The "Willem Breuker Kollektief" celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2004. Coming from Amsterdam, the Netherlands, the Kollektief is one of Europe's finest ensembles playing contemporary and improvised music. They are equally at home playing in jazz clubs or concert halls. Led by saxophonist/clarinetist/composer Willem Breuker, the ten-piece Kollektief plays a hybrid of music which cuts through traditional musical barriers. The Kollektief's approach combines jazz and 'serious' (i.e. classical) music with many popular genres, from marching band and circus music to latin dance steps and music for film and theatre. The result is both humorous and surprising, full of false stops and starts, clean breaks, sudden shifts in musical mood, and above all, a fine sense of irony. At any given moment, the Kollektief can be churning out hot jazz, European Style, and the next moment they're tearing through a classical repertory with all the irreverence of Spike Jones.
Founded in 1974, the Kollektief consists of ten musicians who are improvisers and journeymen with excellent professional credentials. Breuker writes his refreshing music with these musicians specifically in mind. While most of the Kollektief's music is written by Willem (with occasional pieces by band members), each musician contributes his improvisatory brilliance to the collective sound. And whether playing Breuker, Weill, or Gershwin, the Kollektief maintains an orchestral precision that, in the words of one critic, "would be the envy of most philharmonics", while at the same time its members are highly skilled and individual improvisers as well.
The Kollektief has been one of the busiest ensembles in Europe for the last twenty years, touring extensively in Eastern and Western Europe, the USA, Canada, Mexico, Russia and India, giving an average of 85 concerts a year. They have twenty-one compact discs to their credit, numerous radio and television performances. A biography of Willem Breuker has been published in France and in the Netherlands; he is the recipient of several awards including the prestigious "Bird Award" (in 1988.) The "Willem Breuker Kollektief" have also consistently featured in the top ranks of the "Downbeat Annual Critic's Poll" for big bands since 1986. The Kollektief's first visit to China and Hong Kong took place in October 1994, and they were invited to return in the autumn of 1997, when they also toured Australia. In the spring of 1997, the "Willem Breuker Kollektief" joined forces with the "Slagwerk Groep Den Haag" for a tribute to Edgard Varèse, and in September the Kollektief toured with the legendary jazz singer Greetje Kauffeld and her Trio, as well as giving the premiere performances of Carl Davis' music for Harold Lloyd's "The Freshman" in the spring of 1998. Willem Breuker's composition for the Kollektief and Yo Yo Ma was broadcast live on Dutch television. They also recorded and performed with Denise Jannah, the first Dutch jazz singer to record for the "Blue Note" label. During the autumn of 1998 and spring of 1999, the "Willem Breuker Kollektief" performed a series of theatrical concerts with Loes Luca, and gave ten performances of selected works by Kurt Weill for Dutch state schools. Of course, let's not forget the many performances that they give for children with that sprightly old-timer, Toby Rix, and his Toeterix. In April 1998, Willem Breuker was awarded the "Knight in the Order of the Lion of the Netherlands", one of the highest honors in this country.
Recent years have seen performances in Germany, France, Belgium, Italy, Kazachstan, Indonesia, China (6 times), and Japan. In 2003, Willem Breuker composed "Jonah," a two hour oratorio written for a choir of over 50 vocalists, the Kollektief, a string orchestra, and five solo vocalists. In 2007 and 2008 the "Willem Breuker Kollektief" returned to the USA and Canada for their 15th and 16th tour to that part of the world. In 2005 and 2006 they toured also in Indonesia.
I edited my profile with Thomas Myspace Editor V4.4 (www.strikefile.com/myspace)