Little Dancer: Songs of Love, Hope & Comfort

‘Little Dancer’—Angelo Verploegen’s latest album—was released almost simultaneously with ‘A Handful Of Stories’, the album reviewed in Jazzflits issue 412. In his review of that earlier album, Jeroen de Valk posited that Verploegen might be ready for a bigger sound. With the companion release ‘Little Dancer’, Verploegen makes it clear that this does not mean he has struck out in a new direction or left his poetic jazz behind. Far from it; ‘Little Dancer’ stands as a pinnacle of intimacy and poetry within the oeuvres of both Verploegen and Jeroen van Vliet.
The whisper-soft flugelhorn and subtle piano playing are not quite what they seem at first glance. While it could serve as lovely background music for a fine dinner, it is actually far more than that; it is intimate listening music with a great deal happening beneath the surface. Verploegen and Van Vliet are kindred spirits—musicians who share an instinctive, profound connection in their ode to love, hope, and solace. Both dig deep into their emotions. Verploegen gives free rein to his feelings on this album, which also serves as a declaration of love to his newborn grandson.
Through eleven compositions that feel instantly familiar—ranging from the cheerful ‘Always’ (Irving Berlin) and the enigmatic ‘Nature Boy’ (Eden Ahbez) to Wayne Shorter’s jazz standard ‘Infant Eyes’—Verploegen reveals exactly who is on his mind as he plays. No one plays the flugelhorn with such beauty and sensitivity as Verploegen—sometimes unaccompanied, but usually alongside Van Vliet’s spiritual piano playing, which adds a new dimension to the velvety sound of the flugelhorn. The chemistry between the two is truly special, creating an atmosphere of intimacy and bliss that is rare in jazz.

Little Dancer is the innovative duo album that trumpet player Angelo Verploegen released with pianist Jeroen van Vliet.
On Little Dancer we hear jazz traditionals. Jazz pieces that have been played live by many over the years, arranged in various versions and released on LP and CD. So you have to come from a good musical background if you want to add anything artistically. And that is exactly what happened here.
Two top musicians, Angelo Verploegen and Jeroen van Vliet, return to basics with these jazz classics, back to the melody and back to the essence. In an inspired set, the compositions are also provided with new, additional chord material, with clever arrangements and tight solos. These compositions are a musical exposé of hope, love and youth. A momentum that arose after the birth of grandson Verploegen and offers a retrospective of (musical) life. Pieces like Always (I. Berlin), Nature Boy (big hit by Nat King Cole), Over the Rainbow (Judy Garland who made the song famous in the late 1930s) or The Five Pennies from the 1959 film of the same name, sung at the time by Danny Kay, are all classics. In addition to these originally vocal pieces, there are also instrumental pieces such as Infant Eyes (W. Shorter) and the phenomenally played Little Niles by Westen/Hendricks. All compositions are wrapped in innovative arrangements by Verploegen and van Vliet, organically experimenting with rhythm, dynamics and colouring the music.
Verploegen plays the flugelhorn, with its warm timbre and round tone fits perfectly with the choice of music and performance. It gives the music an intimate edge. Van Vliet plays piano and Fender Rhodes with his well-known accuracy, smooth touch and ease of playing.
The album closes with Praise from Aaron Parks’ 2008 album Invisible Cinema. A piece with a flowery melody that adorns the end of Little Dancer with its inventive variations and solo passages.

Lonely
Verploegen strikes a completely different chord in his collaboration with keyboardist Jeroen van Vliet. It is a musical journey in which the melodies give voice to themes such as youth, love, hope, and solace. Van Vliet provides accompaniment, alternating between piano and the electric Fender Rhodes—an instrument he uses to skillfully strip ‘Nature Boy’ of any sentimentality. The title track, ‘Little Dancer’, is intimate, possessing a fluidity reminiscent of a ballet. Naturally, a number of classics are given a new lease on life here as well. Consider the powerful version of Wayne Shorter’s ‘Infant Eyes’, the immortal melody of Charlie Chaplin’s ‘Smile’, and Randy Weston’s ‘Little Niles’; Verploegen and Van Vliet handle them masterfully. A highlight is the unaccompanied version of ‘Over The Rainbow’, featuring a solitary flugelhorn—so beautiful it brings a tear to the eye.
Beautiful things
The Just Listen label demonstrates how, even in difficult times, one can provide a platform for honest jazz played with wholehearted dedication: avoiding trendy whims and the fads of the moment in favor of a clear path that connects directly to the jazz tradition. It is evident that Verploegen, Staps, and Frerichs are perfectly at home here. They will undoubtedly release more beautiful music in the near future. Expectations are high!

Where the tunes on "A Handful of Stories" were written by Verploegen (all but one), the songs on "Little Dancer" are a collection of standards from various other composers including Irving Berlin ("Always"), Harold Arlen ("Over the Rainbow"), Wayne Shorter ("Infant Eyes" from his 1966 album Speak No Evil), Eben Ahbez's "Nature Boy" made famous by Nat King Cole, Mabel Wayne's "Little Boy, You've Had a Hard Day" which we know from recordings by Perry Como, Bing Crosby, Sarah Vaughan with Count Basie, and Eric Clapton.

The album is an indulgent journey through emotions of love, life and joy. As Vergplogen writes, they are performed in the most intimate and vulnerable setting one might imagine. And Angelo's and Jeroen's performances are thoroughly engaging, moving, and utterly delightful. As always, Verploegen's playing is creative, innovative and subtle. There is nothing pedestrian about his interpretations; they are fresh natural extensions of his personality, and always come with a subtle twist, a playful fillip.

Recorded once again by Jared Sacks, the sound quality of this album is exceptional. Jared balances the sound of Verploegen's horn and Van Vliet's piano delicately and deliciously naturally. They are in the room with me as I listen. Just marvelous!