Press quotes

What the press are saying about SEED, Tetzepi’s latest album.

** “…the 15-strong Amsterdam ensemble Tetzepi Bigtet has described its own repertoire as a musical reflection of the rushed 21st-century lifestyle. That description strikes at the heart of the matter. The ensemble’s pieces generally last no longer than a tram ride from Leidseplein to Central Station: approximately nine minutes. A lot, or a little, can happen on a tram ride like that, a level of (in)activity mirrored in Tetzepi’s music. […] It is a pleasure to hear different composers tapping the musical potential of this orchestra in their own personal way.
Het Parool, July 22, 2009 - MdB

** “...Seed marks the fourth release by one of the Netherlands’ most interesting big bands. […] The composers (both those who are members of the band and those who are not) were given free-range to do their own thing. They chose wildly divergent paths, giving rise to an extremely varied album which exploits all the band’s qualities (dynamics, timbre, rhythm, order and structure) to the fullest.” 
Jazzflits, Herman te Loo

** “...The musicians are highly interactive and perform in a united fashion. On this well-sounding album, Tetzepi demonstrates its skill and proves it is still pushing boundaries in a manner both playful and full of humour, even ahead of its time. A must-hear for musical adventurers of all stripes…”
NTB, September, 2009

** “….ranging from ethereal clouds of sound reminiscent of ambient and Gil Evans, to overwhelming explosions, and from swinging jazz through raw rock to modern classical, all to tell a specific “story”: that is The Lowest Tide, a musical evocation of the 2002 tsunami, which, indeed, blows the listener away. The group’s members have become closely intertwined over the course of the band’s existence, which has now lasted for more than a decade. Even the most complex and audacious works are performed with great precision…”
Volkskrant, September 9, 2009 by Frank van Herk

“…Esmée Olthuis and Hans Leeuw chose the name Tetzepi, because to them it signified a time before the concept of time even existed: a time without boundaries, a time that was free. The same musical freedom prescribed in Tetzepi’s musical concept.
Tetzepi, a 15-strong ‘Bigtet’, has been fighting predetermined notions concerning large jazz ensembles since its inception. People generally assume that any large orchestra will be a big band and therefore have a conservative style, letting loose on the brass, playing in the tradition of old masters and brothers-in-arms like Dorsey, Fletcher Henderson, Benny Moten and Benny Goodman. From the first note onward, Tetzepi demonstrates it couldn’t care less. The band’s strength has always lain in its ability to break free from pre-set confines, offering a fresh perspective on “big” jazz music.
However you look at it, or listen to it, SEED is added proof of Tetzepi’s desire to reach out for new worlds by surpassing conventions and letting freedom prevail above all else. The result is something idiosyncratic and contrarian, that you, as a listener, long to be a part of, and yes, that does take some effort.”
Jazzenzo, September 8, 2009, Rinus van der Heijden.