NL-SWITCH Orchestra – Hommage aan Theo Jörgensmann

An orchestra in freedom

NL-SWITCH Orchestra is a Rotterdam-based collective led by pianist Bert den Hoed, featuring experienced improvisers and recent graduates. This lineup features the violin and voice of Albrecht Maurer, the distinctive double bass playing and voice of Peter Jacquemyn, three clarinets (Ab Baars, Natalio Sued, and Oriol Marès), saxophonist Pablo Cruz, and drummer Friso van Wijck.

The music emerges from instant composition and often takes on an orchestral sound: layered, melodic, and with direction. Sometimes it sounds almost symphonic or impressionistic, sometimes it evolves towards spiritual jazz, but the melodic line is always central.

With multiple clarinets in the ensemble, the instrument Theo so powerfully represented remains prominently present. This evening showcases how his playing and thinking intersect with the Free Symphonic Jazz style developed by the NL-SWITCH Orchestra—a free, orchestral form where melody and coherence are central.