Bram Stadhouders Biography

Bram Stadhouders (1987, Netherlands) is considered to be one of the most interesting and emerging improvising musicians in Europe. He explores the borders between ambient, contemporary electronic music and free improvised jazz using guitar and technology. His cutting-edge way of approaching improvisation and composition has continued to impress the public.

Since he was 8 years old, he has been on stage, starting with classical, rock, jazz and since 2007 he expresses his own unique musical universe. He released 5 CD’s on his own label, touring all over The Netherlands, Europe and the USA. Besides many side-projects, he's active as a solo-artist, as duo with Onno Govaert, or leading his 6-piece band Korps. In 2008 he was chosen as a “Young Vip” by the Music Center Netherlands, which allowed his name to quickly spread to the general public of his home country.

Soon after this, he got invited by some of the worlds most interesting improvisers. Bram has had a long cooperation with one of Polands most musicians Grzech Piotrowski. He is a soloist in his legendary World Orchestra standing next to many international stars, and as a quartet they released a CD on Challenge Records. He also performed on a guitar made of ice with Terje Isungset in Norway and the North Sea Jazz Festival. In 2010 he started a trio with the extraordinary and influential Norwegian singer Sidsel Endresen and American drummer Jim Black, playing several concerts and releasing a CD.

In 2011 Bram got selected to take part in the Take5-Europe program, lead by Serious in the UK and John Surman, and he's the youngest musician ever to win the North Sea Jazz Composition Assignment. He is on an everlasting journey of discovering new ways to develop his music, seeking different contexts, challenges, or technology.

Bram has played in Netherlands, North America, Norway, Poland, Germany, Russia, Israel, Belgium, Spain, Macedonia, Greece, Serbia, Turkey, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Bulgaria, with artists like:
Onno Govaert, Eric Vloeimans, Jim Black, Sidsel Endresen, Terje Isungset, Karl Seglem, Thomas Strønen, Grzech Piotrowski, Sainkho Namtchylak, Sinikka Langeland, Per Oddvar Johansen, Ruth Wilhelime Meyer, Mari Kvien Brunvoll, Koenraad Ecker, Gulli Gudmundsson, Skuli Sverisson, Theodossi Spassov, Marcin Wasilewski, Bulgarian choir Angelite, Harmen Fraanje, Jeroen van Vliet, Eric van der Westen, Sanne van Hek, Haytham Safia, Wouter Jaspers, Laïs, Noel Redding (bassist from Jim Hendrix), Nelson Veras, Hein van de Geyn, Matthieu Chazarenc, Staplerfahrer, Spinvis, and much more.

List of prizes Bram has won:

1997 - Brabants Gitaarconcours
1998 - Brabants Gitaar Ensemble Concours
1999 - National Guitar Awards
2002 - Prinses Christina Concours
2007 - Young VIP tour
2011 - Brabant TopTalent prize 20.000 euro.
2011 - Chosen for Take Five Europe by Serious in the UK
2011 - North Sea Jazz Composition Commision

 

HIGHLIGHTS

2011

• Playing on Ice-guitar (guitar made of ice) with Terje Isungset at IceMusic Festival in Norway, and North Sea Jazz Festival 2011.
• Project in collaboration with SpringerParker artist-duo in Kirkenes, Norway
• Grzech Piotrowski World Orchestra concerts with 90 people on stage, including: Bulgarian Choir Angelite, Azat Bikchurin, Ruth Wilhelmine Meyer, Vladiswar Nadishana, Sergei Starostin, Taisia Krasnopevtseva, Sinikka Langeland, Theodossii Spassov, Marcin Wasilewski, Espen Leite Skarpengland, Alchemik String Ochestra
• 2nd time with Sidsel Endresen and Jim Black in Bimhuis, Amsterdam and November Music Festival
• CD-release "Bell Time" with Sidsel Endresen and Jim Black.
• CD-release on Challenge Records with Grzech Piotrowski Quartet.
• CD-release sideman for Eric van der Westen, and Haytham Safia

2010

• 1 month tour in USA with Wouter Jaspers and Bas Verbeek
• Invited to tour in Poland by Grzech Piotrowski
• 1 month solo-tour in Eastern Europe
• Korps Germany tour
• Moers festival with Skuli Sverisson
• 1st concerts with Sidsel Endresen and Jim Black
• Playing in Israel with Haytham Safia

2009

• CD-release "The Ship Comes" with Korps
• Korps concert at November Music
• Composition performance for saxophone and 8 speakers in chuch
• Graduation from Utrecht School of Music and Technology, composition and production
• Netherlands and East Germany tour with Onno Govaert

2008

• Young Vips tour as duo with Onno Govaert (12 concerts in the Netherlands)
• Concert at Vrije Geluiden national TV
• concert in Blå, Oslo, Norway
• Playing a song with Spinvis
• Concert series with Jeroen van Vliet
• Italy-tour with Onno Govaert
• CD-release "Enderra"

2007

• CD-release "Tonelist"
• Concerts with Tonelist Trio in Holland and Norway
• Stranger than Paranoia concert with Jasper Stadhouders and Onno Govaert

 

An old interview by Bram taken by Mizar5 in 2004 is readable here.

Radio-interview in Poland with Bram&Onno and Wouter Jaspers: here

FRIENDS/PARTNERS:

Muzieklab Brabant (producer, NL)
Jasper Stadhouders (brother, guitarist, NL)
Sidsel Endresen (Norway)
Terje Isungset (Norway)
Eivind Aarset (Norway)
Sinikka Langeland (Norway)
Ruth Wilhelmine Meyer (Norway)
Grzech Piotrowski (Poland)
Jim Black (USA)
Audrey Chen (USA)
Joep Franssens (NL)
Eric Vloeimans (NL)
Harmen Fraanje (NL)
Jeroen van Vliet (NL)
Wouter Jaspers (NL)
Staplerfahrer (NL)
Eric van der Westen (NL)
Onno Govaert (NL)
Incubate Festival (NL)