Floriaan Wempe

Floriaan Wempe (4-12-1989)

Saxophonist, composer

Photo: M. van den Broek

From early childhood Floriaan was very much exposed to jazz and classical music and already at the age of 5 he asked for Charlie Parker and John Coltrane CDs to be played. It was inevitable for him to start playing the saxophone at the age of 9, after changing teeth.

After a few years of tuition he started focusing on jazz. Only 12 years old, he was awarded a second prize in the national Princess Christina Jazz Competition. In the next few years he was part of a band of promising young players, coached by Robert Veen, bringing him to many stages, such as the North Sea Jazz Festival. This formation, “The New Arrivals”, won the 1st prize in the Princess Christina Jazz Competition 2006.

In May 2014 Floriaan cum laude received his Master’s degree with distinction from the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, where he studied with John Ruocco, Toon Roos and Rolf Delfos. During his studies he represented the RC at the IASJ Meeting 2011 in Sao Paulo (Brazil) led by David Liebman and in 2010 he was awarded the Leidse Jazz Award and nominated for the prestigious Deloitte Jazz Award. In 2012 and 2015 he made private study trips to New York City.

In 2012 Floriaan released his debut CD ‘Flo’s Flow’ on Challenge Records with an international stellar cast of pianist Karel Boehlee, bassist Jos Machtel and drummer Willie Jones III. Furthermore Floriaan has shared the stage with Roy Hargrove, Peter Bernstein, Philip Harper, Benjamin Herman, Peter Beets, Henk Meutgeert, Rik Mol, Juraj Stanik, The Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw, New Cool Collective, Reuben Rogers, Gregory Hutchinson, Michael Philip Mossman, Frank McComb and Madeline Bell among others.

“The ease Wempe demonstrates in his playing is as staggering as lithe and frivolous. The saxophonist displays a handwriting all his own that is bound to grow even more characteristic.”
Jan Jasper Tamboer, Jazzism

“Wempe’s sound is strong and controlled, distinctive and at times referring to big names such as John Coltrane, Joe Lovano en Joshua Redman.”
Peter J. Korten, Jazzflits