XLJazz

XLJAZZ is a project of BUITENKUNST, initiated by Arthur Schmidt and GerritJan Binkhorst, in which highly advanced amateurs, new talent and semi-professionals play together in a large and multifaceted cast on a high level with top soloists from the jazz and world music scene. XLJAZZ performs a number of concerts in a new assembly each year, based on a different theme. Led by GerritJan Binkhorst, XLJAZZ performed very successfully with several programmes based on the work of Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, Dizzy Gillespie, Hermeto Pascoal and Miles Davis. Several pieces appeared on the CD XLJAZZ 03-04. From 2006 till 2008, the orchestra was led by saxophonist-composer-arranger Joost Dieho. In 2006 with a tribute to Frank Zappa's body of work: Jazz from Hell, in 2007 FUNK-N-FUSION, based on the work of Joe Zawinul, Herbie Hancock and Jaco Pastorius, among others. In 2008, XLJAZZ performed with Joost Dieho's own pieces: Omnivore. In 2009, composer Martin Fondse continues the project with arrangements of his own pieces, named: Martian Art. Concerts are given each year in Buitenkunst Randmeer, BIM-huis in Amsterdam, RASA in Utrecht and LUX in Nijmegen.