by Lucas van Merwijk and Roosje den Hertog
What do you do when a long-term musical collaboration between the Netherlands and China is suddenly made impossible by a pandemic? You wait for the right moment to pick up where you left off! Roosje den Hertog tells the remarkable story of reunion and music during the first Chinese tour of Jazz Trio Kaaskop.
Meet Jazz with a Dutch Heart
Over a period of eight years, Tam Tam Productions built a solid network within the Chinese music world, maintaining lasting friendships with musicians, programmers, students and cultural institutions. This continued until the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, which brought their projects in China to an abrupt halt. For years, traveling to China was impossible, and concerts, educational projects and meetings vanished from the calendar.
This changed in 2025 when one of Tam Tam Productions’ ensembles, Kaaskop, was invited by the Shanghai Jazz Festival. This invitation proved to be the starting point for a new, extensive tour through China in late 2025.
Kaaskop consists of guitarist Ed Verhoeff, bassist Boudewijn Lucas and drummer Lucas van Merwijk. They focus on an instrumental reinterpretation of Dutch musical heritage, reworking compositions from various traditions into an open, improvisational jazz form. Since this repertoire is unfamiliar to a Chinese audience, two Chinese classics were specially arranged and added for this tour: 夜来香 (Ye Lai Xiang) and 弯弯的月亮 (Wan Wan de Yue Liang). These songs played a key role in connecting with the audience during almost every concert.
Noodles, Temples and a Flying Start in Xiamen
The tour began in Xiamen, where Kaaskop had a moment to acclimatize. The first evening was immediately indicative of the entire trip: eating on the street at a simple noodle shop with plastic chairs, freshly prepared noodle soup – complete with a brief demonstration – a cold Chinese beer and payment via Alipay.
After a visit to the South Putuo Temple, an impressive complex dating back to the Tang Dynasty, it was time to get to work.
Michael He of the Dutch consulate in Guangzhou had forwarded information about Kaaskop to Zhang Zhihao, an employee of Wen Yue Shang (China Music Management). This resulted in an invitation to perform at the Jiageng Theater. Despite some last-minute technical challenges, the concert went excellently. Approximately 200 visitors enjoyed the performance and spontaneously sang along with the Chinese classics with great enthusiasm. The evening ended with an invitation for dinner and drinks at a street café.
Drum Clinics and Pet Salons: Bustling Shanghai
For domestic travels we relied on Zhang Ran, whom we knew from his time at Nine Beats, a percussion school, with branches throughout China.
In Shanghai, the activities split over two days. While Lucas van Merwijk conducted two drum clinics for Pearl Drum School, the other band members explored the city. They visited the French Quarter and the Chinese Music Fair, where traditional Chinese instruments are on display alongside ultra-modern musical innovations.
During a walk, we ended up in an enormous,, hyper-modern mall with impressive architecture and luxury brands. But we saw something else unique: a hair salon especially for dogs and cats. In China, pets are truly adored; they are cared for with great love and even dressed up with special summer and winter clothing.
Next on the agenda were jam sessions at the JZ Club. This is a beautiful jazz club, founded by Ren Yuqing. Many of Lucas former students from Amsterdam came to greet him. The synergy between performing, education, and friendship was once again visible here. In the evening, Ed, Boudewijn, and Lucas gave a band workshop at the JZ school for about 25 students .
Shanghai Jazz Festival
The two Kaaskop concerts at the Shanghai Jazz Festival, in the Pudong Qiantan Leisure Park, were absolute highlights. This festival has been around since 2005 and featured more than 300 participants from 20 countries this year. The audience sat relaxed on the grass with wine and beer, listening attentively. Kaaskop received a warm welcome, and once again, the crowd sang along loudly to the Chinese songs. Ren Yuqing, director of the festival and Anju – a former student of Lucas and now a well-known name in China – attended the concert, accompanied by a film crew.
An Eleven-Year-Old Drumming Talent and Beijing Performances
In Beijing, we headed to the impressive studio of Zhang Wilson, a good friend and drummer. There Lucas taught Andy, an exceptional drumming talent only eleven years old. This lesson was followed online by approximately 10,000 viewers. The subsequent online concert even attracted more than 30,000 viewers. Many drum students and their parents were also present in the studio. Afterwards, Ed and Boudewijn played together with young Andy.
The next performance took place at The Factto in 798 Art District, a combination of a venue and record store with thousands of vinyl LPs. The audience consisted of true jazz enthusiasts. Ingrid de Beer of the Dutch embassy and her partner were invited and thoroughly enjoyed the concert.
The third concert in Beijing was held at the invitation of Mr. Jiao, director of the Percussion Art Society. The concert attracted several hundred visitors. Afterwards, almost everyone wanted a photo with the musicians.
Another special moment was dinner with Han Binchen, former student of Lucas and now a teacher in Beijing. His students came with their parents and brought gifts for the band members. The respectful protocol – bowing, shaking hands, maintaining distance – made a deep impression.
Performances in Unique Locations
The tour continued to Changsha, where a jazz club in an old water reservoir provided an almost cinematic experience. The artistic director gave a tour of the complex, which he had redesigned himself. The concert there felt like a trip back to the New York jazz scene of the fifties.
In Guangzhou, the band played in jazz club Enlightening, on the eighth floor of a high-rise. The concert was professionally recorded for possible future releases.
We then traveled on to Zhuhai for another performance in the Golden Jazz Club, an old building with a stunning interior.
After a traditional Chinese meal and sound check, Lucas conducted a workshop. Many students then enthusiastically helped with the setup and strike of the last intimate closing concert.
Connected by Music
The tour ended in Guangzhou with a final shared hotpot. What made this trip special was not just the wonderful reaction of the audience to the music, but primarily the renewed confirmation of long-term relationships. Old friendships proved to be strong es ever, new collaborations emerged, and the foundation for future projects was laid anew. Music, education, and personal connection have once again proven to be inextricably linked.
