Jazz in Motion Records / Kepera Records

26/01/2025

On the way north for a duo concert at stichting Jazz Dokkum.

19/11/2024

The office these few days.

26/10/2024

Thank you for the wonderful reception and hospitality. We had a wonderful time.

04/10/2024

Salon Joussour at a the wonderful location at the with

04/10/2024

Tonight another edition of Salon Joussour at Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ talking about Radio Cairo and umm Kalthoum أم كلثوم with these 3 wonderful people. Nizar Rohana نزار روحانا, Jawa Manla, Hattouma Suleiman. An evening of the Amsterdams Andalusisch Orkest.

17/09/2024

De voorgenomen btw-verhoging is een extra belasting op jouw cultuur, sport, horeca en media. Het is een extra belasting op je kostbare vrije tijd, op je nieuwsgierigheid, op het toejuichen van je favoriete voetbalteam, op het boek dat je wilt lezen, op je schilderij aan de muur, op je fanfare in de buurt, op een hotelovernachting in het land, op het tijdschrift in de trein, op de kickboksschool in de wijk, en op de krant die je op de hoogte houdt van de wereld om je heen.

Door het btw-tarief van 9% te behouden, zorgen we ervoor dat theaterstukken, concerten, festivals en evenementen ons blijven verbinden. Daarom pleiten wij voor .

04/09/2024

New video on line with Dutch singer/songwriter Judith Adema.

Zang, piano, tekst, compositie - Judith AdemaContrabas - Tony OverwaterCamera, licht - Rens PolmanMix/Master - Pascal Voorbraakwww.judithadema.com

27/06/2024

End of the tour and finally!….. Suntory Time!

27/06/2024

Final concert of the Japan tour with Atzko Kohashi. This time we will play in duo. And I will be playing the Ray Brown bass again. The bass Ray brown used to play when he was in Japan. An honor to play on this piece of history.

15/06/2024

Atzko Kohashi, learned a thing or two from living in the Netherlands. Adopting the Dutch entrepreneurship and directness with her sensitive en polite Japanese character proved to be successful in organizing the first Japanese tour for the Atzko Kohashi & Tony Overwater duo. In Japan they will meet up with drummer Sepastiaan Kaptein.

Read the wonderful article here.

A single e-mail connects the Netherlands and Tokachi


It all started with a single e-mail from the Netherlands. There had never been a direct approach from a musician asking to perform at the concert. However, the email brought a passionate message from the musician herself: ....... A small jazz concert will be held at the Centennial Hall in Makubetsu-cho, Tokachi, Hokkaido, on March 23.

The e-mail was received by Yuya Okamoto, the project director of the "Makubetsu-cho Citizens' Art Theater. Upon reading it, he immediately felt that he wanted to "respond to the wishes" of the musicians.

The email, which arrived on January 12, included an introduction of the musician and her activities, as well as details about the excellent acoustics of the Centennial Memorial Hall and the fact that it had previously hosted many jazz musicians. It also mentioned the jazz school for elementary and junior high school students that had been held at the Citizen Art Theater for the past ten years. The musician's heartfelt belief that "music is something that travels" was clearly conveyed.

Okamoto took action.The next day, he responded and invited her to a board meeting to decide the annual schedule via online. Soon after, the hall decided to host the performance.

The email was sent by Atsuko Kohashi, a jazz pianist living in the Netherlands. Born in Kanagawa Prefecture, she started playing classical piano at the age of five and entered the world of jazz after joining a jazz big band in college. She studied jazz in New York City from 1994 to 2001. In 2005, she moved to Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and has been performing across Europe.

Her previous performances in Japan were organized by promoters. However, the COVID-19 pandemic cancellations and the weak yen put musicians in a tough situation. Despite this, Kohashi said, "Our desire to share music has only grown stronger."

Thus, at the end of last year, she decided to contact Japanese venues directly. The first email she sent was to the Centennial Memorial Hall in Makubetsu, which she had heard from an acquaintance was a "wonderful hall."

She contacted about 30 to 40 venues in Japan, including large halls and jazz clubs, but few gave her good responses.

Kobashi said, "We were prepared for no response. We were thrilled that the town of Makubetsu looked over our materials, understood our intentions, and responded immediately. We are grateful for this opportunity and would like to perform from the bottom of our hearts. We hope that the people of Makubetsu-cho will enjoy the music we will bring from the Netherlands."

Following the decision to perform in Makubetsu-cho, the Netherlands Performing Arts Fund and the Embassy of the Netherlands in Japan have also agreed to support the concerts, which will be held from June 20 to 27 at six locations in Japan, including Kobe, Tokyo, and Yokohama

On the day of the concert at the hall, an acoustic live performance by Kohashi, Dutch bassist Tony Overwater, and Dutch drummer Sebastian Kaptein, who lives in Okinawa, is scheduled. The day before the concert in Makubetsu, a workshop for the children of the Makubetsu Junior Jazz School is also planned.

Okamoto said, "This is the first time we have received a direct request from an overseas artist to realize a performance. We hope to introduce the high-level musical appeal to a wide range of generations"

27/05/2024

Thanks for the insightful review, Ken Vos, about our concert at Sijthoff - Cultuur. And thanks Henry Cannon for the beautiful photos.

“Overwater and Atsuko Kohashi had already won the audience over in the first set, but after the almost literally fiery interpretation of Charlie Haden’s ‘La Pasionaria,’ a standing ovation was inevitable. Tony Overwater is an artist who, under all circumstances, knows how to put a unique spin on what might seem obvious at first glance. Therefore, as an encore, something more familiar, namely ‘What’s New,’ but in the version made famous by Betty Carter. A performance for enthusiasts.”
Ken Vos

08/05/2024

Wonderful review of our latest release by Vinsent Planjer Warm To The Touch.

CD-RECENSIE Vinsent Planjer – Warm to the Touchbezetting: Vinsent Planjer drums, percussie, slagwerk; Liza Ferschtman viool; Dominic Seldis contrabas; Benjamin Glorieux cello; Celia García-García piano; Hermine Deurloo mondharmonica; Tatiana Koleva marimba; Teus Nobel trompet; Ties Mellema sopr...

07/05/2024

This Sunday we will talk about Umm Kalthoum م كلثوم the great diva of the Arabic world. And about the opera house of Cairo and Radio Cairo. Together with Jawa Manla, Nizar Rohana and Hatim Suleiman I will organize a Salon Joussour where will discuss the music, the society and the role of Umm Kalthoum as role model for women in the Middle East. Nederlandse Opera Amsterdam 12 mei

27/03/2024

Amsterdam central station

11/02/2024

Thank you, for hosting our sold out concert. It was great to share our first notes together with you.