AM.OK

Brainteaser Orchestra, formerly known as AM.OK, is a reflection of the current Dutch sound of jazz and beyond. Their music fits no label; chunky grooves, captivating ballads, wild soloing and spacey soundscapes - everything is possible. Led by composer Tijn Wybenga, the orchestra was founded with the goal of combining the most exciting new players, and blend their signature sounds into something new. Music that reflects a generation and transcends the jazz idiom. The widely acclaimed debut album Brainteaser (2021) was awarded ‘Best International Debut Album’ by the German Jazz Prize 2022. It contains five pieces that Wybenga and his thirteen-member orchestra recorded in the influential Amsterdam jazz venue Bimhuis. On the album, he worked with improvising musicians like Alistair Payne, Kika Sprangers, George Dumitriu and Jamie Peet. Wybenga re-used small, improvised pieces as the basis for newfound grooves, beats and melodies. Brainteaser Orchestra does what it was set out to do; lead the way. Wybenga dares to be unapologetic, yet playful, with the orchestra showing great promise both as a group as with its members.