Tsead Bruinja (b. 1974) is a poet living in Amsterdam. He made his debut in 2000 with the Frisian language collection called 'De wizers yn it read' (The meters in the red). Bruinja’s debut in the
Dutch language, 'Dat het zo hoorde' (The way it should sound), was published in 2003, and was nominated for the Jo Peters Poetry Prize the following year. Bruinja compiles anthologies – including the famous 'Kutgedichten' (Twat Poems) and the anthology 'Droom in Blauwe regenjas - nieuwe Friese dichters' (Dream in a Blue Raincoat - new Frisian poets) –, writes critical reviews, hosts literary events and performs in the Netherlands and abroad, often with musician Jaap van Keulen and occasionally with the flamenco dancer Tanja van Susteren. His most recent collections are Overwoekerd (Overgrown; 2010), and Angel (Hook; 2008). The latter was published in newspaper form and appeared as a free download on a Dutch literary blog. Within a month it had been downloaded 2000 times. At the end of 2008 Bruinja was nominated as the new poet laureate for the Netherlands for the period 2009-2013. Bruinja came in second.

Website: www.tseadbruinja.nl

Tsead Bruinja (Rinsumageest, 1974) debuteerde in 2000 met een Friestalige bundel. Bruinja's Nederlandstalige debuut 'Dat het zo hoorde' (Contact, 2003) werd in 2004 genomineerd voor de Jo Peters PoëziePrijs. Bruinja stelt bloemlezingen samen, recenseert, presenteert, interviewt, vertaalt en treedt op in binnen en buitenland. Sinds 2008 schrijft hij geregeld een actueel gedicht voor het EO radioprogramma Dit is de dag. In datzelfde jaar maakte Herman van Veen schilderijen bij Bruinja's gedichten die geëxposeerd werden in het Natuurmuseum Fryslân. Bruinja’s meest recente bundels zijn 'Overwoekerd' (Cossee, 2010 en het tweetalige 'Stofsûgersjongers / Stofzuigerzangers'(Afûk, 2013). 

Born in 1957. At the age of fourteen he started playing the guitar and writing songs in the Blues tradition. In his twenties he switched to the double bass and studied jazz at the conservatorium in Groningen. In the meantime he was still writing songs. However, it took until 2014 before he released his first album. The circle is now completed. It ends where it once started: playing the guitar and writing songs in the Blues tradition.

Alex Simu is an award-winning, internationally acclaimed clarinetist, saxophonist, and composer. Born in Romania, Simu followed a music education from a young age. In pursue of an international music career, he moved to the Netherlands at age 22, where he began his studies at the Prins Claus Conservatory in Groningen, obtaining a Bachelors degree in Jazz Saxophone, followed by a Masters degree from the Amsterdam Conservatory. In 2007 he received an HSP Huygens scholarship to study at the Manhattan School of Music in New York. In 2008 he was awarded the First Prize of the Utrecht Holland Casino Jazz Contest. The same year he won first prize of the Dutch Jazz Competition at the North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam, and in 2009 was awarded with the EBU jazz scholarship, and became a member of the European Jazz Orchestra for the project Swinging Europe lead by Peter Herbolzheimer.  After completing his studies, Alex Simu co-founded the Dutch-based quartet Arifa. Their debut album Beyond Babylon was released in 2010, followed by Anatolian Alchemy in 2012. Both albums were awarded the Best World Music Release of the year in the Netherlands, and distinguished with 5 stars by various publications. In 2017, Alex Simu released Echoes of Bucharest, his debut album as a band leader together with his quintet. The release at Bimhuis in Amsterdam was highly received by the national press:
 “Adventurous and stunningly beautiful. How much it was shared with the audience was evident from the daunting discharge after the end of the first set: an applause eruption that lasted so long that it seemed almost as if the final was reached." – Ton Maas, MixedWorldMusic  “Alex Simu shows his versatility and sense of beauty by playing clarinet in a style that unites his native city of Bucharest and his current city of Amsterdam. From a completely integral attitude, the quintet made the Balkan songs with their melancholy and beautiful melodies. Amsterdam seemed a little like Bucharest tonight." – Het Parool ****  Also a film music composer, Alex Simu has worked since 2010 on a great number of award-winning international film productions. In 2016, he was awarded with the Golden Calf  by the Dutch Film Academy for the Best Music of Beyond Sleep.  Since 2015, Simu is Head and Professor of clarinet within the jazz and world music departments of the Codarts Conservatory in Rotterdam. He is active in the field of organology and clarinet synthesis, and has innovated the tenor clarinet, as well as brought into contemporary use the alto clarinet, clarinet d’amour, and the bass clarinet d’amour.  Active on the jazz and world music scene since 1999, Alex Simu performed and toured professionally in 41 countries over 5 continents, and shared the stage with important figures such as Alvin Queen, Brian Lynch, Benny Golson, Bennie Wallace, Peter Herbolzheimer, Mari Boine, Jorge Reyes, Naseer Shamma, Ghalia Benali, Aynur Dogan, Arto Tuncboyaciyan, and many others.

Steve Altenberg is a drummer/composer currently residing in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. He is a full professor at the Prince Claus Conservatory in Groningen where he works in the "New York comes to Groningen" bachelor and masters programs.

Mr. Altenberg also maintains a busy performing schedule. He has appeared as a sideman on over forty international releases having worked with, among others, Dr. Lonnie Smith, John Abercrombie, Randy Brecker, Barry Harris, Bill Evans, Kevin Hays, Chris Potter, Don Braden, Dale Barlow, Darrell Grant, Wycliffe Gordon, Paul Bollenback, Mark Gross, John Benitez, Phillip Harper, Jack Walrath, Ron Blake, etc.

What the critics are saying:

The music is magnificently shouldered by the drummer of American origin, Steve Altenberg, who literally marries contours of notes while playing with silences. His light pulsation and nuance do not have anything metronomic and instigate the music continuously.

"Jazz Journal - England"

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