A Handful Of Stories

As one of the leading Dutch trumpeters around these days, Verploegen is well within his rights to be focused on capturing an elusive live sound. And, with this album of originals, he achieves it. This previous collaborator with Metropole Orkest is in fine form as he adopts a quintet to celebrate his successful run on Just Listen Records – “Five is the number,” as he puts it. His bandmates are able to find common ground through their past experiences, whilst their leader offers them the freedom to move and a chance to express themselves through a cheery sense of shared musical feeling.

Flugelhorn player Angelo Verploegen is one of the best-kept secrets of the Dutch jazz scene. He frequently appears in Dutch jazz orchestras and has regularly released his own albums in recent years. It is therefore surprising that he is now releasing two productions simultaneously: one with his new quintet and another as a duo with keyboardist Jeroen van Vliet.
Jazz Messengers
With his new quintet—featuring, among others, saxophonist Nils van Haften and pianist Marc van Roon—he revives the spirit of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, a group that served as a training ground for the finest talent post-war jazz has produced. Illustrious names such as Clifford Brown, Kenny Dorham, Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard, Hank Mobley, Benny Golson, and Wayne Shorter all played in its frontline. Dedicated to the recently deceased instrument maker Hub van Laar, the track "Hub’s Hub" is the kind of piece that could easily open a 1950s Blue Note album. "Brad’s Feast" is an exciting, explicit tribute to piano virtuoso Brad Mehldau. "Kikker en de Horizon" (Frog and the Horizon)—inspired by the famous story by Max Velthuijs—is full of humor; Verploegen and double bassist Tony Overwater long enjoyed success with children's programs based on the Frog stories. The closing track, "By The End Of The Day," features a compelling opening: an introduction by Guus Bakker’s double bass is followed by Verploegen descending from the heavens like a modern-day Angel Gabriel.

Filled with wonderful tunes, played my master musicians who work so synergistically with one another, this is an album to simply settle back to enjoy.

Verploegen is a very special musician in my book. When he picks up his flugelhorn, magic happens. He brings a subtlety of phrasing combined with a relaxed warm energy into which I can happily soak and be refreshed. When playing with fellow musicians, he never dominates the aural picture. He seems to encourage and facilitate the creative energies of those with whom he is collaborating.

The other thing that makes Verploegen's albums so special for me is the outstanding sonics captured on each by master recording engineer Jared Sacks. These are not airless studio recordings. They are recorded as the musicians would be performing in a live acoustic performance on stage before an audience. Not in isolation booths. Not isolated from each other with headphones in their own separate worlds. But live. Having to perform together and balance the sounds of their instruments live, dynamically, as they play together.

So, if you enjoy jazz of the highest caliber, performed by excellent musicians who collaborate and "get" one another, get this album! You won't be disappointed.