GROEF is the brainchild of Guy Roelofs (www.guyroelofs.nl), musician, teacher and producer. In 2007 he established a band especially for the Folkwoods festival. The idea behind this band was to arrange traditional Music from the Low Countries for a folk big band, with a focus on dancetunes.

Keeping the ballfolk hype in mind he has, basing himself on old material, given a new twist to the instrumentals and songs of GROEF.

Like always with Roelof's Music: present and past are once more intricately interwoven. This is not stuffy Music fit for a museum, but lively-sounding modern arrangements with roots in tradition.

After this festival he was asked if there would appear a cd with these arrangements.

Eventually they were recorded , "late in the evening under aflimsy moon", but with a different band line-up.

(TJANE, Cadans der getouwen)

(Orion, Cadans der getouwen)

(Orion,TJANE)

(TJANE)

(TJANE, EBBFB)

(TJANE)

(TJANE)

(TJANE, Cadans der getouwen)

(NL)

(B)

(B)

(B)

(B)

(B)

(NL)

(NL)

(NL)

(NL)

flute and tin whistle  

Fiddle and nyckelharpa

accordion  

vocals

vocals

vocals

drums/percussion  

bass

keyboards/Rhodes  

bouzouki, loops  

Jenny van Diggelen  

Rudy Velghe

Raquel Gigot

Nele Martens

Kristien Segers

Evelien Smits

Jiroh Matulessy

MartinVermeer

Arjan van Tricht

Guy Roelofs

As you can see this is a remarkable collection of Flemish and Dutch musicians!

As far as the line-up go, the variation is upheld: 5 Belgians, 5 Dutch(wo)men, 5 men, 5 women, and with ages between 19 and 60. The backgrounds of these musicians are just as different: one is usually occupied with (neder)hiphop, another sings in an a capella choir and there are a few die-hard folkies.

For those who are aware of the ballfolk hype: opposed to most ballfolk bands most of Groef's back catalogue consists of songs. Guy Roelofs chose not to limit himself to the instrumental part of traditional Music to evoke the danceable features of the Music of the Low Countries.

This results in a unique sound. On the one hand based on old sources, but on the hand relying on 21st century possibilities.

That is exactly how Mr. Roelofs envisions his Music: link the present to the past and you end up with a thrilling  combination of heritage and actuality. (This might not seem special for those who are aware of overall tendencies in World Music,but it is special for the folk Music of the Low Countries.)