Nighthawks at the Diner

'As soon as ROOD starts to play the audience shivers. This is melancholy, romance and yet it's raucous. The band around ROOD creates an ambiance seldom felt. ROOD's words and beautifully rasping voice impress, thanks to this man's superior combination of intonation, timing and feel. He can make the audience gasp for breath with a note that falls silent; his dynamic band (guitar, sax, double bass and drums) moderates and makes them bang on their chairs. This company truly exceeds by virtuosity. The concert itself becomes a breathtaking tribute to the audience and organizers, where everything falls in place and where a spark touches everyone and induces euphoria. In the end, late at night, the band and the audience are inseparable. And then, it's really hard to say goodnight.'
(WJ)

With substantial lyrics, clever arrangements and a high dose of playfulness, songwriter and performer ROOD and his Nighthawks at the Diner have established a reputation, which can be called unique. Incredible lyrics, an intriguing voice and an unpredictable musical décor merged into authentic contemporary songs, in which classical influences, jazz, blues, rock and folk find each other both easily and inevitably.

Ambiance

'Desire, dreams, secrets, love, intuition, lies and hypocrisy: 'Heart and soul in everything', could have been the mission statement of ROOD & Nighthawks at the Diner.

ROOD's intelligent, personal lyrics, balanced arrangements and outstanding musicians provide the ingredients for this characteristic and touching sound, that's never superficial, hence diverse and layered. Indeed, you could talk about the fascinating lyrics or the intriguing voice of front man ROOD, or about the variety of instruments and the virtuosity they're being played with. Yet maybe, it's all about ambiance. An ambiance, telling different stories and bringing back memories in every song. Something is happening here, that's for sure.' ( TV)

Without resignation

'In ROOD's lyrics clashing truths await, indistinct and vague, always partial and perspectively. On one hand nihilistic, touching the very lowest, full of obliviousness and harsh indifference. For his lyrics sometimes create a place in which all hope seems lost: ' This place is filled with iron and faces slipping of words / This place is filled with irony and will erupt, let's see if it hurts' ('Cellophane', 2002).

But on the other hand, ROOD's lyrics offer you guidance in accepting life and suffering as they come. But it's the kind of affirmation that comes without resignation. The acceptance of the fact that life and illusion belong to each other, and the world being a game, played by blind forces which you can't deny. In fact quite the contrary, we should embrace those forces. Both the liberating (love, strength, joy) and the painful (fear, suffering, loss): ' Now I see the flowers rise in spring / And feel why they were crying so loud / And everything / Every little thing / People like me are laughing about' ('To Be A Man', 1998).' (CV)

Painfully beautiful

'This music is like a movie. Rags of musical history blow your mind. It reminds you of Paolo Conte, Robert Wyatt, Chopin, Tom Waits, Randy Newman, Debussy or 'somewhere at sea' Gary Brooker. Is this classical? Is it jazz? This isn't pop music! What is it? Let's call it inevitable music. Take, for example, the song 'Junie Needs A New Pair Of Shoes': a Latin-beat chunked to an absurd electric Pulp Fiction-guitar-riff, with on top lyrics by L.H. Oswald, JFK's phantom killer. Bizarre? Yes, but also touching in a historical perspective, it's insane as the world itself. 'If We Get Back Home' and 'Shame Rhymes With Pride' are ballads of incredible melancholy. Songs you seem to have been carrying with you your entire life. It's as if they were never composed, they were just there all the time. It's painfully beautiful.

Listen to the harassing song 'No New Messages', the tranquil 'The Waltzes The Polkas And The Sad Songs', the fragile 'Like I Don't Know You Anymore' or the malicious 'Cellophane', and you'll find ROOD & Nighthawks at the Diner's music a strong compound, with melancholy on surface. Healing melancholy, transparent like cellophane, obvious and open. Listen to it repeatedly, and it reveals more and more secrets. Finally, you will be able to lose yourself, cause this music affects. This music matters. This music is complete.' ( JC)

2006 © This article is a compilation of excerpt publications by Willem Jongeneelen (OOR ),Thomas Verbogt (HP/De Tijd), Corrie Verkerk (Het Parool ) and Jeu Consten (Haarlemse Courant). ROOD & Nighthawks at the Diner

Biography

ROOD (Nijmegen, 1970) contributed countless projects varying from guest appearances, co-writing and arranging music for various artists, on to opera, translations, film and theatre. But the versatility of this extrovert singer, poet, composer en multi-instrumentalist is best characterized by his appearance as front man of Nighthawks at the Diner, the albums Fool's Tango, Walkin' On Eggs en Transit Cellophane, and his 2006-2007 production The Master Is Away.

