Europe Jazz Network
FESTIVALS

OCTOBER MEETING

PROMOTER
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR: Huub van Riel. ORGANISATION: Bimhuis, Stichting Jazz & Geimproviseerde Muziek in Nederland (The Dutch Jazz Foundation)Oude Schans 73-77, Amsterdam (NL); tel.31(20)6233373; fax -31(20)6207759.

ACTIVITY
FESTIVAL: October Meeting is a nine day long festival that saw three editions so far (October 1987 October 1991, and October 1994October Meeting in 87 and 91 involved about 100 performances on some 20 stages in 14 Dutch cities. The Amsterdam Bimhuis functions as the central stage. October Meeting is entirely based on original projects, commissioned to a number of musicians. Additionally a wide variety of spontaneous new combinations is staged. In symposia held during October Meeting, musicians discussed the relation between composition and improvisation in todays music (1987 edition) and professionals from various areas in the jazz field discussed the relevance of cooperation between promoters on a European scale and the integration of activities in Eastern European countries into a European circuit (1991 edition). The 1994 edition, staged in four European countries (The Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and Italy), was organised by Europe Jazz Network and the Dutch Jazz Foundation/Bimhuis in co-production with Stadtgarten Jazz Haus/Cologne D, Vooruit/Ghent B, Ravenna Jazz/Ravenna I

CULTURAL POLICY
October Meeting is a form of cooperation between musicians and promoters, in order to produce new unpublished works of composed and improvised music. The three editions took the shape of a large confrontation between American and European musicians from different musical backgrounds and of different generations. The organisation plays mostly the role of coordinating the projects coming from some fifty musicians. The musical output and the platform offered for musicians to exchange musical information and ideas and start new collaborations are equally relevant.

VENUES
Bimhuis, Stedelijk Museum, Concertgebouw, Cristofori and STEIM in Amsterdam; Stadsschouwburg in Breda; De Unie, Thelonious, Museum Boymans in Rotterdam; Provadja in Alkmaar; Trokgt, Spant in Bussum; O42 in Nijmegen; Mahogany Hall in Edam; Paradox in Tilburg; SJU-huis in Utrecht; Grand Theatre in Groningen; SMR in Delft; Papenstraat Theaterin Zwolle; Korzo in Den Haag. In 1994: Bimhuis in Amsterdam NL; Vooruit in Ghent B; Stadtgarten Jazz Haus in Cologne D; Teatro Alighieri, and Mamas Club in Ravenna I, Teatro Socjale in Piangipane- Ravenna I.

AUDIENCE
Average: Bimhuis 200 per concert. Peaks: 800 Concertgebouw.

RELEVANT PRODUCTIONS
1987: various productions involving a.o. Ab Baars, Derek Bailey, Johannes Bauer, Konrad Bauer, Han Bennink, Steve Beresford, Peter van Bergen, Sean Bergin, Anthony Braxton, Willem Breuker, Curtis Clark, Martin van Duynhoven, Mark Dresser, Franky Douglas, Ernst Glerum, Arjen Gorter, Gerry Hemingway, Tristan Honsinger, Maartje ten Hoorn, Maurice Horsthuis, Guus Janssen, Peggy Larson, George Lewis, Christian Marclay, Misha Mengelberg, Louis Moholo, Michael Moore, Butch Morris, Sunny Murray, Jacques Palinkx, Evan Parker, Ernst Reijseger, Herb Robertson, Louis Sclavis, Archie Shepp, Tiziana Simona, Leo Smith, J.C. Tans, Cecil Taylor, Paul Termos, Gerard Veasley, Frank Wright, Wolter Wierbos, John Zorn.
Selections of October Meeting 1987 have been released on CD by Bimhuis Records.
1991: various productions involving Maarten Altena, Ab Baars, Han Bennink, Steve Beresford, Peter van Bergen, Paul Bley, Eric Boeren, Anthony Braxton, Joost Buis, Greetje Bijma, Han Buhrs, Curtis Clark, Marilyn Crispell, Daniele DAgaro, Tobias Delius, Claude Deppa, Mark Dresser, The Ex, Mark Feldman, Cor Fuhler, Ernst Glerum, Malcolm Goldstein, Arjen Gorter, Horst Grabosch, George Gräwe, Gerry Hemingway, Tristan Honsinger, Jarmo Hoogendijk, Maartje ten Hoorn, Maurice Horsthuis, Luc Houtkamp, Earl Howard, Guus Janssen, Wim Janssen, Wilbert de Joode, Steve Lacy, Urs Leimgruber, George E.Lewis, Lingua Franca and the musicians of Val Resia, Misha Mengelberg, Bernard Mixon, Michael Moore, Sunny Murray, Mary Oliver, Jacques Palinckx, Evan Parker, Alan Purves, Jannie Pranger, Ernst Reijseger, Herb Robertson, Michiel Scheen, Horace Tapscott, Richard Teitelbaum, Paul Termos, Vladimir Tolkachev, Gianluigi Trovesi, Michael Vatcher, Eddy Veldman, Vera Vingerhoeds, Petras Vysniauskas, Wolter Wierbos.
1994: various productions involving a.o.Henry Threadgill, Misha Mengelberg, Giancarlo Schiaffini, Jacques Demierre, Eric Boeren, Ted Daniel, Wolter Wierbos, Michael Moore, Ab Baars, Lu Hübsch, Ernst Reijseger, Ernst Glerum, Han Bennink.

RADIO/TV/PRESS
The festival is promoted in co-production with NOS Radio, VPRO Radio, WDR Radio and reviewed by national and international press.

NATURE OF THE ORGANISATION/FUNDING
Funding: City of Amsterdam, National Ministry of Culture, The British Council, Fund for U.S. Artists at International Festivals and Exhibitions, Gaudeamus, various sponsors. The 1994 edition was realised with the support of Kaleidoscope cultural programme of the European Union. Co-operation and assistance: Europe Jazz Network and various co-producers.