Tenor saxophonist Yuri Honing (1965) is one of the Netherlands' most innovative jazz musicians. Honing was born into a musical family, and gained international fame in 1996 with his album Star Tracks, featuring his take on tracks by pop acts such as ABBA and The Police. It was the beginning of a journey that would take him to stages all over the globe. He once told Jazzism magazine that at one point he realized that everything that appeals to him is related to 'desire'. Given his latest project’s name Yuri Honing's Peace Orchestra, one of his (and everyone else’s, really) desires is obviously for there to be peace, and his new project carries a sense of hope to align with those wishes. The album of the same name was released at the end of 2025 to very favorable reviews. “His jazz, including stimulating playing by harpist Remy van Kesteren, was aimed at connecting with a message” according to the Dutch news publication NRC. In addition to Honing and Van Kesteren, the Peace Orchestra also consists of Ella Zirina (guitar), Tony Overwater (bass) and Yoràn Vroom (drums).
