"The Dorf" wurde im November 2006 von Jan Klare ins Leben gerufen und hat seitdem zwei international beachtete CDs veröffentlicht und auf einigen der wichtigsten Festivals Westeuropas gespielt.
Die Band The Dorf funktioniert wie ein Marktplatz - Leute kommen zusammen, neue Gesichter stoßen ständig dazu, alte Bekannte verabschieden sich. Es gibt Streit um Grundstücke, Dorfälteste, Exkursionen und ein gemeinsames Essen. Der Begriff der "sozialen Skulptur" soll hier nicht verschwiegen werden. Touristen müssen einen gewissen Schmutzfaktor, plakative Aktionen, Dezibel und Energie in diesem Dorf allerdings schon mal in Kauf nehmen.
Die Interaktion der Band funktioniert im Sinne von sich "selbst organisierender Schwarmintelligenz," jeder Musiker hört "im freien Flug" alles was ihn umgibt, reagiert darauf und beeinflusst wiederum das Ganze. Jan Klare funktioniert in diesem Bild wie eine geographische, meteorologische Gegebenheit, die den Schwarm durch Änderung der physikalischen Bedingungen umleitet.
"...diese Band (ist) schlicht eine Offenbarung – fast zu schön, um wahr zu sein. Ein fantastisches Finale!"
Weser Kurier, Oktober 2011
"Oh do I love, love, love this second CD ....Highly recommended! "
Monsieur Délire, Februar 2011
"Ein Highlight des (Moers-) Festivals ... "
Wolf Kampmann, Jazzthetik, September 2011
"The Dorf" ("The village") was founded in november 2006 by saxofonist/composer Jan Klare and was first called the „off domicil orchester“ because it is supported by the jazzclub domicil in Dortmund, Germany. Monthly between 15 - 25 musicians, out of a pool of about 35 of the best players in the area, come together in that club, . Slowly a band nucleus an a very interesting repertoire developed. The pieces are written by Klare - they are characterized by extensive structures that sometimes culminate, sometimes break.
This large band works like a marketplace or even a pub - people come together, who didnt know each other before, constantly new faces enter the scene, old acquaintances say goodbye, some regulars can always be found. The repertoire becomes more familiar in the course of time, but sounds different every night – musical parts are exchanged, sometimes they are even being completely dropped, the basic sound, the atmosphere of "The Dorf“ though gets more palpable with every concert.
In some moments evrything is upside down, the in other situations you have "deadly silence". There are dicussions about the size of the properties, - there are village elders, excursions and a common meal. The quite modern and therefor well sounding term "social sculpture" should be mentioned, also the fact, that "The Dorf" lies in the heart of the "Ruhrgebiet", which means: a certain proletarian roughness- and dirtfactor marks the music, placative actions, decibel and energy must be accepted by "visiting tourists" like you get sawdust at the carpenters workshop – it comes from the heart. Underneath this occasionally hard shell the most tender plantlets, poets and thinkers can be found.
Klare is wellknown in germany as a composer and bandleader. He co- lead "Supernova" (a 15 pieceband) from 2000 – 2003, which got invited to play on international festivals -his pieces are as much played by comntemoprary classical ensembles as by jazzbands and were a.o. recorded by the WDR radio Big Band. He has written a piece for 150 musicians, fireworks and church bells. "The DORF" takes all this one step further – it's heavy, raw and a lot of fun.