Every year, the NN North Sea Jazz Festival awards a free composition commission to a talented Dutch jazz musician. This year it was awarded to jazz violinist and composer Yannick Hiwat.
In 2007, Yannick Hiwat (b. 1988) graduated cum laude from high school in Rotterdam having studied music at the advanced level. He then went to Fontys Conservatory in Tilburg and finally honed his jazz violin playing under Tim Kliphuis. In 2013, Dutch music critics, bookers and professional musicians voted Hiwat “Duvel Vibes Soul & Jazz Talent”. He is known for his work with Pete Rock, Chilly Gonzales, Snarky Puppy and Re:Freshed Orchestra, but most definitely for his own Yannick Hiwat Quintet. Hiwat was awarded the composition project because of his contemporary style that brings together various disciplines, ranging from classical music to jazz, soul and hip-hop.
Hiwat's composition Frimangron focuses on the theme of freedom. Frimangron is a neighborhood of Paramaribo and loosely translated it means “land of the free people”. With some of his closest fellow musicians, Yannick provides us with a glimpse into his sound world, showing deep respect for his predecessors in folklore, soul, gospel, hip-hop and jazz.
