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CONCERT
JAZZ
INTERNATIONAL ARTIST
Non-profit
Jazz Service Organisation formed in July 2005 to support Live Jazz and increase awareness in the
Community
JuzzFlirtin -
UK
Tour Spring 2009
Featuring Léah
Kline on Vocals
Promotional Information for
Jazz Festivals, Jazz Clubs, Music Clubs & Theatres
 /LeahKline3.jpg) 
Dirk Balthaus -
Piano
Léah Kline -
Vocals
Cord Heineking -
Bass
Sebastiaan Kaptein - Drums
JuzzFlirtin is an international band based in Amsterdam
and the musical birth of Vocalist / Lyricist Léah Kline
and Pianist / Composer Dirk Balthaus.
The band transforms a regular music concert into an explosion drawing from Jazz,
Funk-grooves, Latin and Brazilian styles.
These passionate musicians play and compose music with the goal to "move and
groove" an audience. Their engaging performance energy onstage, combined with
the music's crossover sound, appeals to a wider and younger audience target
group.
 Dirk
Balthaus -Piano - plays and
composes for his Trio and the band "JuzzFlirtin" with American vocalist Léah
Kline. He is a permanent member of Joan Reinder's Millennium Jazz Orchestra.
On Saturday afternoons you can find him sometimes playing in the Cotton Club in
Amsterdam.
After completing high school and
civil service he moved the Netherlands to study jazz piano at the Conservatory
in Hilversum. His teachers include Frans Elsen, Henk Elkerbout and Rob Madna.
After finishing conservatory in 1991, Dirk moved to Amsterdam where he immersed
himself in a full-fledged jazz idiom: listening to and playing as much jazz as
possible.
In 1994, with Bert Lochs (trumpet/flugelhorn), Sven Schuster (bass) and Steve
Altenberg (drums) he formed a quartet and recorded his first CD 'Tales of the
Frog'. This was the first of many. He has worked with
Lee Konitz,
Frank Morgan, John Engels, Bud Shank, Deborah Brown, Lew Tabackin, Bob Mallach,
Herb Geller and Red Mitchel
/LeahKline.jpg) Léah
Kline
- Vocals - is an accomplished stage
performer. Equally at ease before an audience of 2,000 as with one of 30, she
has entertained audiences in Europe, Asia, and the US. As a singer, Léah is
noted for her personal delivery and phrasing of songs paying great respect to
the meaning of the lyrics. Particularly well received for her vivacious stage
presence and clear melodic tones, her phrasing and interpretation has earned
favourable attention from jazz fans. She currently resides in Amsterdam, where
she enjoys a full performing and teaching schedule.
Listening exclusively to Ella Fitzgerald, Nancy Wilson, Frank Sinatra and Helen
Merrill CDs, she committed to memoryn the Jazz standards. Léah moved to
Amsterdam, Netherlands in 2000 to "explore the European music scene" She was
placed 4th in the Nederlands Jazz Vocalist Competition 2005, has been included
in a book The Jazz Singers, by jazz critic Scott Yanow . She further
explores her musical expression as a soloist in free improvisation projects,
with Big Bands. She now adds "lyricist" to her skills writing songs with jazz
pianist Dirk Balthaus and their new groove band JuzzFlirtin. The current album
is almost all original material and groovified New American Songbook.
  Cord
Heineking - started his career as a
professional bass player at the age of 18 in Germany. Cord Heineking does a nice
job of delivering modern mainstream bass lines into the bottom end of the groups
sound, which are clearly discerned and much appreciated due to their superb
tonal quality.
He played electric bass in various Rock and Pop groups. From 1991-1997 he
studied upright bass at the Conservatories of Enschede and Amsterdam.
More and more he moved towards Jazz. He established himself quickly on the
scene and won awards with “Lines End" the Dordtse Jazz Prize,
with Bulgarian Pianist Dimitar Bodurov and German drummer Jens Düppe . In
2001 the soloists Leiden Jazz Award, and in the same year the Erasmus
Jazz Prize.
Besides playing many Concerts with various Band formations Composing has become
more interesting to Cord. In 2002 he wrote the music for the film “Vis en
Vis”.
 Sebastiaan
Kaptein Drums - Born
on august 2, 1969 in Oegstgeest, The Netherlands. Grew up with classical music
and played the Cello for two years. Studied drums at the Conservatory in
Groningen and started to use the Djembé in combination with the drum set.
Graduated Cum Laude in 1997 and studied in N.Y. Played/recorded/or toured with
Toots Thielemans, Mike del Ferro, Michiel Borstlap, La Vida N.O. Jazzband, Jesse
van Ruller, Toon Roos, Deborah Brown, Fleurine, Brad Mehldau, Francien van
Tuinen, Deborah Carter, Thijs van Leer, Rick Margitza, Jan Akkerman, Ernest
Ranglin, Tineke Postma, Jamesz e.o. in about 40 countries....and now living in
Okinawa, Japan
for a
Fuller Sound for the Big Occasion - Add
 Yuchi
Córdoba - Percussion - Musical education
Training courses on empowerment, teambuilding and management. Percussion course
in Dakar, Senegal
Education in several African drum techniques by African musicians, such Mousse
Drame and Ali Dyanne Ros in The Netherlands.
