The festive anniversary theatre show of iconic erstwhile radio orchestra The Ramblers, featuring guest singer Janne Schra, will end in January 2024, but not without a closing final concert being held in six Dutch theatres that month. One of these six theatres is the atmospheric De Maaspoort Theatre at Oude Markt 30 in Venlo. On Sunday 7 January, The Ramblers will climb the De Maaspoort stage one last time. Besides Janne Schra, the singer Ronald Douglas will also perform. Start 20.15 hrs.

Janne Schra won an Edison in 2022 for her latest album 'In de Regen'. In 2021, the orchestra celebrated its 95th anniversary but due to Corona lock downs, the tour had to be postponed for a year. The Ramblers were founded in 1926 by pianist Theo Uden Masman (1901-1965), at about the same time as the broadcasting associations of the first hour, KRO, VARA, VPRO, AVRO and NCRV. It is the only still-playing orchestra from the early days of our broadcasting system.

Last year, The Ramblers got a new leader, trumpeter Loet van der Lee. He succeeded drummer Cees Kranenburg, who had indicated he wanted to leave the orchestra for health reasons. But that was not the only news from The Ramblers. For the orchestra had asked singer Janne Schra to be the shining centre of the anniversary tour. Janne has a loyal and private audience. The singer's track record and musical reputation are impressive, especially now that a prestigious Edison has been added.

Affinity

Her music deviates rather from the usual in the pop world in a pleasant way. This is what audiences will get to know during the anniversary tour, which includes big band arrangements written especially for her. But the charming singer and songwriter will also perform well-known Ramblers repertoire. Janne's affinity with this has been regularly demonstrated on Matthijs van Nieuwkerk's TV programme De Wereld Draait Door, including Jaap Valkhoff's song "Diep in mijn hart".

She started in 2004 with the formation Room Eleven, which soon made it into a top act at the North Sea Jazz Festival. But Janne is not only successful in the Netherlands. She also drew full houses in Japan, Canada, South Africa and China.

The Jubilee Theatre Tour is co-sponsored by the Prince Bernhard Culture Fund.