New Rotterdam Jazz Orchestra: Neighbors

New Rotterdam Jazz Orchestra brings together musicians from different cultural and musical backgrounds for Neighbors, an adventurous concert celebrating connection through music.

The project centres on Iranian singer and string instrumentalist Reza Mirjalali and Italian organetto player Simone Bottasso, whose musical partnership began ten years ago in Rotterdam-West. Now their collaboration expands into a full jazz orchestra, bringing Persian classical music and Italian folk traditions into conversation with contemporary jazz.

Joining them are Laia Escartin on viola, mandolin and vocals, Lauriane Ghils on percussion and Tarang Poddar on tabla. Together with the New Rotterdam Jazz Orchestra, they explore unexpected combinations of melody, rhythm and improvisation, moving between intimate passages and powerful orchestral arrangements.

Neighbors is the third edition of the orchestra's ongoing collaboration with LantarenVenster. The concert takes inspiration from the idea that everyone is connected through their neighbours, a fitting theme for a city as culturally diverse as Rotterdam.

Details

Event: New Rotterdam Jazz Orchestra: Neighbors Date: Sunday 27 December 2026 Start: 20:30 Location: LantarenVenster, Rotterdam Address: Otto Reuchlinweg 996, 3072 MD Rotterdam Tickets: €18, including €3 service costs Genre: Jazz, world music, Persian classical and Italian folk Format: Seated concert, free choice of seats Series: New Rotterdam Jazz Orchestra residency, edition 3

Featured guest musicians: Reza Mirjalali, Simone Bottasso, Laia Escartin, Lauriane Ghils and Tarang Poddar.