It is said that at a young age, pianist Jetse de Jong fell into a large pot of New Orleans gumbo. After climbing out, he never stopped playing the piano. In fact, he decided to become a pianist after hearing Fats Domino. After going through the young-talent programs at the conservatories of Arnhem and Amsterdam, he graduated with the Bachelor of Jazz Piano at the Conservatory of Amsterdam in 2019. Both during and after his studies he toured with various projects in Europe and the rest of the world.
With his new 8-piece band Bayou Bayou (born at the April festivals in Amsterdam), Jetse tackles minimal neoclassical piano music, Sunday morning wake up songs and related styles. Armed with steaming second-line grooves and smoking blues licks, he invigorates the keyboard. His lifelong obsession with blues, jazz and gospel music from the southern United States is evident in both his own work and odes to Dr. John, Ray Charles and Billy Preston.
On his musical journey, rather said trip, Jetse is assisted by band members who are happy to follow him to New Orleans or Louisiana. Bayou Bayou consists of experienced session musicians who can regularly be heard and seen with Sabrina Starke, Caro Emerald, Michelle David, Benny Sings and Sven Ratzke, among others.