„Roscam Abbing possesses a disarming freshness and expresses herself with complete sincerity. She’s got all the technique and knows how to use it in a very musical and subtle way.“ – Jan Jasper Tamboer, Jazzenzo Magazine
Sietske Roscam Abbing (Zutphen, 1985), is a jazz vocalist and educator based in the Dutch capital city, Amsterdam. Primarily active with her jazz crossover band, titled Sietske. The group released their debut album Where it starts again for BERTHOLD records in 2014. In between band concerts and touring, Sietske is also performing in various exciting project based formations.
Sietske released her first album in 2010 with the band Follow Alice, a soul-jazz project co-lead with guitar-player Martijn Michel. Whilst studying vocal jazz performance at the Conservatory of Amsterdam she also had the opportunity to enroll for a semester in Philadelphia, PA. Learning and working with some of the top musicians on the jazz-scene, this period completely redefined her musical direction. Sietske received her Master of Music in 2012, and teaches privately as well as at various music schools in and around Amsterdam.
2015 took her to India where she spent a semester as the head of the vocal department at the True School of Music in Mumbai. This experience also allowed for Sietske to soak up a completely different musical culture, collaborate with a variety of new and unique musicians and also gave her numerous opportunities to perform live in front of Indian audiences throughout the Mumbai region.
As an artist she strives to make music which is authentic, innovative and truly personal.
The Band
The core of the band is the musical collaboration between vocalist Sietske Roscam Abbing and pianist Dirk Balthaus. Their style of music is Contemporary Vocal Jazz and could also be described as “Cinematic Folk-Jazz” because of it’s picturesque and lyrical character.
Dirk Balthaus studied jazz piano at the Conservatory of Hilversum. As a member of Joan Reinder’s Millennium Jazz Orchestra he played with many jazz-legends, like Benny Golson, Lee Konitz, The New York Voices and Ack van Rooyen. Dirk is an intuitive and very sensitive player who is truly specialized in the art of supporting a solist, but is also always open for adventurous and progressive playing when a piece of music or situation allows. As the band’s primary musical composer, Dirk follows his instinct, experience and formal training to help solidify and further develop its musical character.
Marco Zenini started studying classical double bass in Rome, and meanwhile also playing in jazz projects next to his studies. After finishing his Bachelors at the Conservatorio Licinio Refice in 2010, Marco came to Amsterdam to study and specialize in Jazz at the Conservatory of Amsterdam. In a short time he became an in demand player throughout the Amsterdam Jazz scène. He graduated with his bachelors degree at the CvA with honors, in the spring of 2013. With his ability to interchange seamlessly between very accurate functional playing and interactive, lyrical playing Marco Zenini is a really unique voice within the group.
Efraim Schulz-Wackerbarth was born in Melbourne and raised in Osnabrück, where he „found his groove“. In 2013, after years of studying music and perfecting his drumming, he graduated with his Masters Degree from the Conservatory of Amsterdam. During his masters he also studied abroad at the Manhattan School of Music where he worked with renowned jazz drummer, John Riley. Efraim is an in the pocket, inventive and very accent strong drummer. He always seems to find new ways to provide refreshing rhythmic textures and grooves for the bands compositions.
Eran Har Even was born in Israel, where he developed a love for music at an early age, leading him to study at a High School for music and art. After serving three years in the military, playing and arranging for the jazz ensemble of the culture and education core, he decided to move to the US and live there for a year performing and studying music. Eventually his travels brought him to Amsterdam where he completed his Masters Degree with honors. Eran’s playing is both lyrical and equally groove oriented. With his open approach towards sounds and music in general, he furthers and completes the bands motivation to be adventurous and progressive.