THE ROTTERDAM SKA-JAZZ FOUNDATION

The Rotterdam Ska-Jazz Foundation

The Rotterdam Ska-Jazz Foundation (RSJF) plays authentic Jamaican ska with a jazz oriented horn section and loads of possibilities for improvisation. The band not only plays in the Netherlands and Germany but also in Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Spain, Slovenia, Hungary, France and the US.
Full biography

Members

Merijn van de Wijdeven   basgitaar
Dimitri Jeltsema   drums
Hidde Wijga   orgel, piano
Jeroen van Tongeren   gitaar
Arjen Bijleveld   trombone
Joep van Rhijn   trompet
Remco Korporaal   saxofoon
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Former members

Robert Bogaart   trompet
Bart-Jan de Wagenaar   saxofoon
Brian Olson   basgitaar
Michiel Deymann   gitaar
Marijn Quist   trompet
Frank Van Der Velden   saxofoon
Jasper den Dulk   percussie
Jacob Smit   trompet
Matthieu Cleijne   basgitaar
Teus Nobel   flugelhorn, trompet
Michael Kragt   basgitaar
Sybren Bijleveld   saxofoon
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Mentioned in the biography of

1999   The Obnoxious
2003   Mdungu

Biography The Rotterdam Ska-Jazz Foundation

The Rotterdam Ska-Jazz Foundation (RSJF) plays authentic Jamaican ska with a jazz oriented horn section and loads of possibilities for improvisation. The band not only plays in the Netherlands and Germany but also in Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Spain, Slovenia, Hungary, France and the US.

2000 - 2003

The band is an initiative from Arjen Bijleveld (trombone) and Dimitri Jeltsema (Let's Quit, drums). RSJF's first demo from 2002 immediately gets them loads of shows and German label Grover Records signs the band. Debut album Shake Your Foundation is released in 2003. The album includes the band's own material but also the covers Shot In The Dark by Henry Mancini and jazz classics like Night In Tunesia by Dizzy Gillespie and The Sidewinder by Lee Morgan. When bassist Brian Olson leaves the band he is temporarily replaced by Michael Kragt.

Danger Men Let's Quit The Obnoxious

2004

RSJF plays abroad a lot and is extremely popular in Germany. Trumpet player Marijn Quist, sax player/flute player Frank van der Velden, guitarist Michiel Deymann and bassist Brian Olson form Ollie Q. & The Deep Six. RSJF plays at the Popkomm in Berlin in September. The EP Black Night - Bright Morning is released on Grover Records.

Ollie Q. & The Deep Six

2005

RSJF goes into the studio to record second album Sunwalk. After the European release in March, the record is also released in the US. The band's line-up consists of Dimitri Jeltsema and the brothers Bijleveld, Teus Nobel (trumpet), Jeroen van Tongeren (guitar), Matthieu Cleijne (bass) and Hidde 'Hiddeous' Wijga (ex-Let's Quit, piano and organ).

2006

In January the RSJF leaves for a short tour of the US together with The Toasters. The tour kicks off in Hartford, Connecticut and also takes the bands to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and New York where the band plays at the 3 Floors of Ska festival in The Knitting Factory. Arjen Bijleveld, Sybren Bijleveld, Jeroen van Tongeren, Merijn van de Wijdeven, Hidde Wijga and Dimitri Jeltsema, together with Dr. Ring-Ding, are also part of Kingston Kitchen.

2007

Besides shows in the Netherlands, the band also performs at the Bear Rock Festival in Belgium and the Silver Music Festival in Italy. After a German tour in September the album mOtiV loCo is released via Megalith Records. The album features eleven tracks including an adaptation of the Miles Davis track Milestones.

2008

In October Motiv Loco is released on coloured vinyl. Sax player Sybren Bijleveld and trumpet player Teus Nobel have by then already been replaced by Remco Korporaal and Joep van Rhijn.

Photos The Rotterdam Ska-Jazz Foundation

Audio/Video The Rotterdam Ska-Jazz Foundation