New Cool Collective

What started in 1993 as a spontaneous clash between saxophonist Benjamin Herman and DJ Graham B in the Amsterdamse Soul Kitchen, grew into a musical movement that has been keeping dance floors, clubs and festivals on edge for over thirty years. While the DJ played, Benjamin played right through it. The vibe was right. The rest is history.

Since then, New Cool Collective has literally been everywhere. From sweaty clubs to iconic venues and festivals worldwide. Sometimes with the regular eight-piece crew, sometimes as an explosive nineteen-piece big band. Along the way, they have shared the stage with names like Tony Allen, Typhoon, Jules Deelder, Matt Bianco and Georgie Fame, but their own sound has always remained the starting point.

That sound? A colourful mix of everything that moves. Afrobeat, jazz, latin, funk, soul and grooves that come in from all sides. Not a museum piece, not a retro exercise. New Cool Collective still sounds like a band that remains curious and finds inspiration everywhere.

You can also hear that on Everything is OK (2024), on which the group throws the doors wide open to new ideas, thick horn arrangements and unexpected excursions. On the live album On Tour (2025), you can then hear what it is ultimately all about: the energy of the stage. Straight from sold-out shows in, among others, Paradiso, Het Concertgebouw and Ronnie Scott's.

And in the meantime? Just making new music again. Always moving forward, always looking for the next groove. Their mission: Get the people moving.

New Cool Collective consists of saxophonist Benjamin Herman, guitarist Rory Ronde, drummer Joost Kroon, percussionists Frank van Dok and Jos de Haas, keyboardist Willem Friede, bassist Leslie Lopez and trumpeter David Rockefeller.