Loek Dikker 80 – Waterland Ensembles: A celebration of 65 years of music

About Loek Dikker

Pianist, composer and music pioneer Loek Dikker celebrates his eightieth birthday with an ode to his hometown Amsterdam. With his Waterland Sextet, he fills the evening with music from the rich oeuvre he has built over the past 65 years.

Loek Dikker became a jazz pianist at a young age and accompanied legends such as Cannonball Adderley, Oliver Nelson and Don Byas. He also wrote for classical orchestras, musical theatre, modern dance, and film. Be surprised by the remarkable performances and mystery guests. Loek Dikker ventured into places previously terra incognita for Dutch pianists/composers. Such as in the Public Theater in New York or in the film industry in Hollywood. He worked in Berlin, Rome, and Paris, but he never really left Amsterdam.

Now he is celebrating his birthday overlooking the city with an ensemble whose members have also left their mark on Dutch jazz: saxophonists Leo van Oostrom and Jan Menu, trombonist Louk Boudesteijn, double bassist Luciën Matheeuwsen and percussionist Pierre Courbois. We can already reveal one special guest: Friedmar Hitzer on violin and violinophone. During this concert, the Loek Dikker Jazzpodium Prize will be awarded to a vital jazz promoter or stage organizer.