Pocket Concerts (14) –– Kika Sprangers & Koen Schalkwijk
Dutch saxophonist Kika Sprangers (born 1994) and pianist Koen Schalkwijk (born 1988) are a musical duo, acclaimed for their lyrical interplay and exciting improvisations. Kika is known for her velvety-smooth tone and thrilling compositions. She recently received the Willem Breuker Prize and was commissioned by North Sea Jazz to write a large-scale piece. Her latest album with her Large Ensemble, (In)finity, explores themes of transience and vulnerability. Koen, who studied jazz piano in Amsterdam and Philadelphia, won the Keep An Eye Records Prize early in his career, which led to his debut album, Two Cities. As a composer and teacher, he leads projects such as the Schalkwijk/Govaert duo and plays piano and Wurlitzer in Kika’s quintet. Together they create a rich, emotional soundscape that feels both intimate and expansive.
Pocket Concerts is made possible by World of Jazz, inJazz, the Dutch Jazz Archive, Buma Cultuur, and Podiumkunst.net.
SET LIST
Descending (K. Schalkwijk)
Esfahan (K. Schalkwijk)
Estuary (K. Sprangers)
Digging the Archives:
De Sprong,O Romance of the Hares (M. Mengelberg)
