I’m happy to announce that I have a new project, with a new line-up. In this project, called Symbiosis, I will be working with some of the most talented young musicians of this moment in the Netherlands: Mark Schilders on drums, Glenn Gaddum jr on electric bass, and Vernon Chatlein on percussion.
This line-up will debut during the
Robeco Zomerconcerten at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam with two concerts. Both concerts will take place on
August 17, 2012. (Info | Tickets)

I’m also preparing a repertoire of all new compositions, and I hope to record a new cd with these guys as soon as possible.
This will be my first cd in 4 years time. The last CD released was ‘Dulsura di Korsou’ by Randal Corsen & friends, which was a tribute to Curaçao folklore.
With Symbiosis I will be going back to my first and main passion:
jazz! (with a touch of Latin/Caribbean, of course)
Stay tuned for more info!

It’s been a long time since the last update of my website. (Almost 2 year). The reason for 'absence' is that I took a ‘semi-sabbatical’ for my own projects, to have more focus on a number of other projects in wich I'm involved.
One of the most important projects I’ve been really busy with, is the composition of an opera! I’ve been composing the opera ‘Katibu di Shon’ (Slave and Master) which will premiere in 2013.

I was invited to do this composition by famous mezzo soprano Tania Kross, who is also the producer. It will be the first opera written and sung in the language Papiamentu (my native language). The libretto was written by Carel de Haseth, based on his acclaimed short novel with the same title.
At this moment Carel and I are ‘fine-tuning’ the libretto and composition, and I hope to start the orchestration very soon.

Stay tuned for more info, or visit www.slaafenmeester.nl. You can also follow the developments on facebook.

One other important project I was a part of, was the
‘Tribute to Doble R’ concert and documentary, organised by the IKO foundation, featuring the Metropole Orchestra.

For at least 4 decenniums Rignald Recordino ‘Doble R’ has been one of the most, if not the most important composer/arranger/bandleader of popular music in Curaçao. In this project, the Metropole Orchestra was joined by some guest soloists like Karin Bloemen, Giovanca, Pete Philly, Gilbert Doran, to perform some compositions of Doble R. I was the musical leader and wrote some of the arrangements and the overture for this project. I also appeared in the documentary about Doble R, which was aired on Dutch TV.

More info on www.doble-rconcert.nl
You can also purchase the DVD of the whole concert in Concertgebouw, and the documentary on Doble R at the IKO foundation online shop.