Saturday 27th June 2026
Rhapsody in Blue
Tim Kliphuis Trio celebrates its 20th Anniversary with George Gershwin’s landmark hit in a masterful new version.
Just over 100 years ago, George Gershwin composed Rhapsody in Blue for the Paul Whiteman Orchestra, combining elements of classical, jazz and blues. This iconic piece opened up a new era for America’s musical history, and remains one of the most recognizable compositions today.
Tim Kliphuis and his Trio celebrate 20 years of touring together by presenting a brand-new, virtuosic Rhapsody that swings, rooves and dazzles. With their trademark high-octane sound, the three play the role of orchestra and soloist, bringing back the free-flowing improvisational energy that Gershwin’s timeless melodies deserve.
Paired with the Rhapsody is the Trio’s popular arrangement Hoedown for the Common Man, as performed with orchestras across the world, that celebrates the music of yet another legendary American composer: Aaron Copland.
To top this exciting programme off, the Trio play some Gershwin gems: It Ain’t Necessarily So, I Got Rhythm and They Can’t Take That Away from Me in a solo guitar version. During its 20-year career, the Tim Kliphuis Trio has gone from strength to strength. Recent highlights were a Royal state visit to Sweden and collaborations with the Netherlands and Tallin Chamber Orchestras and Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra. Of the two Sony albums ‘Reflecting the Seasons’ and ‘Brandenburg’, their innovative new version of Vivaldi’s masterpiece hit the number one spot on the i-Tunes charts.
For a preview of tonight’s performance, click https://youtu.be/HYMxEwmGkzY.
During his classical studies at the Amsterdam Conservatoire, Dutch violinist and composer Tim Kliphuis discovered his improvisational voice working with the fiery European guitar gypsies Fapy Lafertin, Angelo Debarre and Stochelo Rosenberg. Tim is widely regarded as the heir to French jazz master Stéphane Grappelli, because of the beauty in his tone and free-flowing improvisations.
Tim has shared the stage with legends Frankie Gavin, Richard Galliano, Roby Lakatos and Les Paul and has been lauded for his musical genius by Nigel Kennedy. Recent classical collaborations include The Hague Philharmonic (Netherlands), Tallinn Chamber Orchestra and violinist Daniel Hope. Tim was awarded the Scottish and Polish Jazz Prizes and the Stellenbosch (South African) Woordfees Best Performance Award.
As a composer, Kliphuis has written many orchestral pieces including a Violin Concerto (2018) and Triple Concerto (2021, commissioned by Zaterdagmatinee). His recent compositions are a reflection on the planet and the current times, such as The Five Elements, which opened the 2023 UN Water Summit. He has also written two best-selling jazz violin books and his workshops have been featured at festivals, conservatoires and summer courses all over the world. Kliphuis is a professor of string improvisation at the Conservatoire of Amsterdam and a Pirastro and DPA artist.
Nigel Clark (guitar) is one of the world’s top acoustic guitarists. Born in Scotland, and residing in Dublin, he began his professional career at the age of eighteen in London. In the late eighties, Nigel joined the Glasgow band Hue & Cry. He recorded and toured with them in the UK, Europe and the USA, and contributed arrangements to the band’s top ten singles and albums. High profile collaborations followed with Moya Brennan (lead singer with Clannad) and soul superstar Gloria Gaynor, for BBC TV.
His first recording as a leader, Worldwide Sound, included multi award-winning pianist Brian Kellock and Chick Corea’s saxophonist Tim Garland, reaching the top ten in the UK jazz charts. Nigel appeared at the North Sea Jazz Festival at the invitation of guitarist Jan Akkerman, and featured in a guitar ensemble with him and Terje Rypdal. Since then, he has shared the stage with a host of jazz stars including Carla Bley, Steve Swallow and guitarist Philip Catherine.
A lasting musical connection was formed with legendary Scottish vocalist Carol Kidd, including many albums and extensive tours of the Far East. Nigel was a driving force behind the Scottish Guitar Quartet, worked with folk trio Koshka and the Nordic Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Maria Eklund, and has released a solo guitar album, Under the Stars.
Roy Percy (double bass) brings the driving rhythms of New Orleans to the Trio; his unique slap bass techniques are unrivalled in Europe. Roy has been a dynamic force in many bands since the 1980s, including the Classic Jazz Orchestra and Scotland’s leading gypsy jazz group.
He has collaborated with legendary American jazz artists Al Casey, Slim Gaillard and Marty Grosz, as well as top UK musicians Forrie Cairns, Alan Barnes and David Newton.
Early visits to the Ascona Jazz Festival led to tours of Switzerland, Germany and Austria.
Roy has also been a frequent transatlantic visitor, appearing at the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee, L.A.’s Sweet and Hot Festival and Canada’s Victoria Jazz Festival. Nearer home, at the Edinburgh Jazz Festival, he has worked with many visiting international stars including Lillian Boutté, Fapy Lafertin, Duke Heitger and Evan Christopher.