Joep van Leeuwen
Maastricht, Netherlands
Last two CD's:
"It Could Happen To You" solo jazz guitar. Liner notes: John Abercrombie
"Jazz Guitar Meets Church Organ" Liner notes: Jasper van t' Hof.
Both recordings were very well recieved by the press. The organ cd got a 4 star review from the US jazz magazine Down Beat. Jim Hall called the CD "some of the freshest music" he heard in a long time.
For 35 years Joep has been playing in settings varying form solo guitar to big band and in styles ranging from good old fashioned swing to free improvisations on instruments ranging form acoustic guitar, to amplified guitars and synthesizer guitar.
He is a sought-after teacher at the University level Maastricht Music Academy for the subject guitar, jazz history and ensemble playing on Bachelor and Master level. (Please contact him for free introductionary lessons for the Music Academy).
He now specializes in cross-over project with string quartet and the Plain Chant choir Schola Maastricht. With the strings project he performs compositions by Jim Hall and Jimmy Raney and his own pieces.