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The New Amsterdam Orkest is an ensemble that goes back a long, long way. 

Back in 1626, Willem van Linkerkant, who was a local lute player and bandleader, received a letter from friends who sailed to the new Dutch colony, New Amsterdam. It appears that when the Dutch sent colonists, along with tradesmen and soldiers, they failed to send some musicians. They had just survived their first year and there was much partying to be had. But they had no music. So they asked Willem if he'd come to New Amsterdam.

Willem was perhaps the greatest lute player of his day. He had a small ensemble and they played all over: the Count's banquets; weddings; church concerts and even private gatherings. Willem was intrigued by his friend's description of the new world, so he packed up his lute and his band and they sailed to New Amsterdam. Willem branded the ensemble, The New Amsterdam Orkest. They were a big hit, but of course being the only band in town helped. After the British invasion in 1664, the gigs began to dwindle. Willem and his Orkest faded into history.

That is until 2022, when a great-great-great-great and furthermore great-grandson of Willem, Billy Eric (me), revivatated the New Amsterdam Orkest 

David Mann – soprano sax (solo 1)

David Smith - trumpets

Charley Gordon – trombone

Nick Grinder – trombone (solo 2)

Brandon Moodie – bass trombone

RJ Kelley – French horn

Eric Davis – French horn

Doug Oberhamer – piano

Todd Turkisher – drums

Billy Eric – bass, guitar, keyboards (solo 3, guitar)

Everywhere she went, heads turned. A bus passed by and like a tennis match, 

every head in the window turned in sync, to see the girl with the Paris hat.

Todd Groves – soprano sax, flute

Charley Gordon – trombone

Nick Grinder – trombone

Brandon Moodie – bass trombone

Janet Lantz – French horn’s

Doug Oberhamer – trumpets

Todd Turkisher – drums

Billy Eric – bass, guitar, keyboards, percussion

The Zuiderzee has seen its share of battles, such as the 1573 Slag op de Zuyderzee. That was during the 80 years war for independence from Spain, when the Dutch destroyed the Spanish fleet. The Zuiderzee, or South Sea was created in 1287 after the North Sea unleashed a major flood and over 50,000 people perished. The Dutch fought back and built dikes to hold back the Zuiderzee, but the North Sea raged once again. In 1421 the flood waters pounded the dikes as the people tried frantically to hold them. The dikes were breached, and another 10,000 people were lost. There are many tales from the old ZuyderZee, but they all end when the Dutch built a huge dike and closed it off, removing the threat of flooding once and for all.

David Mann – soprano sax, flute (solo 2)

Charley Gordon – trombone (solo 1)

Karl Leyden – trombone

Brandon Moodie – bass trombone

RJ Kelley – French horn

Eric Davis – French horn

Doug Oberhamer – piano, trumpet, flugelhorn

Todd Turkisher – drums

Billy Eric – bass, guitar, keyboards, percussion

It was a fine afternoon in early Spring. There was a slight and very welcome breeze, as I sipped an iced orange juice looking out over the Alhambra. There was a gypsy playing guitar in the background, but suddenly, he stopped playing. In fact the singing stopped too. I turned to see what was going on and there she was, the dark-haired girl in the Albayzin. 

David Mann – clarinet, soprano sax, flute

David Smith - trumpets

Charley Gordon – trombone

Karl Leyden – trombone

Brandon Moodie – bass trombone

RJ Kelley – French horn

Eric Davis – French horn

Doug Oberhamer – piano & synth

Todd Turkisher – drums & shaker

Billy Eric – bass & guitar

It all started around the year 1220 when a group of fishermen were searching for a good spot to fish. They came across a river of light golden blond color. “Nee, it couldn’t be”, said one of the men. “Sure looks like it”, piped in another. And so, a third took his cup and reached down into the river. He looked at his mates, let a hearty “proost!”, and took a sip. He smacked his lips and as the others watched and waited for a verdict, he drank down the rest of the cup. “It’s beer!” he proclaimed. The men went wild and they all grabbed their cups and reached in. “Damn, it really is beer!” said a man, tears streaming down his weathered face. It’s true, they discovered a river of beer. And so they told all about this river of beer, the Amstel. They would go on to build a town along it, Amstelledam, meaning “damn, the Amstel really is beer”.