Summer percussion course at Berklee College in Boston, USA
Summer percussion course at Instituto de Conjunto Foklorico y Danza Nacional in
Havana, Cuba
General musical education at Foundation Instituto de Musica at Curacao
Major European Events Booked -
July11 2008
North Sea Jazz Rotterdam
Aug10 2008
Beatrixpark Festival Amsterdaam
Dec13 2008
B-Flat
Berlin
Technical
Requirements for Performance Venues -
Concert Piano (Tuned Professionally)
Quality
Electric Piano as Supplementary Instrument.
Drum set
PA
for the band/singer with Quality Mics and Sound Engineer Supervision.
Private Functions and Corporate Events are also
catered for!
JuzzFlirtin creates
high expectations a German-American formation which cannot be pressed into a
specific category. Dirk Balthaus, pianist and musical leader created and
presents a voluminous music program. Its compositions flirted with the listeners
and with the most diverse of styles and directions. included classical jazz
numbers like "Orange Blossoms in Summertime" and "The Wizard". The star in
the footlights is the singer Léah Kline emitting radiance and perfection in her
expression and voice. She and Dirk Balthaus demonstrate blind trust and
understanding not only in their presentation, but also in the creation of the
music. Léah Kline is marvellously poetic and brazen in the creation of her
charming lyrics, which tempted us again and again to fully concentrate and enjoy
listening to the rhythm. Such high-quality international live music does not
come knocking daily at your doorstep
JuzzFlirtin
is the musical birth of composer Dirk Balthaus and lyricist Léah Kline. Their
original compositions “flirt” with jazz, drama, funk, poetry, Latin and
Brazilian styles. Major influences are the Pat Metheny Group, Kurt Elling’s
poetry, the colours of the Duke Ellington Orchestra, Nancy Wilson’s
theatricality, Bill Evan’s lyricism, the intimacy and soul of Joni Mitchell, and
any groove that makes you move. The result is a synergetic collaboration of 5
musicians whose aim is to sweep you up into their world of joyous, grooving,
hand clapping, thought provoking, tender, theatrical compositions about life.
Established Venue Dates are as follows:
TBC
Interest has been shown by :-
TBC
On Line Video Performances -
Hey You
Dig It
Now that you have seen the Video's -
Book JuzzFlirtin Now!
For Booking Enquiries
Contact:
Email
JuzzFlirtin - UK Tour
or Phone 01844 353117
The CD
"Music
that touches the Heart, triggers the Brain, and gets you Movin!" Lyrics
by Leah Kline, Music by Dirk Balthaus. Original compositions and two
lesser known covers with Jazz, Funk, Latin and Brazilian grooves
underneath.
Reviews
"Juzz Flirtin" is the exceptionally listenable
result of a rendezvous between vocalist Léah Kline and pianist/composer
Dirk Balthaus. A meeting that caused musical sparks. Her lyrics inspired
his music and vice versa. It's obvious to hear that the American Léah
Kline, who lives in the Netherlands since 2000, has her roots in the
theatre (singing, dancing and cabaret). Her narrating qualities are
impressive and inviting. The playing of the band (Dirk Balthaus piano,
Cord Heineking doublebass, Sebastiaan Kaptein drums and Yuchi Cordoba
percussion) perfectly supports this. Even in the musical accompaniment
the "story telling" is emphasized. Ingenious arrangements, intentionally
intense intermezzos and playful solos give the numbers extra cachet and
support the lyrics in an all round excellent manner. Kline is a vocalist
of scale. Out of many examples, the vulnerably sung 'Minuano' (music Pat
Metheny, lyrics Kurt Elling), is proof of this fact. She possesses a
good diction, a beautiful alto timbre, feel for dynamics and timing plus
an excellent technique. The CD consists of numbers in up-tempo and swing
but also ballads and jazzy arranged, more or less theatrically coloured
titles with funk and Latin influences.
/leahklineCD.jpg) Audio
Samples
Click on a title for a sound sample
1. Get Away
2. Hey You
3. Orange
Blossoms In Summertime
4. More
Than Matter
5. The
Wizard
6. Obsession
7. Call
Of The Muse
8. Minuano
9. Butterfly
10. Dig It!
11. The
Voice
Jazz Workshops:
 Dirk
and Léah are
also keen to impart their skills to
Students of Jazz and can hold Workshop or Master Class
Projects in Colleges, Theatres, Studios and other suitable venues. These can
be linked up as
daytime assemblies at any of the evening Concert Venues.
Details:
Jazz Workshop provides
a platform for seasoned professionals and total beginners
alike can learn, grow and flourish together in a uniquely inspiring and
supportive environment.
One day workshop lasting 3 hours, would consist of
Presentation, Songwriting, Accompanying a Singer. Using a Duo or the full
Band including a mini Concert, Lecture , Demonstrations and
Instrumental or Band Coaching on:-
·
up and medium tempo grooves
·
contemporary jazz styles
. Improvisation
 Bring some extra cash
to the group gigs to
buy your Memento CD's of these Stars and get them Autographed
Are you anticipating this Tour? Want to add your own pre-view or comment?
 Musicians and Deputies
The line-ups as listed are correct at the time of Publication and are those
given to us by the leader of the group, and information is as accurate as we can
make it. With the Music business being what it is, inevitable changes happen,
and we amend the listings except for those that happen on the night. We have
been very fortunate, as the substitutions made by the groups have often been
surprise upgrades. Nevertheless, the situation is not one we can control due to
the fallibility of the ever sensitive musicians. Blessed as they are -
they are not invulnerable.
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