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Music of the Netherlands

The Netherlands have multiple musical traditions, mostly related to nearby German and Belgian forms. Immigrants from Africa and the Middle East have also had a profound effect. Much more so than most non-English speaking European countries, the Netherlands has remained closely in tune with American and British trends.

In the late 1960s, the Netherlands underwent a roots revivalled by artists like Gerard van Maasakkers, Fungus and Wolverloi. Many of the folk songs performed by this musicians were collected by Cobi Schreijer or Ate Doornbosch, the latter of whom broadcast them on his radio program Onder de groene linde.

The mainstream popularity of the Dutch roots revival was short-lived, but a major pocket continued in Friesland, where a handful of groups, starting with Irolt in the mid-1970s, sang in Frisian. Frisian folk music has survived thusly, aided in part by the Aaipop Festival in Nylân and annual festival in Joure. At Joure's festival, established in 1955, participants dress in 19th century-style clothes and revival traditional music and dance like skotsploech ensembles.

Modern revivalists outside of Friesland include the Groningen band Törf, Folkcorn, Pekel and Twee Violen en een Bas.

Mollucan-Dutch musicians like Tala Mena Siwa and the Moluccan Moods Orchestra have had some success with pop-based Moluccan music, while kaseko, a style from the former Dutch colony of Surinam, has also seen mainstream popularity, primarily due to musicians like William Souvenir and Carlo Jones.

Rock

In 1964 (see 1964 in music), The Outsiders became the first and most successful Dutch psychedelic rock band. Group 1850 and Ahora Mazda were also influential. In addition, indigenous forms of pop-rock include Nederpop and Indo-rock, created by Indonesian immigrants.

Jazz

Out of all the European countries, the Netherlands has one of only a handful of distinct jazz sounds, alongside Italy and France. Famous Dutch jazz musicians include Misha Mengelberg, Hans Dulfer, Hans Bennink and Kollektief.

House

Later, Dutch artists invented a form of techno called gabber, starting in the early 1990s; one of the tracks often cited as the first gabber track is "Where the Fuck Is Amsterdam" by the Euromasters.

References