus I Compani 1997 BVHAAST
- The Busy Drone various composers BVHAAST
- Niet met de deuren slaan ! Bo's Art Trio 1997 VPRO Eigenwijs

See for the complete list of titles at the submenu : Discographie

Bo’s Art Trio

Since 1988 this trio is existing, which consists of pianist Michiel Braam and drummer Fred van Duynhoven and saxophonist Bo van de Graaf. The musicians were already playing together in various formations (Bentje Braam, Bik Bent Braam I Compani ). The main feature of this trio is improvisation.
The musicians do possess such a musical subjects of conversation that each concert results in an energetic and vivid musical meeting. Within this, relativity and humor are often playing an important role .
All kinds of styles are being used. The compositions are functioning as a guiding principle.
In 1997 Bo´s Art Trio was playing the very successful series: NIET MET DE DEUREN SLAAN.
This was a program with improvisations on and obstinate versions of the songs from the television-series ‘yes nurse, no nurse’ in the sixties. The famous songs were written by song and musical composer Harrie Bannink.

The last few years the trio is playing the program ‘COBRA’, in which the soul of the Cobra-movement (from the fifties) is being made audible. A program with music and live poetry by poet, performer SIMON VINKENOOG.

Bo's da Bomb !
at july 20 2006 Bo played the "longest saxophone solo in Jazz history" !
With his band Bo's da Bomb he played a solo lasting 1 hour 4 minutes and 49 seconds ! The concert was played during a heath wave at the festival "the Valkhof Affaire" in Nijmegen.



Claxon Concerts

A few times a year, during festivals, special occasions or opening ceremonies, Bo conducts his compositions for car horns. People who did not study music but do have a car or an old timer (a driving license is not even necessary) are playing this piece of “music”. The amount of cars is usually 20 – 40. Assisted by the charming “Miss Linda” Bo makes these people to perform a modern piece of music after only 3 hours of rehearsal. Every time this concert is a big sensation! Mostly the Claxon Concert is a part of an opening celebration f.e. a new bridge, a square, parking garage and so on. Also during music or theatre festivals the Claxon Concert is a intriguing part, Many Old-timer clubs booked this event in the last few years.


Bo's Art Trio 'Jazz Is Free And So Are We!'

The enjoyment flies off the disc. It’s been a long time since listening to a live CD gave me such a good feeling. Nine musical statements of stature, bursting with energy, joy and freedom. Bo van de Graaf, on soprano, alt and tenor sax is in top shape. (…) At times the spirit of Albert Ayler walks about. Van de Graaf’s solos are enthralling and convincing without exception. A very subtle quote from Mingus’ ‘Fables of Faubus’ in the impressive solo feature ‘Final Statement’ shows that Van de Graaf knows his classics.
Percussionist Fred van Duijnhoven en pianist Michiel Braam stoke up the fire even more. Van Duijnhoven uses the full range of his well tuned drums and cymbals from pianissimo to fortissimo. Braam’s fresh and energetic music once again proves that he’s one of the most self-willed Jazz pianists in the Netherland, using a unique blend of tradition, innovation and musical witticisms. (…) (Maarten van de Ven, February 19, 2008)

BO’S ART TRIO Jazz is Free And So Are We! ‘Jazz is Free And So Are We!’ What a delightfully old-fashioned title. It could have been from a Albert Ayler or Pharoah Sanders record from the 60’s. But don’t be fooled, this is not retro freejazz. The freedom the title refers to is that you can make Jazz out of anything you want. Because Bo van de Graaf (saxophones), Michiel Braam (piano) and Fred van Duijnhoven (drums) are by no means shy. Everything that leads to pleasant and fascinating music is allowed – that’s their credo. (…) In the tango ‘Gentle rain’, the saxophone player expresses his love for the sultry sound of Gato Barbieri. (…) This is once again convincing evidence that you can turn anything into Jazz and Bo’s Art Trio should most definitely continue to do so. (Herman te Loo, January 14, 2008 Jazzflits nr 90)

