Holland is the place in Europe with the longest jazz tradition. For this reason, Jaume Pineda, a 28-year-old saxophonist from Diane, chose it as a destination to continue growing musically. He has been studying in The Hague for two years and absorbing the most classical jazz to have all the tools and do it his way.
The origins of Jaume
While he was studying at the Vessanes school and later at the Maria Ibars institute, he also learned music at the Agrupació Artística Musical and at the Dénia Middle Grade Conservatory. Later, she moved to Alicante to study at the Superior Conservatory.
How your journey begins
During his higher studies, he did many hours of concerts and began to improvise in a more current music mode. There she begins to play with The Soulomonics: "This was what filled me the most, so I told myself that I had to study modern music", explains Jaume.
He went to a school in Benissa with professor Lolo García, and spent three years teaching and preparing. Advised by him, his first idea was to go to the cradle of jazz, the United States, but ended up discarding it because of the prices and the conditions. His teacher also told him that Holland was at the fore in Europe in terms of jazz tradition. He trusted his judgment, and after doing various tests in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague, he ended up settling in the latter city.
"The first year is a huge impact. What they teach there is traditional jazz, the root of modern improvisation. I had never heard it before, I had not experienced it, so it cost me a lot, it even became frustrating"explains Pineda. But it was a wise decision: because of experience, because of speaking English and because the environment in Holland in terms of jazz is vast.
Life in Holland
"Finding a home is very difficult. I spent two months looking for accommodation, and it is true that it can be a bit hostile. It is difficult to find people to help you, because in addition, there is a lot of demand for flats and the expenses are also much higher", explains Jaume. 70% of the students at the conservatory where they study in The Hague are foreigners, so they communicate in English: "I have not learned any Dutch, although I think I should ", clarifies the dianense saxophonist. "The biggest advantage of Holland is that the cultural level is amazing. There are concerts and jam sessions every night, so you have the opportunity to try yourself every day of the year"explains Pineda.
"In terms of quality of life, I miss the climate and the warmth of the Spanish people a lot. I am also very reluctant to drop meal times: I spend time eating, doing that ritual. The Dutch eat a tub of hummus walking down the aisle with the bread under his arm. But I think it has to be given a special value. There is no traditional gastronomy, so I cook like crazy ", says the musician.
His musical style
Pineda explains in a few words where she is and where she is focusing: "I see myself as an improviser, it is what I like the most. My comfort zone is in the funky, it is where I feel better. I have always played very emotionally, with a lot of energy. And jazz is what I can give to my music the intellectual point to complete my strength ".
When asked if he will return to Dénia at some point, the saxophonist is clear: "I will end up in The Hague and I would like to go to Andalusia for a while to do flamenco, or to South America to make Latin music. I don't have a closed plan."
Below you can see a fragment of a performance by Jaume with the Big Band from The Hague Conservatory.
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