{"title":"Jameszoo","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"bf059","title":"Jameszoo - Fool","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe word ‘naive’ comes from the Latin ‘nativus’, meaning native, or natural. Today, to be naive is often seen as pejorative, a lack of experience or judgement, but in the art world the word retained some of its original meaning: a quality acquired through birth, a childlike innocence and wonder that produces spontaneous, unaffected art. For Mitchel Van Dinther, the Dutch producer known as \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/ninjatune.net\/artist\/jameszoo\"\u003eJameszoo\u003c\/a\u003e, it is this quality that lies at the heart of his debut album, \u003cem\u003eFool\u003c\/em\u003e, which he calls \u003cem\u003e“naive, computer jazz.”\r\n\r\n\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eVan Dinther emerged from the small town of Den Bosch in the southern Netherlands in the late 2000s. First as a DJ – with wide-ranging crates of avant-garde jazz, prog and kraut rock, electronic experiments, and beat oddities – and then as a producer capable of impressive sonic and rhythmic incongruities. This spring, Van Dinther joins Brainfeeder with an album that fits right into the label’s expanding take on the modern evolution of jazz music.\r\n\r\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eFool\u003c\/em\u003e began life as just a simple debut album, but soon grew into something more audacious. The primary inspiration behind the album was human limitation and our struggles to achieve, which, while depressing on the surface, provided Van Dinther with the necessary burst of inspiration to create work that is both personal and relatable. As he explains, \u003cem\u003e“Fool is a product of coming to terms with myself.”\u003c\/em\u003e During the recording process Van Dinther became obsessed with classic albums by Steve Kuhn (1971’s Steve Kuhn), Arthur Verocai (1972’s Arthur Verocai), and Robert Wyatt (1974’s Rock Bottom). The melodies, compositions, and idiosyncrasies of these works made the young Dutch producer reconsider his approach, moving him away from the colourful, electronic productions he was known for. \u003cem\u003e“Whereas before electronic music was the foundation of my composing, now it is nothing more than an instrument within the range of many.”\r\n\r\n\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNot only did Van Dinther take inspiration from these works, he eventually contacted the artists he’d been studying and convinced Kuhn and Verocai to lend their inimitable touch to the recordings. Tapping into jazz’s tradition of playing standards and covers, ‘The Zoo’ re-imagines Kuhn’s playful ‘Pearlie’s Swine’ with Rhodes and vocals that the man himself recorded with Van Dinther in New York City. The session with Verocai took place in The Netherlands, an hour-long jam between the Brazilian composer, Van Dinther, and singer Carlos Dafé, who had come along for the ride, taking turns on various instruments. After Van Dinther brought the musicians back to their hotel, he found himself floored by a flu virus that he had been ignoring for a week which eventually gave its name to the track.\r\n\r\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith Fool, Van Dinther has created an album that doesn’t follow any direct rules. An album composed and arranged “on purpose” that still retains a wonderful naive quality. \u003cem\u003e“It bothered me at first to not have the same background as most of the musicians I speak highly of, but I realise now it has its own value, it can be interesting.”\r\n\r\n\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAcross its 11 tracks, \u003cem\u003eFool\u003c\/em\u003e plays out Van Dinther’s journey to find a musical voice he can be proud of and which can also inspire others. Alongside Verocai, Dafé, and Kuhn, the album features a stellar cast of classical and jazz musicians including pianist Niels Broos, drummers Julian Sartorius and Richard Spaven, bass guitarists Raphael Vanoli and Stephen Bruner (aka \u003ca href=\"ninjatune.net\/artist\/thundercat\"\u003eThundercat\u003c\/a\u003e), and saxophonist John Dikeman. All of these different contributions and approaches are weaved together into a whole by Van Dinther, armed with electronics and naivety. At times coherent, at times seemingly haphazard, the album is always joyful. \u003cem\u003e“I tried to create something that is both tradition and me fooling around,”\u003c\/em\u003e he explains. \u003cem\u003e“There is something to be said for both sides of the spectrum. If we always remain in tradition there will be no evolution.”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ninjatune","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":44934206029983,"sku":"BFCD059","price":13.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"LP","offer_id":44934206062751,"sku":"BF059","price":29.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0493\/8563\/5999\/products\/fool-main.jpg?v=1736246612"},{"product_id":"bfdnl111","title":"Jameszoo - Blind","description":"\u003cp\u003eJameszoo (Mitchel van Dinther) returns to Brainfeeder with a new album – “Blind” – embarking on further adventures on the fringes of jazz and electronica. Imbued with the same spirit of adventure and experimental outlook as his previous work on the label, the recordings were shaped by van Dinther’s studio sessions at Willem Twee Studios – the specialist analogue studio in Den Bosch (Netherlands) with an unrivalled collection of vintage synthesizers – amongst other locations.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“In music and other arts there is a heavy emphasis on the artist,” says Mitchel. “Which composer, which soloist, which performer and the shifting emphasis between them all colours what we hear. Is it possible to create something that bypasses this? A project that forces active objective listening?” \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThese were the questions that Mitchel was pondering as he embarked on making “Blind”. Was he successful in his endeavour? “I didn’t even come close to be completely honest,” he laughs. “But all these (sometimes silly) attempts became the backbone for this new album.