Primary Instrument: Saxophone
The Jasper Blom Quartet adds a lot of weight to the scales of the Dutch jazz world. Take tenor saxophonist Blom himself, for example: for twenty years, he has been a household name in the Dutch and European jazz scenes. And not only because of his two European Jazz Awards, or the various scholarships and composition assignments he's received, but also because of his participation in a dozen other jazz groups, and his countless studio sessions and live performances--around the world, and sometimes with the world greats, including Chet Baker, Nat Adderley, and George Duke. Or take, for example, guitarist Jesse van Ruller, who was the first European winner of the American Monk Award, and who is at least as active as Jasper. Or take bassist Frans van der Hoeven, who can be heard on more than 75 albums, and who feels at home in all different genres. Or take Martijn Vink, who for good reason is one of the most requested drummers in Europe. And then consider how the whole of the Jasper Blom Quartet is more than the sum of its parts, because they have been playing together for more than fifteen years. This is also clear from their recently released second album, Dexterity. As Jasper says, ‘I want to make ten albums with this band in the years ahead. It is an honor to play my music with these musicians!’
