As a bass guitarist, composer and initiator, Teun (Netherlands, 1991) has always had a broad interest in different musical genres, which has never limited him to playing only one genre. Teun has performed nationally and internationally with a wide variety of bands in genres such as blues, jazz, funk, rock, punk, impro, Latin and various types of African music. One of his better-known bands was De Raad van Toezicht, with whom he played on most leading national stages, released two albums, received a nomination for a Zilveren Notenkraker and was a regular guest on various radio and television programmes such as De Wereld Draait Door.
Teun always strives to make the most of the flexibility of the bass guitar. In doing so, he seeks the perfect balance between the various roles a musician can take on as a bass guitarist. His combination of West African styles and more familiar styles such as pop and jazz have proven to be an excellent playground for exploring these possibilities on the bass guitar; a characteristic direction his music takes in the form of his new album called “Naamu”.
In Naamu, Creemers masterfully blends his love for West African music with jazz and groove music, creating a unique blend that he calls “Malinke Groove Jazz.” With his extensive experience playing bass in the bands of various West African musicians, Creemers saw the need to delve deeper into West African music and all its possibilities while not neglecting his experiences in the Dutch jazz scene.
To create this unique blend, Creemers collaborated with co-producer Sebastiaan van Bijlevelt, recording most of the album at the Galloway Studio in Nijmegen (NL). However, additional recordings were made in Bamako, Boston and Paris with various African musicians, including the great kamale n’goni player Harouna Samake and the talented upcoming Malian singer Kankou Kouyaté.
Naamu has been warmly welcomed worldwide and has exclusively received remarkably favourable reviews in renowned magazines, newspapers and blogs such as Songlines (UK), Trouw (NL) and Musicmaker (NL). In addition, Naamu was nominated for a prestigious Edison prize in the Global category in 2023.
Other bands and projects in which Teun has been active as initiator, bass guitarist and composer are: the punk jazz band SPUNK! and his educational music programme for primary schools Life of Matheo. Teun is also playing bass guitar in the new-jazz formation Meika.
★★★★
Songlines Magazine June 2023 – Daniel Brown
“Creemers leads the way with his guitar-like approach to bass playing. Naamu is thus a thoroughly enjoyable jaunt replete with earthy grooves and dazzling vocals.”
“My favourite of the album: the opening track À Nyininka with that sublime bass line. Never heard anything like it coming from a bass guitar before!”
Musicmaker Magazine May 2023 – Erk Willemsen
“‘Naamu’ by Teun Creemers is an unparalleled mix of jazz, West African music and funk, which, as a debut album, immediately nestles rock-solid among all the other CDs and LPs…”
Rinus van der Heijden – Jazznu