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMitchel started by trying to bypass himself as the protagonist, beginning by remotely recording musicians and collaborators reshaping his initial ideas and concepts, step by step morphing the music as if repainting a portrait again and again. “I tried to stop force-feeding my own preconceived notions of what music should sound like. Instead I would politely impose new ideas to the compositions, crossing fingers it wouldn't reject these ideas like a failed organ transplant. Then something special started to happen, where the music seemed to grow almost self aware. I really enjoyed this process of letting loose and actively listening!” \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFascinated by the idea of a non-existent soloist, Mitchel recorded all sorts of motorised instruments to attempt to embody this idea. For example, the Disklavier (motorised piano) which allowed for precision and the execution of passages unplayable by the human hand. “It really helped me aesthetically detach from the human aspect,” he says. “The Disklavier started to embody the music’s characteristics.” \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Blind” exists as an album and a short film directed by Sven Bresser and Mitchel van Dinther himself. The film stemmed from conversations that Mitchel had with the fantastic performer Saïd Gharbi who is blind and who was kind enough to share his experiences on translating his senses to something he can only partly experience himself. “We talked about his process of exploring and engaging with his other senses after losing his sight,” explains Mitchel. “Through these conversations we decided on making a short movie together to accompany the album, portraying Saïd’s and my own experience of this music and our senses.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFinally, in an ultimate attempt to transform into music itself Mitchel asked the cult Chilean-French filmmaker and artist Alejandro Jodorowsky the question: ‘how do I shape-shift?’, with Alejandro answering the question via a recorded tarot reading. “He had no more than a few minor details about me and was guided by his cards to formulate his response, which was a dazzling 14 minute long answer where I felt like he could see me and my world without me physically being anywhere near him,” says Mitchel smiling.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSupported by a cast of exceptionally talented friends on “Blind” who share van Dinther’s passion for improvisation and invention, Mitchel once agains links with his long term writing partner and keyboard whizz Niels Broos, Swedish bassist Petter Eldh and drummers Richard Spaven and Julian Sartorius, all of whom contributed to van Dinther’s debut album “Fool” (2016). Violinist Diamanda La Berge Dramm, pianist\/organist Kit Downes (ECM), visionary trumpeter Peter Evans, trailblazing British saxophonist Evan Parker (a pivotal figure in the European free jazz movement), drummer Christian Lillinger, Brainfeeder label mate Oliver Johnson (Dorian Concept), saxophonist John Dikeman and the acclaimed sound explorer Matthew Bourne also contribute.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eJameszoo released his debut album “Fool” in 2016. A curious, at times downright awkward, but thoroughly enjoyable blend of jazz and off kilter electronics, the record featured cameos from two outright legends: Brazilian composer Arthur Verocai and pianist Steve Kuhn; in addition to virtuoso bassist Thundercat. van Dinther was rewarded for his bold, adventurous attitude in the studio by Gilles Peterson who bestowed upon him the “John Peel Play More Jazz” Award at the Worldwide Awards 2017.  \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn 2017 Jameszoo opened Amsterdam Dance Event with a very special collaboration with Jules Buckley and the Grammy-Award winning Metropole Orkest at the iconic Melkweg concert hall. The magic and the chemistry in the room that evening was both exhilarating and heartwarming as Buckley – Chief Conductor of the Metropole Orkest since 2013 – led the 49-piece orchestra and the Jameszoo Quintet on a truly joyful journey, elevating compositions from van Dinther’s 2016 album “Fool” to transcendental realms. The recordings of this momentous collaboration were released via Brainfeeder on 17 May 2019.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Blind” will be released on 11th March 2022 on black vinyl LP with braille emboss detail on the sleeve. A strictly limited edition tarot deck (with album download) is also exclusively available via Bandcamp\/Brainfeeder. The artwork for the project is by the celebrated Dutch artist Philip Akkerman, a dear friend of van Dinther.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ninjatune","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":44934206914719,"sku":"BF111","price":29.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"LP + Tarot Deck","offer_id":44934206947487,"sku":"BFBUNDLE111-1","price":29.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0493\/8563\/5999\/products\/blind-2-main.jpg?v=1736246608"},{"product_id":"music-for-17-musicians","title":"Jameszoo with Asko Schönberg - Music for 17 Musicians","description":"\u003cp\u003eJameszoo (Mitchel van Dinther) returns to Brainfeeder with a wonderfully cinematic album embarking on adventures on the fringes of jazz and contemporary classical. Imbued with the same spirit of adventure and experimental outlook as his previous work on the label, ‘Music for 17 Musicians’ is a new work written for and performed by the renowned Dutch ensemble Asko|Schönberg, percussion group HIIIT and Jameszoo’s own “blind” group: Niels Broos (organ), Petter Eldh (electric bass) and Richard Spaven (drums). Much like in 2019 when he worked with the Grammy-winning Metropole Orkest and Jules Buckley to adapt his album ‘Fool’, ‘Music for 17 Musicians’ is a largely acoustic piece diving deeper into and reflecting on the ideas behind his 2022 album ‘Blind’. With 16 musicians and a self-governing disklavier taking center stage this album documents the Dutchman’s foray into contemporary classical music. The title is a nod to Steve Reich’s masterful 1978 album on ECM ‘Music for 18 Musicians’.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ninja Tune","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":62084169466015,"sku":"BF151","price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"LP (Ltd Edition Handpainted LP)","offer_id":62084169498783,"sku":"BF151L","price":50.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0493\/8563\/5999\/files\/music-for-17-musicians-main.jpg?v=1745484879"}],"url":"https:\/\/merch.ninjatune.net\/collections\/jameszoo.oembed","provider":"Ninja Tune","version":"1.0","type":"link"}