Biography
“ One of the best albums ever made on Dutch soil in this genre of music” is one of the enervating quotes written on the new album “Me and you” by the Dieter van der Westen band this spring. Renowned music magazine OOR also classified the new album as “an album to cherish“. The Dutch and Belgium press received the new album with great excitement. Now for just more than a year and a half Dieter van der Westen and his band are performing on festivals in The Netherland. This spring they released their brandnew album. The group spreads an eclectic mix of Americana, Indiefolk and World with catchy authentic songs that stick in peoples minds. The musicians carry an extended musical bagage and international performance experience, but in the Dieter van der Westen band they focus on their love for pure rootsy Americana songs.
And it sounds like... Frits magazine describes Van der Westens voice on the new album as a mixture between a young Mark Knopfler with a twist of a folky Neil Young and also altcountryforum describes the sound in that direction. Indeed Van der Westen is influenced by Knopfler, Young as well as Bruce Springsteen and Tom Waits. But having also a background in North African music he combines it with rhythms and tonality influenced by artists like Idir, Khaled and Manu Chao. The album was enriched by the musical influences of the different band ; Dieters brother Eric van der Westen bassplayer (Sezen Aksu, Martin Fondse, Lenine), guitar player Aron Raams (Gare du Nord, Paul de Leeuw), drummer Gijs Anders van Straalen (Wouter Hamel, Room Eleven), and from Banjo and Dobro player Joost Abbel (Zorita). On the album Mirte de Graaff performed the violin on the first four tracks.
Up till now...
In 2017 the first concert they played was at national radiochannel De Concertzender, but soon shows followed at Divercity festival, The Hague and in Paradiso in Amsterdam. In the autumn and winter 2017 the band played theatre shows and prepared the new album Me and you which they recorded in februari 2018. the album was produced by Mickey Smid, known for his productions with blues trance group My Baby. The album was presented on the 15th of april 2018 in Paradiso Amsterdam and soon Dutch and Belgium music press gave the album positive reviews. In the spring of 2018 the band also played the main stage of Bevrijdingsfestival Amsterdam alongside acts like My Baby and Heavn. Dutch radio picked up the album and NPO radio 1 asked the band to play in “Met het oog op morgen” the radio program with most listeners on Dutch radio. Festival De Parade booked the band for the editions in Utrecht and Amsterdam as a closing act for the night. In august the band played Zandstock festival, alongside bands like Jett Rebel and Blaudzun.
In the Netherlands Dieter worked with local known artists like Thé Lau, Blof, Paul de Leeuw, Frank Boeijen, Eric Vloeimans, Gerard van Maasakkers, Eric Vloeimans, Astrid Nijgh and the Grammy award winning Metropole Orchestra.
And it sounds like... Frits magazine describes Van der Westens voice on the new album as a mixture between a young Mark Knopfler with a twist of a folky Neil Young and also altcountryforum describes the sound in that direction. Indeed Van der Westen is influenced by Knopfler, Young as well as Bruce Springsteen and Tom Waits. But having also a background in North African music he combines it with rhythms and tonality influenced by artists like Idir, Khaled and Manu Chao. The album was enriched by the musical influences of the different band ; Dieters brother Eric van der Westen bassplayer (Sezen Aksu, Martin Fondse, Lenine), guitar player Aron Raams (Gare du Nord, Paul de Leeuw), drummer Gijs Anders van Straalen (Wouter Hamel, Room Eleven), and from Banjo and Dobro player Joost Abbel (Zorita). On the album Mirte de Graaff performed the violin on the first four tracks.
Up till now...
In 2017 the first concert they played was at national radiochannel De Concertzender, but soon shows followed at Divercity festival, The Hague and in Paradiso in Amsterdam. In the autumn and winter 2017 the band played theatre shows and prepared the new album Me and you which they recorded in februari 2018. the album was produced by Mickey Smid, known for his productions with blues trance group My Baby. The album was presented on the 15th of april 2018 in Paradiso Amsterdam and soon Dutch and Belgium music press gave the album positive reviews. In the spring of 2018 the band also played the main stage of Bevrijdingsfestival Amsterdam alongside acts like My Baby and Heavn. Dutch radio picked up the album and NPO radio 1 asked the band to play in “Met het oog op morgen” the radio program with most listeners on Dutch radio. Festival De Parade booked the band for the editions in Utrecht and Amsterdam as a closing act for the night. In august the band played Zandstock festival, alongside bands like Jett Rebel and Blaudzun.
In the Netherlands Dieter worked with local known artists like Thé Lau, Blof, Paul de Leeuw, Frank Boeijen, Eric Vloeimans, Gerard van Maasakkers, Eric Vloeimans, Astrid Nijgh and the Grammy award winning Metropole Orchestra.
