Karel Boehlee — Pocket Concerts

Coming to you from the studios of the Concertzender / World of Jazz: Pocket Concerts. In this edition: Karel Boehlee.

Karel Boehlee (1960, Leiden) is a renowned Dutch jazz pianist and composer, known for his lyrical and versatile playing style. After releasing his debut in 1984, he gained international acclaim with the European Jazz Trio, whose albums became especially popular in Japan. His discography includes Switch, Silent Nocturne, Blue Prelude, Romeo and Juliet, Love Dance, and the recent live album Live at Marriott The Hague (2023).

Boehlee has performed with legends such as Toots Thielemans, Philip Catherine, Peter Erskine, and Phil Woods. As an accompanist and session musician, he has recorded with Dutch greats such as Toon Roos, Jesse van Ruller, and Fay Claassen. As well as in pop music with artists like Trijntje Oosterhuis and Gino Vannelli. He regularly tours in Japan and Korea and for many years, he has also been a principal piano professor at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. In 2013, he was awarded the Arena Jazz Award for Best Accompanist.

A new feature in Pocket Concerts, Digging the Archives (curated by Nederlands Jazzarchief), connects audiences with the rich history of Dutch jazz and gives it new life. Performing musicians are invited to include one rediscovered archival piece alongside their own work—paying tribute to the Dutch Jazz Giants before them. This first edition features Karel Boehlee performing The Winner by Dutch piano master Rob Madna. We’re digging the archives; we hope you’ll dig them too!

Filmed and recorded live, August, 2025.

SET LIST
1. Mister T.
2. Amazing You
3. Gentle Brain

Digging the Archives:
4. The Winner (R. Madna)

5. Poggibonzi

All compositions by Karel Boehlee except when stated otherwise.

MUSICIANS
Karel Boehlee - piano

POCKET CONCERTS TEAM
Production: Arjan Went & Co de Kloet
Digging the Archives: Frank Jochemsen (NJA)
Sound: Wijnand de Groot
Sound assistant: Frits van Schendel
Camera: Arnaud Heymel (Heymel Visual)
Camera assistant: Yara Heijmel (AllYouMedia)
Editing: Arnaud Heymel (Heymel Visual)
Design: Marcel van den Broek (Oak)
Host: Ide van Gelder

THANKS
Mark van Schaick (Buma Cultuur)
Fabrizzia de Toni (inJazz)
Theater Kikker Utrecht
Raph van den Driesschen
Rimke Went (RimDesign)
Astrid Schenk (Worldofjazz.nl)
Niklaas Hoekstra (Concertzender)
Sem de Jongh (Concertzender)
Daen's planten, Utrecht

Pocket Concerts is made possible by World of Jazz, inJazz, Het Jazz Archief and Podiumkunst.net

#karelboehlee #jazzpiano #piano #accomponist #composer