Doeke; The Neo-Classical Pianist Shares New EP ‘Memorie’
August 5, 2022 BY Jason Currell
Today, Doeke, the New York-based poignant neo-classical pianist shares his new EP Memorie via Nettwerk. Showcasing the elegant, delicate, intricate, and gentle sound of the piano, Memorie is just a preview of what’s to come in this new chapter of music. Doeke —the brainchild of pianist Jorn Swart — is shaped by a desire to return to simplicity. Memorie is about nostalgia, it’s about home, it’s about the strange details we tend to remember from childhood. “Doeke was my grandfather’s first name,” says Swart. “He played the accordion, which inspired me to pick up that instrument as a kid, and later led me to the piano. All the song titles are in Dutch, and many of the compositions are inspired by memories from the Netherlands.” Memorie, features the most recent singles “Nadagen (After-Days),”“Op Reis (Traveling),” “Vliegen (Flying),” and the newest single “Heimwee (Homesick)” out today.
Swart’s piano compositions invite listeners from all over the world to feel a nostalgia that is both melancholic and comforting. His latest single, “Heimwee (Homesick),” describes missing home. It’s a feeling of warmth and tenderness, and also of sadness and longing. This piano composition captures the ambiguity of these moments; the delicate melody embodies the many memories, while the repetitive notes in the left hand express a sense of melancholy.
Memorie is available at all digital retailers here: https://doeke.ffm.to/memorie
WATCH “HEIMWEE (HOMESICK)” HERE:
ABOUT DOEKE:
Doeke (Doo-kuh) is the cinematic piano project of pianist and composer Jorn Swart. Known for his refined playing and emotive compositions, Jazziz Magazine wrote that Swart has “mastered the art of using a single improvised line to elicit complex emotions.” Swart moved to the USA in 2010 as a Fulbright Scholar to pursue a master’s degree in jazz piano in New York City, where he’s been living and performing ever since. Throughout his career, Swart has been busy not only as a composer and a piano soloist, but also as a bandleader, musical director, and recording artist for other musicians. As he built his name, touring throughout the USA and in Europe and garnering international acclaim, audiences told him that his work sounded like it was telling a story. With Doeke, he leans into this quality — Doeke’s music has the narrative, and emotional attributes of a film score. His latest work Herinner (to be released via Nettwerk) is a continued exploration of his signature dreamy and gentle piano playing with sonic reflection of stories from the past, present and future.
