fri, May 29th
New Cool Collective Big Band
It all began in 1993 at Amsterdam's Soul Kitchen, where Benjamin Herman and DJ Graham B shared the stage. While Graham B spun records, Benjamin played. A unique combination. This eventually led to the eight-piece New Cool Collective, which has played countless clubs and festivals worldwide, either as an expanded 8-piece or as a 19-piece big band. In recent years, New Cool Collective has also collaborated with artists including Tony Allen, Mapacha Africa, Andrew Roachford, Jules Deelder, Typhoon, Guus Meeuwis, Matt Bianco, Thierno Koité, and Georgie Fame.
The 19-piece New Cool Collective Big Band made waves around the turn of the millennium with the legendary Big Mondays. During these powerful club nights at venues including Rotown (Rotterdam) and Meander, Panama, and Sugarfactory (Amsterdam), the group played its signature danceable blend of jazz, soul, cumbia, and African music. New Cool Collective used the well-attended evenings to experiment with new compositions, which ultimately resulted in the albums Big (1997) and Big Band LIVE (2007).
The band deliberately blends different types of music from different scenes. All styles are reflected in the music. New Cool Collective consists of saxophonist Benjamin Herman, drummer Joost Kroon, percussionists Frank van Dok and Jos de Haas, pianist Willem Friede, bassist Leslie Lopez, guitarist Rory Ronde, and trumpeter David Rockefeller. Eleven top musicians join them for the Big Band.
The NCC Big Band has already effectively covered the opening of De Uitmarkt. In 2010, the album Pachinko (named after a Japanese slot machine) was released, followed by a collaboration with Guus Meeuwis for his album Hollandse Meesters (Dutch Masters), released in 2014.
This year, the Big Band returns for a special evening at the Concertgebouw on October 1st. Along with special guests Kymara and Nana Adjoa, New Cool Collective performed a mix of new work and familiar classics, also featured on their new live Big Band album, "On Tour." And the fun doesn't stop there, as the New Cool Collective Big Band is keeping things moving in May 2026 with a boisterous creative energy.
Stay tuned…
The band deliberately blends different types of music from different scenes. All styles are reflected in the music. New Cool Collective consists of saxophonist Benjamin Herman, drummer Joost Kroon, percussionists Frank van Dok and Jos de Haas, pianist Willem Friede, bassist Leslie Lopez, guitarist Rory Ronde, and trumpeter David Rockefeller. Eleven top musicians join them for the Big Band.
The NCC Big Band has already effectively covered the opening of De Uitmarkt. In 2010, the album Pachinko (named after a Japanese slot machine) was released, followed by a collaboration with Guus Meeuwis for his album Hollandse Meesters (Dutch Masters), released in 2014.
This year, the Big Band returns for a special evening at the Concertgebouw on October 1st. Along with special guests Kymara and Nana Adjoa, New Cool Collective performed a mix of new work and familiar classics, also featured on their new live Big Band album, "On Tour." And the fun doesn't stop there, as the New Cool Collective Big Band is keeping things moving in May 2026 with a boisterous creative energy.
Stay tuned…
