Guitarist Reinier Baas is the hottest jazz player in The Netherlands right now. He released two critically acclaimed albums with The More Socially Relevant Jazz Music Ensemble and now he has upped the ante with an expanded version of that band. This septet's first release, Smooth Jazz Apocalypse, is a continuation of his organic sound, with more bottom end thanks to the inclusion of Joris Roelofs' bass clarinet and more varied textures thanks to Harmen Fraanje's piano.
Baas is guitar player first but as a composer he puts the woodwinds in the spotlights. The alto sax is played by the guy in the spotlights and there are two of them in this band. Ben van Gelder brought a bit big city bravado to the recording studio - he resides in NYC most of the time, while Maarten Hoogerhuis sticks to a more European vibe.
Smooth Jazz Apocalypse is a laidback album with carefully placed touches and flourishes. Adventurous, inventive, smart and soothing rolled into one. The future looks bright for Baas and his cohorts.
Reinier Baas: guitar, compositions (except #3 & #5 by Harmen Fraanje)
Ben van Gelder: alto
Maarten Hogenhuis: alto
Joris Roelofs: bass clarinet
Harmen Fraanje: piano
Sean Fasciani: bass
Mark Schilders: drums
Helena Basilova: piano (#6)
Smooth Jazz Apocalypse is released on Mainland Records. Buy it from his website.
Tracks:- Squalor
- Orthodox
- Ballad
- Gregarious
- A World Within #16
- Epilogue (For Helena Basilova)
- Orthodox (reprise)
- Smooth Jazz Apocalypse
- 04/02 Smooth Jazz Apocalypse, Paradox, Tilburg, The Netherlands
- 04/03 Smooth Jazz Apocalypse, Dizzy, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- 04/04 The More Socially Relevant Jazz Music Ensemble, Toonzaal, Den Bosch, The Netherlands
- 04/05 Smooth Jazz Apocalypse, Bimhuis, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- 04/12 The More Socially Relevant Jazz Music Ensemble, 12 Points Festival, Umeå, Sweden
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