David Mann – flute

David Smith – trumpet & flugelhorn

Charley Gordon – trombone

Nick Grinder – trombone

Brandon Moodie – bass trombone

RJ Kelley – French horn

Eric Davis – French horn

Doug Oberhamer – piano & synth

Todd Turkisher – drums

Billy Eric – bass & guitar

They float by gracefully, sleek and slender with blond hair against a black silhouette. Two come gliding by, in parallel and maybe holding hands. They come from all directions, some sitting on the back with legs dangled over the edge. What is this strange ballet? The Dutch on their omafietsen. 

Todd Groves – flute

Charley Gordon – trombone

Nick Grinder – trombone

Brandon Moodie – bass trombone

RJ Kelley – French horn

Eric Davis – French horn

Doug Oberhamer – piano, trumpet, flugelhorn (solo 2, piano)

Todd Turkisher – drums

Billy Eric – bass, guitar, keyboards (solo 1, guitar)

Once the fog clears, all will be revealed. I could leave it there, because it sounds really deep, although quite simple and obvious. So many ways to interpret it, or apply it, and so yeah, I could leave it at that. The real story is also quite simple: after many years filming the show Let’s Go Dutch in the Netherlands, my wife and I have come to realize it’s always foggy in the Spring mornings, so no need to get out too early. Better shots once the fog clears. That’s it.

David Mann – flute

David Smith - trumpets

Charley Gordon – trombone

Nick Grinder – trombone

Brandon Moodie – bass trombone

RJ Kelley – French horn

Eric Davis – French horn

Todd Turkisher – drums

Billy Eric – bass, nylon guitar, keyboards

This piece is inspired by a painting of Seville. I don’t believe the painting has a name, but I call it the House of Orange. That’s quite fitting, because it was William of Orange, also know as William the Silent, who started the 80 years war for Dutch independence from Spain. It’s also quite fitting because the room in this painting is very orange. It’s a painting of me, playing piano in the exquisite lounge in the hotel we stayed in. Oh yeah, the painting is by my wife, Veronica. That explains how I got in it. 

David Mann – soprano/tenor sax, flute (solo 2, tenor sax)

Charley Gordon – trombone

Karl Leyden – trombone

Brandon Moodie – bass trombone

RJ Kelley – French horn

Eric Davis – French horn

Doug Oberhamer – piano & trumpets (solo 1, piano)

Todd Turkisher – drums

Billy Eric – bass, guitar, keyboards

My inspiration for this piece was my own tales from across Europa: Standing under the 16thCentury Upland Gate in G’dansk, waiting for the rain to stop; crossing the Charles Bridge in the early morning when the fog enshrouds Prague; walking along the weathered step gables on Veermanskade in Hoorn as they tell tales of the salty sea. There was the lekker Belgishe bier in the candlelit de Pelgrim in Antwerpen; the time in Copenhagen when the Royal wedding was taking place and we……oh wait, can’t tell that part! 

Todd Groves – clarinet

Charley Gordon – trombone

Nick Grinder – trombone

Brandon Moodie – bass trombone

RJ Kelley – French horn

Eric Davis – French horn

Doug Oberhamer – piano, trumpet & flugelhorn

Todd Turkisher – drums

Billy Eric – bass, guitar, keyboards

Along with the trial and error of life’s journey, comes many “another firsts”. Forming the New Amsterdam Orkest and playing with such great musicians is one of those “another firsts” for me.

David Mann – soprano sax

David Smith - trumpets

Charley Gordon – trombone

Nick Grinder – trombone

Brandon Moodie – bass trombone

RJ Kelley – French horn

Eric Davis – French horn

Ken Serio – drums

Billy Eric – bass, guitar, keyboards

Henry the navigator yells down to the men erecting the Monument to the Discoveries to raise him up a little, as he can’t see over the Torre de Belem.  In his day, sailing off from this very tower in the great city of Lisboa, he was high above it on his caravel, as he set out on his explorations.

David Mann – tenor sax (solo 2)

David Smith – trumpets (solo 1)

Charley Gordon – trombone

Nick Grinder – trombone

Brandon Moodie – bass trombone

RJ Kelley – French horn

Eric Davis – French horn

Todd Turkisher – drums

Billy Eric – bass, guitar, keyboards

Somewhere out there in the Aegean, floating along with the rest of the Cyclades, is Paros. On the North side sits a bay where the wind sweeps in, rocking the colorful fishing boats; Nasoussa.