Nicolò Ricci

Dreamed meeting between a jazz group and a classical orchestra

"I've been fantasizing about this for years," he says. 'Composing comes first for me, under my father's influence, who, as a contemporary classical composer, introduced me to both the classical masters and the Italian avant-garde at an early age.' The chamber orchestra will collaborate with Ricci's jazz quartet, which emphasizes improvisation. 'As an improviser, I see a relationship between developing a personal musical language and composing,' says the saxophonist. 'You continually choose elements with which to supplement your vocabulary.'

Nicolò Ricci, from Italy, has lived in Amsterdam since 2015. He played regularly at the BIMpodium, for example, in the bands Ambergris, Jo Goes Hunting Orchestra and Sun-Mi Hong Quintet. He has previously worked with international greats such as Steve Swallow, Jesper Bodilsen, and David Binney.