The famous German philosopher
Friedrich Nietzsche saw free man (or superman) as a tightrope walker, constantly searching for balance (or knowledge) and with nothing to hold on to. Bass clarinettist Roelofs continued his music studies with a philosophy dissertation on Nietzsche. Rope Dance, subtitled Lightfooted Music For All And None, he was commissioned by the North Sea Jazz Festival in 2016 and
… is perhaps the musical dissertation on his beloved philosopher. Whimsically he dances the tightrope with his clarinet around the deep notes of bassoonist Bram van Sambeek and the playfully fluttering pianist Bram de Looze. They are kept on the tightrope by the unsurpassed rhythm section Paul Vink (drums) and Clemens van der Feen (double bass). Roelofs' abstract compositions effortlessly blend into free jazz-like improvisations, and back again. The equally exciting and lucid Rope Dance can easily be called the magnum opus of - composer/musician with the hammer - Roelofs. (MR)more
