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“I don’t do styles; I play music. Not classical, not jazz, not pop, but any music that speaks to me and is a true expression of something. I am particularly curious about the music that lies between the styles.” Although Ties Mellema is undisputedly a virtuoso on the saxophone, he sees himself first and foremost as a musician. His craft is expressed in his continuous exploration of the outer limits of music.
From classical and minimal to improv, funk and jazz – Mellema has inhabited the space between the established styles and disciplines for over 20 years.
Taking on and then overcoming challenges and telling a story are always at the heart of his work. Whether it’s the false-polyphonic cello suites by Johann Sebastian Bach on baritone saxophone, the monomaniac Gradus by Philip Glass or the extreme free jazz by his hero John Coltrane: Ties always goes in search of the boundaries of disciplines and the possibilities on his instrument. He continuously challenges himself to retell the music’s story. He lets his instrument speak – as opposed to sing, as is normally the case.
His multi-facetted style of working has brought Ties worldwide recognition and collaborations with, to name but a few, Gustavo Dudamel, Concertgebouw Tracks, MTV, Tania Kross, the Four Baritones, Hans Dulfer and Rembrandt Frerichs. Together with director Jos van Kan, composer Ian Wilson and stage designer Michiel Voet Ties made The End of Desire: a personal and abstract music theatre performance in which he incorporated his injury—an accident that almost meant the end of his career as a musician.
In 2015, Ties faced a serious illness that led him to explore new creative avenues, including composing with electronics alongside playing the saxophone. After 20 years with the Amstel Quartet, which he co-founded, Ties decided to chart his own course. From 2019 to 2025, he performed and composed with PEAX, a cross-over group, before fully transitioning to his solo career. Since then, his music has become more intense and deeply intuitive, a quality reflected in his solo performances and compositions. On stage, Ties engages his audience with stories that draw them into a rich and immersive musical experience.
Ties has received numerous awards, including the prestigious Netherlands Music Prize. Various albums featuring Ties, both as solo artist and ensemble player, were released by his own labels, Amstel- and PEAX Records. He is currently working on his latest album, which draws from dance music, minimal music, jazz, and classical music.
Ties Mellema has an Eppelsheim bass saxophone on loan from the collection of The Dutch Musical Instruments Foundation and plays Légère reeds.
