There are pieces in the rich, century-old jazz tradition that embrace you from the very first note — as if they’ve always been there. On The Blue Hour Sessions: Audiophile Jazz Recordings, Rembrandt Frerichs’ eighteenth album as a bandleader, he explores exactly those works that are closest to his heart. But don’t be misled: what may sound familiar at first listen reveals itself as richer, more layered, and more personal with every play.

While the repertoire consists of standards from the Great American Songbook — pieces the listener may recognise — the interpretations, true to the Rembrandt Trio’s style, are anything but predictable. These recordings weren’t born from a concept, but from a mood. The inspiration came from The Blue Hour — that magical moment between day and night when the world seems to pause. In photography, it refers to soft blue hues and diffused light; metaphorically, to a time of reflection. Rembrandt and his trio sought to capture exactly that feeling: music that expresses subtlety, that doesn’t shout but whispers. Standards you think you know, but here sound as if revealing themselves to you for the first time.

The sessions began with the Steinway D concert grand piano that Rembrandt plays at the Muziekcentrum van de Omroep in Hilversum — an instrument that, in his hands, sings with personal clarity. Rembrandt explains: “Because of the recording technique and microphone placement, the sound seemed to rise off the keys as I played — spatial and tangible at once. It felt like the music on this album doesn’t just translate the blue hour musically, but almost lets you touch it.”

The recording, captured by audiophile master engineer Jared Sacks, is a work of art in its own right. Using ultra-high-end DSD technology, every detail is preserved: the breath between phrases, the resonance of the pedal, the woody tones of the double bass, and Vinsent Planjer’s renowned silky percussion. This isn’t a studio retreat — it’s a vivid moment, etched onto the record.

Together with bassist Jos Machtel and drummer Vinsent Planjer, Rembrandt takes time to listen, to let the music breathe, and to uncover new layers in these standards along the way. In their hands, Detour Ahead, Goodbye, or Smile aren’t just exercises in style — they become personal narratives told by seasoned musicians. Sometimes with delicate irony — always with love.

Rembrandt:
“With The Blue Hour Sessions, we tried to create a poetic exploration of what it means to pause in time… music in the spirit of the blue hour: balanced, understated, and above all, human.”

Jared Sacks:
“Hopefully an album for the connoisseur and the dreamer alike. For those who listen with the mind — but especially with the heart.”

Rembrandt Frerichs – piano
Jos Machtel – bass
Vinsent Planjer – drums