Rafael Slors (2002) is a versatile drummer from Nijmegen, the Netherlands, with a strong foundation in jazz, funk, pop, and classical music. A graduate of Codarts Conservatory in Rotterdam, he has quickly established himself in the Dutch music scene.
He has performed with the Jong Metropole Orkest (2024) and at the Edison Jazz & Klassiek Awards (2023). With his trio, he was a finalist for the Erasmus Jazz Prize, and as a member of the Jadi Peperzak Quartet, Jadi won the Conservatory Talent Award in 2024. In 2025, he toured India and Thailand with the New York Round Midnight Orchestra as part of the World Jazz Festival, and performed with the Alexander Beets Sextet at Ronnie Scott’s in London.
Rafael has shared the stage with artists including Dennis van Aarssen, Steffen Morrison, Marius Beets, Stefan Livestro, Lucas Santana, Alexander Beets, Simon Dobson, and Jacomo Bairos. Known for his dynamic approach to rhythm and texture, he blends jazz, pop, and classical elements in his own compositions to create a distinctive musical voice.
In addition to performing, Rafael is active as a drum teacher and was a junior instructor at the JazzAkademie in Heek, working alongside Joost Patocka.
Tours
World jazz Festival
In April 2025 I had the honor of performing with the New York Round Midnight Orchestra at the World Jazz Festival in India, where we played in Delhi, Pune, Dehradun, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad.
“The World Jazz Festival, held recently in different Indian cities, brought together artistes from across the globe”
Jong Metropole orchestra
In 2024 I joined the Jong Metropole Orchestra for two tours. The summer tour, led by Jacomo Bairos, was dedicated to Brazilian music, while the autumn tour, conducted by Simon Dobson, focused on funk and soul with featured artist Steffen Morrison. We performed at venues such as Radio Kootwijk, Caprera Bloemendaal, and the Philharmonie Essen.
Indonesia Tour
In the summer of 2026, I will tour Indonesia with the Jadi Peperzak Quartet, presenting our debut album Amity. Over the course of two weeks, we will perform mainly in Bali, as well as in Jakarta, bringing the music of this new project to audiences across Indonesia.