People who know Bo van de Graaf from his long-standing ensemble I Compani will not be astounded by his abilities as a saxophone player. But on this exceptional album Van de Graaf gives stunning evidence of having taken deep gulps of, particularly, tenor saxophone traditions and having developed them deep inside. You can hear Coltrane (of course), Rollins (of course), Shepp, Getz, Young, Barbieri. In short, anybody who has made a contribution to the development of tenor saxophones in Jazz races by. But – and therein lies his great art – you always hear Bo van de Graaf. In his improvisations, in his melody lines, in his lyrics in his power play, in each facet of the music he takes care no to imitate aforementioned giants. It’s his ability to incorporate them in this way that makes this an absolute must-have album. Pianist Braam walks about Bo van de Graaf’s saxophone music in his self-willed manner, percussionist Van Duijnhoven takes risks in rumbling under, over and through it. While the entire CD is suffused with a global character, De Graaf and Co. make it clear that this is music from the Netherlands. (…) Bo van de Graaf calls his ensemble Bo’s Art Trio. And every letter of that is true. That’s how you play Jazz, this is art. There is no other way to call it. (Rinus van der Heijden Jazz enzo February, 2008)



Critic's Review on CD LUNA TRISTE Thom Jurek, All Music Guide

Luna Triste is the first album of I Compani's to make a move and break out of the "strictly Nino Rota" repertoire. They may have still been performing Rota's music in front of a film screen for Federico Fellini films, but Bo van de Graaf, the group's composer, arranger, and leader -- as well as a killer alto and soprano sax player -- was gaining more confidence as he got to know his group's strengths and weaknesses. Here, for instance, the album opens with Rota's stunningly risqué tarantella "Fortunella." Van de Graaf's crew moves the tune into an improvisation shortly after the harmony and melody are established. They kick up the rhythm although the changes and balance of harmony to lyrical framework remain. For over nine minutes they use it as both an improvisational jump-off point and a home base.
In the middle, however, van der Graaf writes a "Temporale," which is an extended cadenza with improvisation that interweaves Jewish klezmer and hard bop with Rota's harmonic architecture without straying from it once. Rota's own composition makes a return appearance to take the tune out, but what a ride. The disc follows with another short composition by Rota followed by the album's hinge piece, "Asa Nisi Masa," in three parts by van der Graaf. Almost 14 minutes in length, the two most prominent performers -- besides the sax wailing of van der Graaf and tenor wonder woman Vera Vingerhoeds -- are vibraphonist Jeroen Goldsteen and electric bassist Carel van Rijn, who is funky as hell -- even on the Rota tunes.
The track begins almost as a film noir theme before Vingerhoeds takes the melody into outer space, swinging it hard into modal territory as the rest of the band tries to keep the theme and its new partner, an Italian folk dance, on the mark. The transitions van der Graaf writes are breathtaking as they move each soloist in and out with little to no fanfare, and concentrate all of the musical and harmonic energy on the collective playing of the septet. And this three-part suite is a mini symphony as the music moves all over the architectural terrain from modal music to Weather Report's earlier lyricism (anyone remember "125th St. Congress"?) to Stan Kenton's spiraling towers of deftly arranged consonance to the Miles/Gil Evans painterly montages of place, space, and sound. All roads end at Goldsteen's minimal and striking vibes solo that sends the whole composition into inner space.
The harmonies between the horns in response and van Rijn's bass arpeggios are aural wonders as they slide along the vibes' parallel line and keep it tightly wound. The rest of the album interweaves Rota's short works with van der Graaf's longer improvisation works based on them, and works like a charm.
Luna Triste is the beginning of the sonic adventure for I Compani, the one that would take the band across the globe playing festivals. And though it was an auspicious beginning for a band finding its own voice on record, in terms of drama, construction, improvisation, and dynamics,
Luna Triste remains I Compani's masterpiece.