NEWS (5.27.2010) AZURE is selected for the semi-finals of the Dutch Jazz Competition. The band is scheduled to play on
thursday june 3rd at the Bimhuis in Amsterdam. The Dutch Jazz Competition is a bi-annual competition for Dutch jazz groups,
competing for best band, best composition and best solist prizes.

AZURE - TOUR REPORT SOUTH AMERICA 2009 Last november and december Azure went to South America for a concert tour. After arranging everything and with help of our tour manager Evelien and of the NFPK fund, it was finally happening. KLM/Air France provided the tickets to go to Sao Paolo, brasil, which was really nice of them. The two and a half week tour provided a busy schedule with lots of travel, covering Brasil and Argentina. Time off was spent in Rio de Janeiro, where we could relax at the beach, hang around the Hotel swimming pool, and check out the beautiful Brasilian live music. Our gigs took place in the major cities of eastern Brazil. The sheer size of a city like Sao Paulo is really something else. We had very appreciative audiences, and at times we even had to sign our CD's! The radio shows played some of our music. Our 'European modern jazz' is considered very exotic in Brasil, where people listen to samba and Brasilian pop most of the time. During the whole period in Sao Paolo we got treated like real superstars, by the promotors organising our concert in MASP. We had never seen such careful planning and such nice sandwiches! The grand piano was nice, too. MASP concert in Sao Paulo. Some of the traveling by buses was quite hectic. At one point we got stuck in a flood for three hours, during the trip from Sao Paulo to Rio. Travelling by plane was better, and gave us great views of the brasilian countryside. Studio Clio gig in Porto Alegre. One of our best shows of the tour The concerts got better and better as the tour went on. We especially liked to play at Studio Clio and at Teatro do Paiol. Youtube footage of the Paiol Concert here. After the last concert in Brasil, which was in Porto Alegre, we went on to Buenos Aires, Argentina for the final show. Argentina is an entirely different country than Brasil, and is still very much suffering from the collapse of their national currency, the peso. The amount of old-time cars you see in the streets rivals with that in Havana. Last stop, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Everything can be repaired, and here, people never write off their cars. Our final concert was quite weird because the lighting engineer was really taking his job very seriously. He could litterally switch the whole spotlight and colour scheme from one song section to the next! Aha, so this is what is feels like to be in a major musical! Exquisite lighting in Cafe Vinilo. It changed faster then we could play! Azure playing at teatro do Paiol, where every major artist in brasilian music, from Astrud to Toninho have performed through the years. After that, it was time to go back to Sao Paolo, for our connecting flight to Amsterdam. All good things must come to an end. But we were invited by various programmers to come back next year, so who knows... Hope to see you soon, all the best! Azure   Time to go back to NL... snow, rain, dutch food. But also girlfriends.

Thank you, KLM/Air France! Rio central. Quite inviting, huh? The tall statue of Jesus overlooking Rio Our 3-set Triboz concert The tour-schedule was busy. Luckily, we had some time off, between... ...the tiring rehearsals... ...the hours spent composing... ...and promotional activities.

(11.16.2009) Liner notes available
Please click HERE to read the liner notes to our cd When She Smiles.

(10.2.2009) After a nice summer of playing various Dutch Jazz Festivals, Azure will make a tour through
Brazil and Argentina in late november and december. The band will play 10 concerts altogether.
The tour is made possible by the NFPK, Foundation Traveling Sounds and Spoor 25.

(4.20.2009) On friday 24 april Azure will be featured in a radio broadcast of Den Haag 92.0 FM! Check it
out friday from 19.00 hrs. Rogier Schneemann will talk about the Azure's influences and about the new
album. The broadcast will be available afterwards at http://denhaagfm.com/

(4.14.2009) Azure's debut album When She Smiles is available from today on! It already got some very
favorable press reviews. Click here to listen or buy it.

(12.8.2008) Azure will be playing on the Prishtina DAM Festival in Kosovo, on
march 25-31, 2009. This will be the start of their tour through Europe to support their upcoming debut CD.

(12.7.2008) Pierre-François' French project called the boNObo Trio, has a new
CD out, which is for sale online. Check it out here!