10th March 2023: RELEASE DAY – ‘Polyphony 3’ by Jasper Blom Quartet with Pablo Held out now
The brand new album from saxophonist and composer Jasper Blom and his quartet with Pablo Held is out today.
Jasper Blom – tenor sax
Jesse van Ruller – guitar
Frans van der Hoeven – bass
Martijn Vink – drums
Pablo Held – piano/wurlitzer
Ben van Gelder – alto sax
Joris Roelofs – bass clarinet
Jasper Blom is one of the Netherlands’ most revered musicians and a leading figure on the contemporary jazz scene. He’s known as a versatile soloist, a forward-thinking composer and an expert leader, having fronted his long-time quartet of guitarist Jesse van Ruller, bassist Frans van der Hoeven and drummer Martijn Vink for over 20 years.
Together, they present Polyphony 3, the newest instalment of Blom’s Polyphony cycle, which follows the widely acclaimed 2019 Whirlwind release Polyphony. Cologne based pianist Pablo Held, joins the line-up as a guest throughout this record and saxophonist Ben van Gelder and bass clarinettist Joris Roelofs feature on one track.
Blom is known for his intelligent compositions which cover a wide range of stylistic influences and Polyphony 3 marks the latest chapter in his already esteemed career. “I like these long-term involvements,” says Blom, “because you allow something to develop. The quartet is a tight band and then because of that tightness, you can invite guests over, which highlights the polyphony from a different angle.” The album is inspired by the post-tonal tone-clock theory and Blom explains, “I actually took a couple of tone rows that inspired me melodically or harmonically and loosely based my writing on that particular hour.” The result is an absorbing and free-flowing album.
Polyphony 3 is an album documenting the journey so far of an intriguing musician who has invested time and care to carve out his distinctive and inimitable voice alongside his trusted peers. The remarkable interplay and mutual respect felt between these fine musicians is palpable throughout this cohesive yet multi-layered and cerebral new work.
Upcoming live gigs:
April 21 – Kumulus Theater, Maastricht
May 18 – Martinus Brouwerig, Groningen
May 20 – Birdland, Hamburg
July 7 – North Sea Jazz Festival, Rotterdam
Polyphony 3 is out now – check it out on our e-store here