In 1997, ROOD releases his NATD-album Fool's Tango, with co-composers De Kleer and Wisselink. Fool's Tango is rewarded 'CD of the month' in Music Maker, the foremost musicians' magazine in the Netherlands. Surprisingly, Fay Lovsky appears on the duet You Invented Me. This debut album eventually leads to invitations to popular national radio programs and paves the way to the release on A-Records label, a division of Challenge Records.

In 1998, Nighthawks at the Diner is asked by Sony/Philips to record with the newly developed digital recording system DSD. This project results in the second album, Walkin' On Eggs.

In August 1998, Nighthawks at the Diner wins both the Public and Press Award at the Sopot International Festival in Poland. In 1999, their single How About The Next Millennium is being released and Walkin' On Eggs again presented at the Funkausstellung in Berlin. ROOD's ballad To Be A Man is released on the Polish Wroclaw Theatre Festival jubilee CD by Luna Records with amongst others, Nick Cave and Cesaria Evora. Concerts at the Karlshamn Baltic Festival Sweden and the Wroclaw International Festival Poland follow shortly after.

In 2000, ROOD releases a dreamy peace of work: Retrato, an intimate and intriguing nontraditional fado-album, in collaboration with fado-singer Emanuel Pessanha.

As a tribute, ROOD and NATD arranged four Kurt Weill-songs for the Wroclaw Theatre Festival 2000 Weill-edition.

In 2002 ROOD releases his highly praised third Nighthawks at the Diner album Transit Cellophane on the label NEW published by EMI, comprising 17 tracks.

In April 2005, ROOD starts experimenting with a new line-up, letting go of his former steadfast formation. In August 2005 ROOD performs in Denmark and records Jesse Mae Robinson's The Other Woman for a Nina Simone tribute album, featuring many musicians from Nijmegen, among whom Frank Boeijen and Fay Claassen. On the album, ROOD accompanies Idols-finalist Maud Mulder on Everything Must Change.

In March 2006, ROOD & NATD conclude the Night of Poetry Festival at Vredenburg Concert Hall Utrecht.

In May 2006, ROOD composes the music for Frank Boeijen's song Gisteravond Heb Ik Een Stad Verloren.

At present time, ROOD and his Nighthawks at the Diner work on the new production The Master Is Away, again with outstanding, and some new band members: Toon Meijer (saxes, clarinets) Pieter Klaassen (guitars) Jan Flubacher (double bass) and Thijs Verwer (drums, percussion).

Guest appearances

Many musicians have appeared as guest performers with Nighthawks at the Diner, among who are vocalists DeeDee Bridgewater, Mich van Hautem and Dutch Idols finalist Maud Mulder, saxophonists Chester Washington (Earth Wind & Fire) Rinus Groeneveld, trumpet players Eef van Breen, Jeroen Doomernik and Jarmo Hoogendijk, bass players Bas Rietmeijer and Dion Nijland, Zapp String Quartet and violist Friedmar Hitzer and Jules Deelder. Fay Lovsky appeared on the duet You Invented Me.

(Inter)national concerts & RTV

Jessheim Oslo Noorwegen • Karlshamn Baltic Festival Zweden (tv) • Wroclaw Theatre Festival Polen (tv) • MdM Warschau Polen (tv) • Wroclaw Theatre Festival Polen (tv) • Europa Festival Duitsland • AT5 • KRO's Leidsekade Live • KRO's Niemandsland • Vara's Spijkers Met Koppen • Avro's Weekendcafe • Avro's Bijlage • Avro's Opium • NCRV's Geestkracht 11 • NCRV's Volgspot • RTL4's Computer Vision • HO's Dinsdag Desmet • Tros' Muziekcafé • VPRO's Club Lek • VPRO's De Plantage • Nationaal Film Festival Utrecht • Jazz in Lighttown Eindhoven • Jazz in Duketown & Boulevard Festival Parade Den Bosch • Zomerfeesten Nijmegen • Bluesnight Roermond • Uit Festival Utrecht • Nacht van de Poëzie Utrecht • Internationaal Film Festival Rotterdam • Rockarty Concordia Enschede •, a.m.m.

Recordings

The other Woman

Greetings From Nijmegen – a tribute to Nina Simone 2005

Transit Cellophane

Nighthawks at the Diner 2002

Losing Hand

ROOD & Loek Schrievers 2002

Falling Into You

ROOD & Henk Pool – guiding tracks for the movie Foreign Affair with David Arquette 2002

Ancestral Voice

ROOD & Deborah J. Weitzman

How About The Next Millennium