As a composer, bass guitarist and bandleader, Teun Creemers (Netherlands, 1991) has always been driven by a curiosity for musical traditions from around the world. Rather than limiting himself to a single genre, he has performed nationally and internationally across a broad musical spectrum, from groove-oriented styles such as funk, pop and rock to jazz and diverse African musical traditions, where improvisation and adventure have always played a central role.
Driven by a fascination with bringing together musical traditions that rarely meet, Creemers explores the dialogue between African musical heritage and contemporary jazz, always searching for new musical languages that emerge through genuine artistic collaboration. This journey first led him to the musical traditions of Mali and Guinea, before expanding towards the Amazigh and Gnawa traditions of Morocco.
In 2023, Creemers presented the first chapter of this artistic journey with the release of his debut Naamu album. Blending West African music with jazz and groove, it introduced a distinctive musical language he described as Malinke Groove Jazz. Recorded in the Netherlands, Mali, France and the United States, the album featured collaborations with renowned musicians including Harouna Samake, Mamadou Diabate and Kankou Kouyaté.
The album received enthusiastic reviews from publications including Songlines (UK), Trouw (NL) and Musicmaker (NL), and was nominated for an Edison Award in the Global category in 2023. Its success was followed by various European tours, with performances at leading venues including the Bimhuis (Amsterdam), De Roma (Antwerp) and Porgy & Bess (Vienna).
Building on this foundation, Creemers continued his artistic journey with Naamu ft. Aziz Ozouss, exploring the rich musical traditions of southern Morocco. Created in collaboration with Moroccan multi-instrumentalist and singer Aziz Ozouss and recorded in Casablanca, the project reflects his continuing search for meaningful musical dialogue between cultures while remaining rooted in improvisation, groove and contemporary jazz.
Alongside Naamu, Creemers is involved in several other musical projects. He is one of the creators of Life of Matheo, an educational music programme for primary schools, and initiator of the Klankkast Sessions, a concert series in which he brings together leading Dutch jazz musicians every six months to perform new original compositions. The series serves as a platform for developing new repertoire that will eventually form the basis of a future studio album, combining elements of jazz and contemporary songwriting.
Earlier in his career, Creemers was the initiator of the Dutch band De Raad van Toezicht, with whom he performed at many of the Netherlands’ leading venues, released two albums, received a nomination for the Zilveren Notenkraker.
★★★★
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