Both Jan Akkerman meets Wes Montgomery and rebellious, disruptive
In the run-up to Jazz in Duketown—the jazz festival held around the Pentecost weekend in Den Bosch—the annual battle for the Conservatorium Talent Award takes place. It is a prestigious prize for the most talented student across the jazz departments of Dutch conservatories. In 2024, guitarist Jadi Peperzak (Nijmegen, 2000), then still a student at the Codarts Conservatory in Rotterdam, took it home (Jazzism, April 2024). Peperzak used the prize money attached to the award to record the album Amity.
Amity features seven compositions by Peperzak, moving between raw urban jazz and soulful, almost ballad-like pieces. He effortlessly navigates between technical feats—with lightning-fast runs across his guitar strings in one track—and atmospheric, gliding chords in the next. Think Jan Akkerman meets Wes Montgomery, so to speak.
And therein lies the crux. On this debut album, Peperzak showcases a sampler of his craftsmanship, which is simultaneously his strength and his weakness. He surrounds himself with three talented, young musicians, among whom pianist Kasyfi Kalyasyenat impresses both as an accompanist and a soloist. However, a stroke of genius is the addition of Nicolò Ricci on a track like Song For My Couch. With his tearing saxophone solo—playful, rebellious, and delightfully disruptive—he lifts the band to a higher level, while Peperzak keeps his quartet on the right track with tight chords.
With Amity, Peperzak hands out two different business cards. The one that is a bit more raw and frayed around the edges is the one he can hand to me more often.
The wait is finally over! I am so excited to announce that you can now officially order the new album on both CD and LP.
Whether you love the classic feel of vinyl or the crisp sound of a CD, we’ve got you covered. You can find both versions available right now in our webshop:
Fast Shipping: We know you’re eager to start listening. That’s why we offer a “next-day delivery” service—ordered today, delivered tomorrow! Thank you all so much for the incredible support during the album launch. I can’t wait for these physical copies to land on your doorstep.
“What a party my album presentation at LantarenVenster Rotterdam was! Do you want to see the photos? Check them out here
Was Rotterdam a bit too far for you? On May 20th, you can find me at Brebl Nijmegen. You can book your tickets here now. Will I see you there? More info & tickets here
Jadi Peperzak Quartet: A Triumphant Debut at LantarenVenster
In 2024, guitarist Jadi Peperzak received the Conservatorium Talent Award, and his final exam concert was equally successful. On this day, he presented his debut album, ‘Amity’. While the LantarenVenster concert hall wasn’t technically sold out, it seemed far too small for the wildly enthusiastic audience. The Jadi Peperzak Quartet delivered a dazzling performance.
Wim van Zon, owner of the Tone & Image gallery in Schiedam and board member of the Gillespie Foundation, is dedicated to supporting young jazz talent by finding new stages and organizing concerts. In his introduction, he noted:
“The Gillespie Foundation is in close contact with teachers at the Codarts Conservatory in Rotterdam. They keep us informed about talented students, who come from the Netherlands but also increasingly from all over the world. Jadi made a huge impression on me when he performed in the opening act for New Cool Collective in 2023. He is not only a great talent but also possesses the perseverance to make it happen.”
From Soundcheck to Spotlight
There had been some nerves during the afternoon soundcheck. The four young musicians took the stage somewhat shyly, but once the spotlights were on and family, friends, and former teachers were visible in the front rows, they immediately shifted to full power. They opened with the exciting intro of 00:59, showcasing their talent through a beautiful, long-drawn-out version of the piece. The momentum stayed high with the grooving JaJaJa, which was built up layer by layer.
After the first fifteen minutes, a beaming Jadi Peperzak addressed the crowd: “Hi! It’s warm in here, isn’t it? And so many people! Thank you all for coming!” He introduced his bandmates and shared how they grew together during their studies, developing a deep musical friendship. Pianist Daniel Bulatkin was the one who plucked him from his dorm room and took him to his first gig; it was in this atmosphere that Amity was born.
Musical Mastery
Jadi Peperzak understands the finesses of the electric guitar and translates them logically into his versatile compositions. In every facet of his relaxed playing, there is a sense of overview, spontaneity, and total surrender. Melodies, a rich sound palette, and riffs are beautifully balanced. During his improvisations, he lets loose, yet his timing remains razor-sharp.
In pianist Daniel Bulatkin, double bassist Sulav Maharjan, and drummer Rafael Slors, he has found the perfect companions. They seem to be cut from the same cloth, expanding the music with challenging interplay.
The Setlist and Guest Appearance
Ober (Waiter) is a new piece capturing both the joy of alcohol consumption and the struggle of the days that follow.
Song for my couch reveals a lyrical compositional style that highlights Peperzak’s gentle nature.
In Right before and Seven no more, tenor saxophonist Jesse Schilderink joined to pull the sound in a new direction. His soulful, seasoned playing gave the music a surprising twist. Peperzak and Schilderink are a perfect match, forming a formidable duo.
