Polyphony (meaning two or more simultaneous lines of independent melody) is a double album documenting two concerts by the Jasper Blom Quartet (plus guest soloists) at Amsterdam’s BIMHUIS concert venue. Blom is a 53-year-old Dutch tenor saxophonist accompanied by a fairly conventional quartet consisting of guitar, bass and drums.
To add additional musical structure, Blom is joined on the first set by Bert Joris on trumpet and on the second set by Nils Wolgam on trombone.
Blom is well known on the Benelux jazz scene and as performed with artists such as Lee Konitz, Chet Baker, George Duke and Randy Crawford to name just a few. As a leader he has recorded eight albums ranging in style from hard bop to improvisation. He also teaches jazz saxophone at the Amsterdam Conservatory.
The two CDs provide an eclectic set of music lasting in excess of 100 minutes and ranging in style from mellow (Waltz For Magnus), to ballad (Fontayne), blues (Decidophobia), abstract (Running Gag), groove (Macedonian Candidate) and ambient (Nancy In The Sky).
The set showcase the talent of Blom and his musicians. The music – whilst varied – gives all the musicians the chance to showcase their talents. The quartet are clearly comfortable playing together and the guest soloists join in seamlessly. This is good jazz music played live by some very good jazz musicians; who can ask for more?
Discography
CD1: (1) Waltz For Magnus, Guidonean Hand; Virelai; Fontayne; The Lady And The Unicorn; Homme Arme; Beatus Vir; Ciconia (60.27)
CD2: (2) Decidophobia; Runing Gag; Nancy In The Sky; Macedonian Candidate; Least Of Your Worries; Monk Fish Cleopatra; Whirl; Antidote (50.21)
(1) Blom (ts); Bert Joris (t); Jesse Van Ruller (g); Frans Van Der Hoeven (b); Martijn Vink (d). 21 May 2016, Bimhuis, Amsterdam.
(2) as (1) but Nils Wogram (tb) replaces Bert Joris. 10 February 2018, Bimhuis, Amsterdam.
Whirlwind Recordings WR4732
