Reinier and the band are featured in Robin Nolan’s Gypsy Jazz Guitar Secrets magazine, and happy with Robin Nolan’s kind words!
“Kings Of Amsterdam Swing: Reinier Voet & Pigalle44”
I’ve known Reinier Voet and Jan Brouwer ever since I first moved to Amsterdam many years ago and have always looked up to them as experts in all things gypsy jazz and Django Reinhardt related. Jan played rhythm guitar in my trio in the late 90s and has always been one of my favorite guys to make music with. Reinier, somewhat a dark horse in the gypsy jazz world has always impressed me with his guitar playing. Whenever I would check him out over the years in the bars and cafe’s of Amsterdam he would surprise me with his beautiful, sensitive touch and deep understanding of Django’s music. We also share a love of Bireli Lagrene and have enjoyed many a beer raving about guitars and music till deep into the night.
Download issue #19 on iTunes or Google Play! Or get to the site www.GypsyJazzSecrets.com
For this release Reinier invites violinist Jelle van Tongeren. An album that is comprised of songs from the ‘gypsy jazz’ songbook but also with music from the pen of Reinier.
This release has been made possible thanks to the contributions of our bandfriends on Indiegogo
For the recording of My Room, Reinier almost exclusively played on his first Gypsy Jazz guitar: a 1979 Joseph DiMauro, Model Jazz II.
My Room can be seen as a heart meant tribute to Joseph Di Mauro. Or, as Django connoisseur, Michael Dregni says: “Joseph Di Mauro worked alchemy on his guitars, and that glorious sound is alive throughout this album – warm, rich, and very human. And in thanks, Voet’s solo guitar piece “Pour Joseph” is dedicated to Joseph Di Mauro”.
Jet Stevens joined the band in 2008 and My Room is her first full album with Pigalle44. Together with Jan she is responsible for a tight and swinging rhythmsection.
Working with Jelle van Tongeren is just such bliss! A great sense of humour, interactive playing and fun! Reinier and Jelle really are a musical match.
A part of the Crowdfunder at Indiegogo: As every guitarist has a preference for his plectrums, so does Reinier:
“The perfect pick develops by playing it into shape. The tip of the pick enables you create a warm sound. The secret is the way the tip hits the string. I have analyzed one of my favorite picks together with my friend and Luthier Thijs van der Harst of Moustache Guitars. With his knowledge and tools we found a way to reproduce that ideal pick. It now saves me (and YOU!) a lot of time to get to that point and it will start you off with pleasant playing.”
It is good to have Thijs on board for this job: he is a great craftsman and has built a nice range of wonderful sounding guitars. His eye for detail, his ear for sound, his quest for the right wood and the care for his instruments make him a luthier who earned much respect in gypsy jazz scene.
