Eric Vloeimans, acclaimed Dutch trumpeter, coming to Kerrytown for rare appearance
World-class jazz trumpeter Eric Vloeimans plays at Kerrytown Concert House on Saturday.
In Europe, the Dutch trumpeter Eric Vloeimans enjoys a celebrity along the lines of Wynton Marsalis, as one of the continent’s preeminent jazz musicians.
He performs across Europe, headlining the biggest jazz festivals and enjoying a level of popularity rarely enjoyed by jazz players.
But in the U.S., he plays small clubs and listening rooms, including a gig with his trio, Fugimundi, on Feb. 27 at the Kerrytown Concert House. The show offers a rare opportunity to see a world-class, international jazz superstar in the equivalent of someone’s living room.
“I want to be myself and no one else,” Vloeimans said in an interview supplied with his press materials.
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He’s already achieved that, having established himself both as a soloist of incredible skill and as a bandleader, who is equally comfortable in front of a large, electronic ensemble or in a smaller, more intimate musical setting, such as with Fugimundi, which also features guitarist Anton Goudsmit and pianist Harmen Fraange.
Comparisons to giants like Miles Davis and Marsalis abound. While Vloeimans eschews such comparisons, he acknowledges a deep debt to Davis as an early (and current) inspiration.
“Actually, I don't care what people say,” he said. “I throw my music in the world and everybody hears what he/she hears.
“I do, however, understand the comparison with Miles rather than Wynton. I feel more related to his ideas than Wynton's.” Listen to Eric Vloeimans "Harry Bo" (MP3).
With Fugimundi, Vloeimans notches back the electronic bombast of his larger-group outings, replacing it with a gentler, chamber jazz approach that, while quieter, is no less adventurous.
“I try to be in the present,” he said. “The present says that you should do in your life what you feel like and what feels good. Making music and playing the trumpet brings a lot of fun to my life.
“In the first place, I want to reach the highest possible level for myself. I am talking about self development, which furthers you in life as well as in music.”
Will Stewart is a free-lance writer for AnnArbor.com.
Eric Vloeimans’ Gatecrash live at North Sea Jazz Festival last summer: