Fifty years North Sea Jazz
Friday 10 July 2026 Queen Máxima opens the fiftieth edition of North Sea Jazz. Upon arriving at the Ahoy entrance, she is handed a walkie-talkie. Her voice rings out loud and clear over the throng of people: ‘Are all stations ready to begin?’ Since the answer is affirmative the Queen begins to scan the first […]
Why should we know who Miles Davis was?
On Tuesday, May 26, the world will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Miles Davis (1926–1991). For half a century, this composer, bandleader, and trumpeter shaped the sound of jazz. His influence on the youngest generation of musicians remains as strong as ever. Dutch trumpeter, artist, and writer Michael Varekamp is an admirer […]
Miles Davis: ‘Painting is the visual equivalent of making music.’
The similarities between jazz and visual art are clearly evident in the work of Miles Davis (1926 – 1991). In the early 1980s, the influential American trumpeter, bandleader and composer was temporarily unable to play his instrument as a result of a stroke. His doctor advised him to use pencil exercises to regain movement in […]