Jorrit Dijkstra

The music of saxophonist and composer Jorrit Dijkstra (Eindhoven, Netherlands, 1966) draws from the jazz tradition in spirit and sound, but has crossed stylistic and cultural borders in order to express a strong, evolving personal vision. He spent his formative years in Amsterdam's vibrant improvisation community playing jazz, free improvisation, and world music. Since moving to the United States in 2002, Dijkstra has deepened his affinity with the experimental forces of American music, while staying in touch with his Dutch musical roots. His recent projects include the octet Pillow Circles, his quartets BOLT and Matchbox, Music for Reeds and Electronics, and the large ensemble Bathysphere.

In his Solo project he uses analog synthesis and effect pedals to process his improvisations live on stage. By using techniques such as looping, feedback, and microtonal pitch shifting, he extends his already flexible saxophone style into an idiosyncratic mix of cool jazz, free improvisation, and electronic minimalism. He has also resurrected the Lyricon, a vintage analog wind synthesizer from the 1970s, bringing the instrument into more experimental and improvised music settings.

As a composer he has received commissions from the North Sea Jazz Festival, the David Kweksilber Big Band, Tetzepi Big Band, Amstel Saxophone Quartet, and The Harvard Jazz Band. Dijkstra has released eighteen CDs as a leader, and has participated in projects ranging from Anthony Braxton's Ghost Trance and Guus Janssen's opera Noach to a rare live performance of Texas outsider musician Jandek. He is a co-founder of the independent record label Driff Records, and an Associate Professor at Berklee College of Music.