Conversation is another new piece, written for Sulav Maharjan. Judging by his articulate bass playing, the title is very fitting.
I think you know is a ballad where insight and resignation are translated into contemplative vistas.
The concert concluded with Floating on dream soda, a composition with a spacious structure that excels in subtlety.
The Encore
For the encore, Jesse Schilderink rejoined the quartet for Twee kopstootjes alstublieft meneer de ober (Two “kopstootjes” please, Mr. Waiter). This light-hearted piece created a spatial atmosphere; its sound and drive evoked euphoric associations with The Crusaders and The Michael Brecker Band. The fresh approach of the Jadi Peperzak Quartet fits effortlessly into this lineage. The standing ovation at the end was richly deserved.
In the foyer, the celebration continued for a long time, and vinyl and CDs flew off the shelves.
Lineup & Setlist
LantarenVenster Rotterdam, May 3, 2026
The Band:
Jadi Peperzak – Guitar
Daniel Bulatkin – Piano, organ, keys
Sulav Maharjan – Double bass
Rafael Slors – Drums
Guest: Jesse Schilderink – Tenor saxophone
Setlist:
00:59
JaJaJa
Ober
Song for my couch
Right before
Seven no more
Conversation
I Think you know
Floating on dream soda
Encore: Twee kopstootjes alstublieft meneer de ober
Line-up: Jadi Peperzak (guitar); Kasyfi Kalyasyena (piano); Sulav Maharjan (double bass); Rafael Slors (drums); Nicolò Ricci (tenor saxophone)
Recorded: December 18 and 19, 2024, Studio Smederij, Zeist
Released: May 3, 2026
Label: Peperbag Records
Tracks: 7
Running time: 41’48
Website: jadipeperzak.nl
By: Jeroen Jansen
The Rotterdam Conservatory (Codarts) has been turning out remarkable talent for years, but the Jadi Peperzak Quartet is a special case. The four musicians originally found each other in the lecture halls of Codarts, evolving from classmates into an ensemble that experienced professionals love to share the stage with. The arrival of their debut album is welcome news. That it is instantly this good comes as a surprise—though one that quickly fades once you’ve spun the record a few times.
‘Amity’ features seven compositions, all penned by guitarist and bandleader Jadi Peperzak (2000). The titles are intentionally lighthearted; Peperzak writes from emotion but wants to give listeners the freedom to bring their own meaning to the music. While that might sound like a recipe for non-committal music, the tracks prove otherwise. Take the opening track ’00:59′, one of the first pieces he wrote for this quartet and long their standard set-opener. It is a track that knows exactly how to kick off an evening: energetic yet patient, leaving plenty of room for the band to establish themselves right away.
From round and full to raw
Peperzak plays guitar with an uncommon sense of dynamics. In the liner notes, Jarmo Hoogendijk—his improvisation teacher at Codarts—describes a guitarist capable of shifting from a round, full tone to a raw, gritty edge, deploying eighth notes and syncopation with a precision that sounds far more mature than his age suggests. He is right. But what stands out just as much is how Peperzak embraces space. ‘Seven No More’ started out as a 7/8 composition but was rewritten in 4/4, simply because it felt better that way. Making that kind of call—letting go of a concept when it gets in the way of the music—is what separates a true composer from a mere craftsman.
Pianist Kasyfi Kalyasyena is the quiet powerhouse of the quartet. Hoogendijk praises him for his ability to conceive and develop motifs on the fly during improvisation, and it shows. His contributions don’t just fill space; they guide, comment, and reply. Sulav Maharjan plays double bass with energy and inventiveness, and his interplay with Rafael Slors on drums forms the foundation upon which everything else rests. The fact that Slors’ cymbals are exceptionally well-recorded is a detail you might only notice after a few listens, but once you do, it becomes indispensable.
The Core
Tenor saxophonist Nicolò Ricci joins as a special guest and delivers some of the album’s most powerful moments. His solos are raw and direct: the sound of someone who has listened deeply to the blues, not to imitate it, but to internalize it. On ‘I Think You Know’—written the day after a breakup and put to paper in just two hours—his sax acts as a second voice, approaching the emotion of Peperzak’s composition from a different angle. This piece is the core of the record for other reasons too: it serves as living proof that jazz doesn’t need to be old to be deeply moving.
‘JaJaJa’ provides the lightest note on an album that otherwise leaves no room for fluff; the title references a studio inside-joke that snowballed into a catchphrase. ‘Song For My Couch’ carries its own little lore, written on the sofa where Peperzak was forced to sleep during a bedbug infestation. Meanwhile, ‘Floating On Dream Soda’ offers no explanation, nor does it need one. Music is whatever you make of it yourself, Peperzak says. The question now isn’t whether there will be a second album, but how soon.
Album Presentation: Jadi Peperzak will present ‘Amity’ on May 3rd at LantarenVenster, Rotterdam.
