Dear Music Friends,
Spring is around the corner and we sincerely hope 2023 is springing up well for you! Inspiration for fresh, new songs and musical material springs incessantly as Warren and I gratefully embrace our life as musicians. We cherish the process: culling our uniqueness and rendering it; creating, recording and performing live—and thus, expressing our truth in sound, as well as the influences and vibes absorbed from the near and far world.
I am super happy that an extensive interview of myself conducted by Ron Kosterman will run in the next issue of Elsevier Magazine, a major Dutch weekly magazine. Conducted at Studio Clous van Mechelen in Amsterdam, Warren and I had recorded some new music videos with me on bass prior to the interview. In fact, yesterday we were back in Clous's studio to record more music videos, this time with me on trumpet.
It's a busy week ahead. We jet Friday to the US, where our first of a series of concerts begins on Sunday, performing with the Afrosemitic Experience near Boston, MA. Albeit, before we hop over the pond, we first give a special peace concert tomorrow Thursday with Duo Laroo/Byrd in "Het Vredeskerkje", a church in the "Dutch mountains" (aka de duinen) by the sea. You can find our most current schedule here.
Other highlights this past period in the Netherlands: we jubilantly slew a crowd of youngsters with my jazzy hiphop project at Music Cafe Stiels in Haarlem and regaled cruise ship-stationed refugees tunefully with the Alan Easy Band... Oh, and I appear with a trumpet solo on guitarist Chris Becker's latest song release "Passengers". Here you can see the full videoclip.
We are happy that the opportunities to present our music live are picking up. This year we already had some great performances at both new and renown stages (see below "Throwbacks"). Personal recommendations of us by our music friends and fans determine greatly where we play. Tips and ideas via email, whatsapp for favorite and special small and large stages and festivals are welcome--see contact info below.
|
All Corona restrictions were lifted last week in the Netherlands. However, we do realize that some of our warier fans are still not attending public spaces. We try to post as much as possible on our social media, follow us there for news and updates, a.o. on the progress of our hard work on our new music.
And don't forget, whatever happens, keep swinging!
Your music friends, Saskia Laroo & Warren Byrd
saskialaroo@hotmail.com | byrdspeak@hotmail.com
|
GIG NEWS: March 16, 2023 DUO Laroo/Byrd @ Bergen, NH, NL Live @ Het Vredeskerkje
GIG NEWS: March 19, 2023 Laroo/Byrd @ Wayland, MA, US
GIG NEWS: Mar 24, Apr8, 14, 2023 Laroo/Byrd Funky4 @ Newington, CT Live @ the Flying Monkey
GIG NEWS: May 5, 2023 Saskia Laroo Band @ Haarlem, NL Live @ Stiels
|
|
|
|
SASKIA LAROO SPECIAL CONCERT UPCOMING this week |
 |
|
Duo Laroo/Byrd and eclectic Jazz Two strong musical characters that go very well together. Laroo and Byrd both bring in their own work and supplement it with their selections from the great jazz repertoire.
|
|
SASKIA LAROO THROWBACKS 2023 |
|
GIG YOUTUBE VIDEO COMPILATION
February 26, 2023
Their original music: a mix of jazz, pop, world, hip-hop, reggae en dance
An interactive original music journey with audience participation
Photos by Bob de Boer
|
|
Abdij1472, Kampen, NL
 A special selection of blues, soul and gospel
From New Orleans To Chicago, Alongside The Mississippi River highlighting The Great Migration, Field Hollers, work songs and more.
|
|
The FPK has supported our tours to India and Thailand in 2022
|
|
|
|