JUDITH NIJLAND

Jazz standards, contemporary songs, a 2000-year-old poem, and a Chick Corea piece—all in Latin. This unique project stems from Judith’s academic background in Greek and Latin. And it’s the perfect opportunity to merge the elegance of Latin with her passion for jazz. The lyrics are translated from English and Dutch to Latin. Some are literal translations, but most of them are loosely translated.

Judith Nijland – vocals  

Tico Pierhagen – piano  

Pieter Althuis – double bass  

Arie den Boer – drums  

Teus Nobel – trumpet  

Jazz standards, original compositions, a 2000-year-old poem by Catullus, and a Chick Corea piece—all presented in Latin. This endeavor reflects Judith's academic background in Greek and Latin and her desire to fuse the elegance of the Latin language with her passion for jazz.  

This project and album features Latin translations of jazz classics like Summertime and The Girl from Ipanema. Judith has also created new works and set a 2000-year-old poem by Roman poet Catullus to music. Carmina Latina bridges the narratives of two millennia, connecting ancient stories to contemporary experiences.  

Love for Latin 

Judith is on a personal mission to give the Latin language some extra loving attention. Latin is not merely a school subject that is easily abandoned. Latin is a beautiful language, the roots of which can be traced in numerous languages across the globe. While we may not know its exact pronunciation, extensive research has provided us with a good understanding of how it might have sounded. Judith immersed herself in both classical and medieval pronunciations of Latin.