Projects
Tribute to Rita Reys
Rita Reys was Europe’s First Lady of Jazz and as such one of the greatest artists of all time. Her profound taste, rhythmical power and craftsmanship of storytelling are incomparable.
Paying tribute to Rita Reys is something you would naturally expect Dutch jazz singer Dasha Beets to do. Dasha was blessed to know jazz legend Rita Reys personally, following Rita’s live concerts and listening to her recordings, as well as taking lessons from her. Dasha cherishes deeply in her heart all the moments with Rita Reys both on and off stage. Not only her friendship with Rita in private life, but also their numerous performances together, instilled in Dasha an ultimate striving for the art of storytelling in jazz music.
‘The beauty of Bach’s most sublime melodies reinterpreted in Dasha’s irresistible style and set to original jazz improvisations that would make this timeless composer not only blush with flattery but swoon with envy!’
Gregory W.Tucker
In this unique program, The Netherlands-based jazzsinger Dasha Beets interweaves three of the world’s great artistic traditions: European classical music, ancient poetry and American jazz and blues. Beautiful poems by great literary minds have been translated into English by Dasha and combined with pieces by Johann Sebastian Bach, performing this repertoire in a completely new way. It’s an enchanting program full of poetry and song, musical interplay and improvisation, a variety of swinging rhythms and the timeless melodies of Bach. The unique melding of artistic cultures, performed by musicians of the highest caliber, creates a one-of-a-kind experience full of unexpected little gems.
Line up:
Dasha Beets vocal
Miguel Rodriguez grand piano
Steve Zwanink double bass
Sander Smeets drums
optional:
Peter Beets grand piano
Tim Hennekes drums
