NEW YORK-BASED NEO-CLASSICAL CINEMATIC PIANIST DOEKE SHARES THE NOSTALGIC INSPIRED “OP IJS (ON THE ICE)”
October 28, 2022 BY Jason Currell
Doeke (Jorn Swart), the New York-based poignant neo-classical pianist delivers “Op IJs (On the Ice),” a moody, winter-like, and nostalgic piano piece recalling the memories of cold winters in the Netherlands when everyone would get their ice skates out and go out on the lakes and canals. This release is paired with a unique collaborative music and dance video featuring dancer Jenna Rifkind (ELF The Musical, Metropolitan Opera), showcasing a delicate duet that evokes the strokes of skates on ice, cutting through the crisp winter cold.
WATCH “OP IJS (ON THE ICE)” HERE:
ABOUT DOEKE:
Doeke —the brainchild of pianist Jorn Swart — is shaped by a desire to return to simplicity. Swart’s piano compositions invite listeners from all over the world to feel a nostalgia that is both melancholic and comforting. 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, emotional attributes of a film score. His upcoming album Herinner, releasing in December 2022, is a continued exploration of his signature dreamy and gentle piano playing with sonic reflection of stories from the past, present and future.
