Blue Diamonds' Riem de Wolff

Riem de Wolff

After his brother's death (December 2000) Riem wanted to stop performing.
During the following period Riem he realised what 40 years of Blue Dimonds ment for many people.
A good reason, not only to look back but also to look foreward and start a new carreer as a solo artist.

Since 2001 Riem ‘s performing solo (with tape) or live with a band (a.o. Of Course).
On stage he brings a various show with many of his ‘golden’ hits.

The Blue Diamonds are two Dutch brothers Ruud en Riem de Wolff.
The Blue Diamonds were exponents of the famous Indo-rock scene, the cradle for all Dutch rock music way back in the 50's.
Inhabitants of the former Dutch colony Indonesia mixed their rural musical influences with the new rock & roll from the US.
The Blue Diamonds covered many Everly Brothers songs, but became really famous with an up tempo version of a musical song, 'Ramona'.

After his brother died Riem didn't want to perform again.
Under pressure from his fans, in 2001 Riemed changed his mind.

Together with his son Steffen he founded The New Diamonds.

In 2001, he recorded the album ‘Out of the Blue’ with his son Steffen as The New Diamonds.
A 'tribute' album to his brother with duets, together with Steffen and many other successful colleagues he met during his career.

This 18 track album contains three emotional songs, written by Riem and Steffen;
"Blauw genoeg geweest / Out of the Blue" (a farewell song to his beloved brother), "Sixty-4" (the house they grew up in) and the significant song "Back on Track" (after a remark from his wife: so, you're back on track).

The typical, special New Diamond Sound is also surprising in five re-arranged aold hits as; "Little Ship", "Sukiyakí", "Breaking up is hard to do" Bob Dylans "I shall be released" and a complete different version from "Ramona".

9 surprising duets

Other songs of this album are nine re-arranged duets with Riem's friends (and colleagues) like Willeke Alberti (Let it be me), Lee Towers (All of me), George Baker (Skinny Ginny), Rob de Nijs (Oh Carol), Johnny Lion (Your mama don't dance), Anneke Grönloh (Love me with all of your heart), Mariska Veres (Close to you), Oscar Harris (Sunny) en George McCrae (Quantanamara) singt.

All the songs belonged to the Blue Diamonds repertoire.

During this project Riem made a tour with his son Steffen as the New Diamonds.

The album was released in many countries (in Belgium a.o. with Rocco Granata).
Many demands for shows followed (also from other European counties).

Riem de Wolff is “Back on Track’.

In the autumm of 2005 Riem de Wolff (The Blue Diamonds) recorded a new album in the Deans studio in Kirkby, Liverpool.

Besides John Pettifer from The Deans (guitarist en producer) was Sarah Jory al very special ‘guest’ musician on this album.

She plays steel- and slide guitar and besides that she sings together with Riem on the sensitive duet –written by Dries ‘Andres’ Holten- ‘How I Love You’.

The album contains a good mixture of country, swinging jivers as Mona Lisa and Hot Dog complete with a brass section.

It becomes a contemporary album on which Riem want to let his audience know that the 40 years of Blue Diamonds are definitively finished.

DVD 'Live in Concert'

In 2008 Riem released his first DVD

De DVD bevat een live registratie van een concert met de topband Windfall in de ‘Flamingo’ in Rotterdam-Hoogvliet, een geslaagde mix van oude Blue Diamonds hits + enkele tracks van Riem's nieuwste CD.

Verder ook een minidocumentaire met nooit eerder gepubliceerde familiefoto’s vanaf de aankomst in Nederland tot nu, een ontwapenend interview van Joop van der Hor waarin Riem ons een intieme kijk in zijn privéleven gunt en als bonus zijn ambassadeurschap van de New Yorksteppers en de DreamFoundation, een stichting die ernstig zieke mensen hun laatste wens helpt te vervullen.

Op de DVD staan maar liefst 21 nummers waaronder natuurlijk ook de millionseller Ramona, Little Ship, Oh Carel en recente nummers van zijn album ‘Back on Track’.

De totale speelduur is maar liefst 120 minuten, ruim twee uur puur luister en kijkgenot.Naast het 70 minuten durende live concert en de vele extra’s zijn ook de begeleidende dansgroepen ‘The Aces of Swing’en ‘Bunga Melati’ te bewonderen.