Ilja Reijngoud (July 5th 1972, Leiden, The Netherlands).
Ilja is winner of the Thelonious Monk Award 2003, Deloitte Stimulus Award 2003 and Singer Laren Jazz Award 2004.
After his cum laude graduation at the Hilversum Conservatory in 1996, Ilja taught the trombone there. In 1997 he was the second Dutch student so far to receive the American Degree 'Master of Music.'
In 1998 Ilja and his former teacher Bart van Lier founded a dynamic trombone department at the Rotterdam Conservatory. Besides this Ilja is main teacher at the Arnhem Conservatory (Artez). In recent years Ilja taught clinics and workshops in Europe and abroad (Los Angeles, Liechtenstein, Amsterdam and New Orleans). Warwick Music, England, publishes some of his compositions and arrangements.
Besides leading his own groups Ilja is member of the Nueva Manteca, The Dutch Jazz Orchestra, The Houdini's, The Cubop City Big Band, Nueva Manteca and many other European groups. He is sub in the Metropole Orchestra.
Ilja worked and recorded with Pat Metheny, Maria Schneider, Bob Brookmeyer, Bill Holman, Toots Thielemans, Philip Catherine, Clark Terry, George Coleman, Kenny Werner, Monty Alexander, Dori Caymmi, Michael Davis, Vince Mendoza, Greetje Kauffeld, Bill Reichenbach, Ed Neumeister, Louis van Dijk, Lester Bowie, Tom Harrell , Jerry van Rooyen, Rita Reys, Jasper van `t Hof, Phillip Catherine, David Liebman, Trijntje Oosterhuis, Nancy Marano, Bert Joris and many others.
“Fay Claassen is to singing what Audrey Hepburn was to the movies: elegant and graceful“
CADENCE, USA
“ Lyrical improvisations are Fay Claassen´s speciality.
She can let her clear voice blend with the instruments or give it free rein in the jazz solos“
AMANDA KUYPER
Fay Claassen won the first “Chet Baker Award“, got two nominations for the “Edison Award“ and won the “All About Jazz“ Critics Poll in New York as best vocal release 2006.
Fay Claassen recorded five CD´s as a leader with: Toots Thielemans, Mike Stern, Kenny Werner, Barry Harris, Bert Joris, etc., and as special guest appearances on numerous recordings such as “One Heart, Three Voices“, Amsterdam Jazz Quintet, Ivan Paduart, The Metropole Orchestra, WDR Big Band, Jazz orchestra of the Concertgebouw etc.
Performed with/at:
North Sea Jazz Festival
IAJE Convention (USA)
Philharmonie Cologne, Germany
Concertgebouw Amsterdam
Touring through Benelux, France, China and Japan
Concerts with the Metropole Orchestra, conducted by Vince Mendoza
Tour in Japan with `Two Portraits of Chet Baker`
WDR Big Band and WDR Rundfunk Orchestra, cond. By Michael Abene
Duo recordings with pianist Marc van Roon
Concerts in Germany
Düsseldorfer Jazz Rally
Jazz Festival Viersen
and more
