Thomas van Blijswijk

Thomas plays the tenor and works as a Marketeer. Jazzpodium de Tor in Enschede is where he plays twice a year with the New Sound Jazz Machine Bigband. He grew up in Twente, playing wind instruments from the age of 8. He loves funk and soul, even rap and hip hop. Charly Parker is his bebop hero and Michael Brecker his favourite Fusion example. Slow it down with a Dexter Gordon Balled could be fun as well but Thomas always needs some funk. Likes to dance to music instead of listen to it :).

Improvisation is not his strongest feet but every now and then he rips it up on simple pentatonic choruses. According to Thomas: “Playing in a BigBand is the most fun you can have, especially when the parts are so unique and well composed as Joris Bolhaar’s pieces. Every song has it’s own theme and sometimes influence, like Jazz or Funk or Latin. Even Ska and Fusion songs characterise the music from this band. It’s about making really good music and also having lot’s of fun.