Coming up, Ties' Prince project, a tour and CD recording.
The money you donate will go to the CD recording and the production of the performances (a.o. in the Muziekgebouw, Amsterdam). (donations over €50,- will be mentioned in the booklet)
(For higher donations just order more items to multiply E5,-)
'Half Blood, the music of Prince'
Ties Mellema, saxophones
En Accord, string quartet
Wilmar de Visser, double bass
As a saxophonist I am used to playing all sorts of different styles. One style that I never really used in my professional life as a musician was pop music. Although this music was very important for my musical development.
The most important pop musician when I was in high school was Prince. Prince is an artist who always fascinated me. Suddenly he switches style and look per album or even per song. His compositions are of the same quality as the best classical compositions.
I asked composers to rewrite songs by Prince, for saxophone and string quintet: David Dramm, Guillermo Lago, Wijnand Van Klaveren, Ruud van Eeten, Renske Vrolijk, Martin Fondse and Maarten Ornstein.
The assignment to the composers was to 're-compose' compositions by Prince in their own style and nót to arrange them in the usual way. I did ask them to keep a recognizable melody, but other than that they could go as far as they wanted. The result is recognizable contemporary music, and Prince with a twist: