Harmen Fraanje

The Dutch pianist and composer Harmen Fraanje leads and co-leads several projects, like his solo project, trio Reijseger Fraanje Sylla, a quartet with Magic Malik, Brice Soniano and Toma Gouband, a new duo with Norwegian trumpet player Arve Henriksen, a trio with Finnish musicians Aino Peltomaa (vocals) and Mikko Perkola (viola da gamba) and a duo with Dutch guitarist Anton Goudsmit. These groups mostly perform original works with a lot of space for improvisation. Harmen is also very active as a sideman in various projects in the European jazz scene, like the Mats Eilertsen Trio and Michael Moore’s Fragile Quartet.  With these projects he frequently performs at festivals and concert venues throughout the world. 

Harmen collaborated with the likes of Ambrose Akinmusire, Mark Turner, Kenny Wheeler, Arve Henriksen, Thomas Morgan, Tony Malaby, Han Bennink, Ernst Reijseger, Trygve Seim, Magic Malik, Nelson Veras, Theo Bleckmann, Ben Monder, Eric Vloeimans, Enrico Rava, Werner Herzog, Trio Mediaeval, Hein van de Geyn, Perico Sambeat, Igor Roma, Louis Moholo, Ferenc Kovács, Rudi Mahall, and Cristina Branco. Recordings of the projects he’s involved in have been released by renowned record labels like ECM, Winter & Winter, Outhere Music, Hubro Music, and Challenge Jazz.

Harmen is coordinator of the jazz piano section and principal subject teacher at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. Additionally, he is frequently invited to give workshops and masterclasses at other conservatories in Europe.

According to the internationally acclaimed website AllAboutJazz ‘Harmen Fraanje is emerging as one of the most impressive young European pianists of the past decade.’

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