The New York Second

The New York Second is a Netherlands-based jazz group established in 2015. It features the compositions of bandleader and pianist Harald Walkate and has released five albums to date, the first four being: Bay of Poets (2017), Emergo (2020), Music at Night (2022) and After the Hours, the Minutes (2023). Its latest album, Room for Other People (2024) was released early 2025.

The group has performed and recorded as a quartet, as a quintet, as a septet, as a trio and – on the new album – in octet setting.

The group’s albums and performances have featured some of the Netherlands’ best-known musicians, including Teus Nobel, Jasper van Damme, Tom Beek, Mark-Alban Lotz, Thomas Pol, Jesse Schilderink, Vincent Veneman and Suzan Veneman. On the new album, the group is joined by the internationally renowned vibraphonist Rob Waring.

The music of The New York Second can be classified as contemporary jazz, but takes on influences from soul, Latin and classical. Critics have typified the music as “atmospheric”, “poetic” and “cinematic”.