Pocket Concerts Benjamin Herman Trio

From the studios of the Concertzender / World of Jazz: Pocket Concerts. In this edition: the Benjamin Herman Trio.

In this Pocket Concert, saxophonist Benjamin Herman is joined by bassist Thomas Pol and drummer, composer and producer Jimmi Jo Hueting. Together, they deliver an intimate trio performance that brings together three generations of musical experience, curiosity and improvisational energy.

For over three decades, Benjamin Herman has been a leading figure in Dutch jazz. As the founder of New Cool Collective and in his countless collaborations and projects, he has developed a highly distinctive sound in which jazz, punk, soul, rock and experimental music blend effortlessly. In 2024, Herman received the prestigious Edison Jazz Oeuvre Award for his extensive discography, comprising more than fifty albums released with New Cool Collective and as a solo artist.

Thomas Pol is one of the most versatile bassists of his generation. After studying at Codarts in Rotterdam, he spent two years at the University of New Orleans—supported by a Fulbright scholarship, among others—where he immersed himself in the city’s rich jazz tradition. He has performed with musicians such as Ellis Marsalis, Gregory Porter, Nicholas Payton and Stanton Moore. He has been Herman’s regular bassist since 2017. Pol is also active in the classical music scene and performs with ensembles such as Pynarello. His most recent release is *Here At Home*, issued in 2025.

Jimmi Jo Hueting is much more than just a drummer. He graduated from the Royal Conservatory in The Hague and Codarts Rotterdam, and won the Erasmus Jazz Award in 2015. Active as a drummer, composer and producer, he moves across the worlds of jazz, contemporary music, film and theater. He is also the driving force behind his own project, Jo Goes Hunting, which blends jazz influences with electronic music, hip-hop and psychedelic pop.

The trio’s most recent major release is The Tokyo Sessions, produced by Hueting and released in 2026. Recorded in Tokyo, the album serves as Benjamin’s tribute to Japanese music culture in all its facets.

Enjoy this intimate performance by three boundary-pushing musicians, recorded for Pocket Concerts.

SETLIST

• Sugii (B. Herman, J.J. Hueting)

• Dede (B. Herman)

• Kwela P’Kwana (M. Mengelberg) *

• Kazegafuku (B. Herman, J.J. Hueting)

• Wasshoi (B. Herman, J.J. Hueting)

* Digging the Archives

For this edition of Digging the Archives, we once again delve into the work of Dutch jazz icon Misha Mengelberg and his composition Kwela P’Kwana, dedicated to the legendary South African tenor saxophonist Dudu Pukwana.

It is a playful and rhythmically adventurous piece that clearly showcases Mengelberg’s fascination with African musical traditions and improvisation. This fresh interpretation connects the rich heritage of Dutch jazz with the musicians of today.

MUSICIANS

Benjamin Herman – alt

Thomas Pol – bass

Jimmi Jo Hueting – drums

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