Invitation

The Amsterdam trumpet player Saskia Laroo and US-born husband, pianist/vocalist Warren Byrd are frequently invited to play, often in distant foreign countries--so often that they are generally referred to in the press as "prominent Dutch musical export product". In America, Saskia Laroo has been coined 'Lady Miles Davis of Europe' in the press for many years. However, the invitation from the Dutch embassy in Hanoi, Vietnam was among the gems of the duo's foreign tours.

Dutch music export 

On the 26th of April, they highlighted the ambassador's King's Day reception in Hanoi with their music and followed that with three concerts during the prestigious Europe Village Event on the 4th, 5th, and 6th of May. But it would not stay that way. It was said that a highly musical couple from Amsterdam was in Hanoi and two cutting-edge venues came knocking, asking them to come and play. 

Master classes & more

There was an invitation to provide two master classes for the jazz department of the Vietnam National Institute of Music. The fledgling musicians would learn the intricacies of jazz from these two seasoned professionals. The Dutch embassy chanced to entreat the Institute to host a special concert in honor of the 45-year relationship between the Netherlands and Vietnam featuring Saskia and Warren with select students and faculty of the Institute in their beautiful concert hall. May 2ndwould be the day. Saskia would play a trumpet made by Adams, a Dutch-based manufacturer, specially flown in from the Netherlands for the occasion.