The Girts Celmins Urban Jazz Collective, led by Conservatorium Maastricht jazz student Ģirts Celmiņš, impressed both the jury and the audience at the prestigious Laren Jazz 2025 festival.
This year’s edition of Laren Jazz stood out for its wide variety of jazz styles. The jury praised the exceptionally high standard of all participating bands, noting that “each group shows great potential for a successful future.” Still, Ģirts Celmiņš and his ensemble distinguished themselves with a captivating performance that left a lasting musical and emotional impression.
Ģirts Celmiņš – guitarist, composer, arranger and educator – is originally from Latvia and currently based in Maastricht. With over fifteen years of musical experience, he moves effortlessly between jazz, blues and composition for a range of ensembles, from string quartets to big bands.
Performing on 4 October in the Johanneskerk in Laren, his band, all students or alumni of Conservatorium Maastricht, featured Timo Bakker (piano, organ), Dominic Jung (double bass), Jakob Lingen (drums), Selim Aydin (trombone), Simon Lutgens (trumpet), Leo Mao (alto saxophone) and Mathias Palludan (tenor saxophone).
The jury spoke highly of their performance:
“The Urban Jazz Collective presented, within the relatively short set they prepared, great variety, instrumental expertise and showmanship. The line-up of eight musicians, strong and varied compositions and arrangements, an excellent horn section and overall interaction, combined with a clear connection with the live audience made this performance outstanding. The playing field during the competition was of superb quality and they managed to present themselves as outstanding in that environment. Girts is clearly a bandleader who knows how to inspire his fellow musicians and together with them, provide a worthy addition to the colourful Dutch jazz scene.”
Alongside the €2,025 cash prize, the band was invited to perform in the support act for the festival’s closing concert on 5 October, featuring Peter Beets, Sven Hammond and Shirma Rouse, under the theme “Soul Meets Jazz.”
A remarkable milestone for Ģirts Celmiņš and his Urban Jazz Collective, congratulations!
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