Here is the complete text of today’s press release jointly issued by Brubeck Living Legacy Inc, Ubuntu Music, and The Royal Academy of Music announcing saxophonist Kasper Rietkerk, originally from Zwolle in the Netherlands and now partly based in London as the very first winner of the Brubeck Living Legacy Prize. The prize panel was Martin Hummel, Nick Smart, Claire Martin and Darius Brubeck.
(press release begins)
“Brubeck Living Legacy, Inc, in partnership with Ubuntu Music, and The Royal Academy of Music, is delighted to announce the selection of The Brubeck Living Legacy Prize winner, which is awarded to the most deserving jazz student of The Royal Academy of Music in London, UK, each year, for an initial three-year period. Kasper’s album will be released on the Ubuntu Music record label next year.
In 2019, the Dave Brubeck family founded Brubeck Living Legacy with the goal of promoting awareness, interest and the understanding of jazz and its role in American and international culture. Brubeck Living Legacy supports educational opportunities and live concerts that recognize the contributions of Dave and Iola Brubeck, and others, to modern American music, the civil rights movement and to the community of musicians worldwide.
The Brubeck Living Legacy Prize will be awarded each year to a young musician who demonstrates excellence in both performance and composition, selected from the jazz musician student body at the Royal Academy of Music in their final two years of study, as well as those in the first year following graduation. The prize includes funding and support for the release of the individual’s proposed recording on the Ubuntu Music record label. Eligible musicians submitted applications for consideration, which were then reviewed by a panel of industry-related judges. For the first year, the judges were composer, arranger, pianist and President of Brubeck Living Legacy Darius Brubeck, Royal Academy of Music Professor & Head of Jazz Programmes Nick Smart, jazz vocalist, recording artist and co-founder of ECN Music Claire Martin (OBE), and founder/director of Ubuntu Music, Martin Hummel.
Darius Brubeck shares his view concerning this special award: “As president of Brubeck Living Legacy, I can say that we are committed to supporting this imaginative initiative by Ubuntu Music and the Royal Academy of Music. Brubeck Living Legacy is already involved in high-level education creatively and financially in America and this is our first partnership based in a foreign country. As a long-time UK resident, I am excited to see this taking shape before my eyes and will do my part in making it a success.”
Kasper Rietkerk is the recipient of the first awarded prize. He is an award-winning saxophonist, renowned for his collaborations with esteemed artists such as Eddie Chacon, John Caroll Kirby and Jean Toussaint, and has also been a member of the Emma Rawicz Jazz Orchestra. His diverse career includes appearances on various TV and radio programmes, as well as contributing to the music composition for VPRO’s television series ‘Naar Bed’.
“Fantastic saxophonist” –Jean Toussaint
“Rietkerk’s alto work is first-rate, melodic and capable of delicacy as well as power.” –All About Jazz (2024) ★★★★
Kasper began playing saxophone at a young age and was inspired by the sounds of saxophonists like Cannonball Adderley, Kenny Garrett, and Paul Desmond. After completing his bachelor’s degree, Kasper moved to London and graduated from his master’s at the Royal Academy of Music in 2023, where he received an award for his final exam performance.
Kasper’s plans for his upcoming project on Ubuntu Music include a multi-generational ensemble consisting of legendary guitarist John Parricelli, London veteran bassist Tom Herbert and fellow Royal Academy grad, drummer Jonah Evans. Kasper seeks “openness” in the recording session, with a less arranged structure, while capturing somewhat of an ECM sound or feeling. The album will be recorded this year and is tentatively scheduled for release in June 2025.
Nick Smart comments: “We were inspired and encouraged in equal measure at the outstanding quality of every single applicant for the inaugural year of this wonderful new initiative. If the quality of the music being made (and the deep thought and care going into their art) is anything to go by, then the future of this music we love so much is in the very brightest and most talented hands. Any one of them would have been a worthy winner but of course you have to pick one recipient which is never easy. Kasper’s musical breadth, his maturity, the writing and improvising, as well as his clarity of vision, stood out in every aspect of his presentation and we are thrilled to have such a wonderful first beneficiary of this fantastic new opportunity. The Academy is deeply proud to be involved and we’re excited for the coming years too.”
Claire Martin shares her perspective: “It was an honour to be part of the panel that selected Kasper Rietkerk as the winner of the first ever Brubeck Living Legacy Prize. We were all so impressed with all the standards of each applicant’s submission, so it wasn’t an easy task to pick a winner. However, Kasper’s application stood out for many reasons, and for me his sophisticated writing, his idea and vision for his next release and his sheer drive and enthusiasm made him the obvious musician for this prize and a very worthy winner. Congratulations Kasper!”
Darius Brubeck continues: “On behalf of Brubeck Living Legacy, I would like to congratulate Kasper Rietkerk on his being the winner of the BLL Prize. A new award establishes a benchmark going forward; one that distinguishes the recipient and represents the values of BLL and its partners, Royal Academy of Music and Ubuntu Music. We are very excited to have such a deserving candidate the first time around.”
Martin Hummel concludes: “Ubuntu Music is dedicated to the identification and development of outstanding young jazz talent, which is an integral part of the label’s DNA. The opportunity to partner with Brubeck Living Legacy and the distinguished panellists to select a most deserving beneficiary of the first award was somewhat daunting, given the quality of the submissions. However, in the end, Kasper Rietkerk stood out as the most deserving. His compositional strength, combined with his approach to shaping the project concept and delivering the music itself, were exceptional and demonstrated a maturity at such an early stage in his career. We very much look forward to working with Kasper as we begin to prepare for the release of his next project.”
(Press release ends)
