Kika Sprangers - Mind's Eye (March 2022 ZenneZ Records)

Kika Sprangers is one of The Netherlands’ most captivating jazz musicians. After her full album debut, Human Traits (2019, nominated for an Edison Jazz Award – the Dutch equivalent of the Grammy), her new album Mind’s Eye is another example of Kika's artistic quest for what makes us human. For her, imagination is key.

During several periods of lockdown, Kika was found in an abandoned TivoliVredenburg – the concert hall that she is working at because of a two-year Jazz Artist In Residence Program, with the support of Performing Arts Fund NL.

“What is left of the human aspect in a large building with closed doors, where the lights go out automatically after an hour or so and where it should be buzzing with noise in the corridors, caused by a steaming crowd? I never expected this silence and emptiness to be inspiring to me. There was literally no one and nothing, and it triggered my imagination. And then I realized, this is exactly what makes us human: the ability to imagine.”

The outcome is a rich conceptual album that explores the cross overs between modern jazz and neo classical.

1. Mind's Eye 06:31

2. All We Have Left 05:53

3. Building Castles in the Air 06:46

4. Film Noir 09:24

5. Placebo 03:55

6. Reflections 01:47

7. Mirage 07:23

8. What If 02:40

9. A Picture Paints a Thousand Words 03:53

10. Mind's Eye Echo 01:17

Kika Sprangers – soprano & alto saxophone

Anna Serierse – vocals

Koen Schalkwijk – piano

Alessandro Fongaro – double bass

Willem Romers – drums

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Teis Semey - Mean Mean Machine (November 19, 2021 ZenneZ Records)

Letter to myself:

This is as honest as I can get. My inner forest is a pine forest. It grows in my chest and sways slowly in a constant soft harmonious eagerness. Outside of my forest, my wish for authenticity and honesty suspends like a spiderweb between the tall buildings of my imagination. The wind and rain rips threatening into the web like a thousand biting dogs. Down on the streets, our muffled voices utters heartfelt clichés to each other in brief eternal moments of rest and joy as we slowly march along to the metronomic clicking cogs of the machine.

The machine is the mass grave of ideas and creativity that runs in the sewers beneath our factories. The machine fuels your Uber. The machine made your shoes. The machine is exhaustion in the eyes that smile tiredly at you from the other side of the counter. The machine supports your struggle - the machine gave you the language to articulate your cause. The machine wants to be your carpet, your wall paint, an invisible force, a schizophrenic insisting on you doing your own part. The oil of the machine is compliance. "Start with yourself!" it whispers.

The machine itself is old, the machine is failing. The machine has outlived its days. And I watch the machine collapse on itself as I sit through a seasonal cycle in my pine forest.

This album is dedicated to the endlessly inspiring and strong people who tirelessy fight for the humanity, dignity and freedom for everybody. Thank you. 

1. Sun Song

2. A Strange Absence of Birds

3. Bamboo Eyes

4. Requiem

5. Monday in Turqouise

6. Glue or The Eternal Struggle of Beauty

7. Tragedie

Teis Semey – guitar / compositions

Alistair Payne – trumpet

José Soares – alto saxophone

Jort Terwijn – double bass

Sun-Mi Hong – drums

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Kika Sprangers & Pynarello - No Man's Land (July 2021 ZenneZ Records)

Kika Sprangers is on the forefront of the new jazz generation in the Netherlands. Her new release No Man’s Land was recorded live on November 22, 2020 at CloudNine in TivoliVredenburg.

“To me No Man’s Land is a special work, created in a quiet, pandemic world, with the focus theme: the position of women in the present time”, says Kika.

She explains how she has tried to capture reconciliation and vulnerability on this recording, “the most important elements in the gender discussion, if you ask me. The music is about connection and emotion. Character should be first in the ranking, gender comes later. Or perhaps it should not really matter at all?”

1. Walllflower 03:53

2. Terra 07:21

3. No Man's Land 07:03

4. A Minor Interlude 04:56

5. Jakob 09:20

6. Ravi 06:17

7. Ronja 10:26

8. All We Have Left 07:54

Kika Sprangers – saxophones and compositions

Merel Vercammen, Jeffrey Bruinsma - violin

Annerien Stuker, Hadewijch Hofland - violin

Liselot Blomaard, Judith Wijzenbeek - viola

Anne Meike Burgel, Sebastiaan van Halsema - cello

Wolfert Brederode - piano

Thomas Pol - bass

Jasper van Hulten - drums

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Red Light Jazz Society - Hookin' Up (June ZenneZ Records)

The Red Light Jazz Society (RLJS) is a young and energetic big band that was formed in Amsterdam. The 18 young musicians already have a considerable track record individually, working with Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw, Metropole Orkest and the Danish Radio Big Band.

Their release Hookin’Up brings you all the rich colors that are characteristic for a big band’s palette. All tunes are originals and composed and arranged by members of the ensemble.

I really enjoyed listening … a great example of the “next generation” of the Dutch big band scene” – Jim McNeely

The album was recorded at Fattoria Musica (Germany), January 2020, by Chris Weeda. The band was directed by Nikolai Bøgelund.

1. Obliquity and the Elliptical Path Around the Sun 08:23

2. Gentle Woman 04:43

3. What Now 04:50

4. Illusions 05:29

5. Lazy Lady 05:17

6. Prela 06:21

7. Rumination 06:36

8. Turnaround 06:25

9. Letter to JM 05:50

10. Buster's BBQ 05:22

Reeds

Guus Janssen, Mo van der Does, Gideon Tazelaar, Stan van de Wetering, Jessie Brevé

Trumpets

Dave Vreuls, Robin Rombouts, Koen Smits, Tom Ridderbeekx, Thijs van den Geest

Trombones

Jeroen Verberne, Alex van Abeelen, Sam Thomas, Bart van Gorp

Robert Koemans - piano

Gijs Idema - guitar

Cas Jiskoot - bass

Wouter Kühne - drums

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Dear Lord - Dear Trane (A Modern Tribute to John Coltrane) ZENNEZ RECORDS - MOON RIVER MUSIC 2017

John Coltrane was one of the greatest jazz innovators in the world. July 17 2017 will mark the 50th anniversary of his death. France born, Sicily raised and Amsterdam based guitarist/composer Sandro Fazio now pays a modern tribute to John Coltrane with his brand new group DEAR LORD empowered by Francesco Bearzatti, Felix Barth and Bartho Staalman. 

DEAR LORD, inspired by the genius of John Coltrane, born from the attempt to approach the emotional strength of the compositions of the great American saxophonist, making them relive with contemporary sounds, experiences and musical acquisitions.

The songs that the band offers, totally re-arranged by the group leader Sandro Fazio, were "rewritten" by trying to imagine how Coltrane would have adjusted his songs if he would had composed them today. An arduous attempt, considering the magnitude of the composer, but just as pure and true to his intentions. The project idea comes from the certainty that the best way to remain faithful to Coltrane is the search for contemporaneity.

1 Resolution play

2 Naima play

3 Dear Lord play

4 Dear Trane play

5 Like Sonny play

6 Lonnie's Lament play

7 Sun Ship play

8 Amen play

Sandro Fazio electric and midi guitar

Francesco Bearzatti tenor saxophone

Felix Barth bass, electronics, vocals

Bartho Staalman drums, electronics vocals, acoustic guitar