Vincent Houdijk - 15

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:54
Size: 114,7 MB
Art: Front

(7:41)  1. Intimate Moments
(5:14)  2. Shanti
(6:01)  3. Mapa (Solo Version)
(8:48)  4. 40 Degrees
(5:52)  5. The Sfinx
(6:22)  6. Art of Living
(9:53)  7. 15

The debut album entitled '15' was released in 2013 and is is a musical monument of Vincent Houdijk (1981) for his three year older brother Ashley who was also a percussionist and sadly enough did not survive the impact of the traumatic Hercules disaster in Eindhoven on July 15, 1996. At that time Vincent was 15 years old and was driven to become a professional percussionist after this tragic accident. This album 15 is an inspiring 'audio biography' of the 15 crucial years of his life - from the first moment of the accident up until the studio recordings of this first CD - which is the sign of the musical journey of Vincent Houdijk, which began in fact on the day he decided to become a professional musician. Vincent Houdijk has been awarded as 'Most promising Jazz Talent of the Netherlands' (by the jazz programmers of the major venues; VIP Association). He composed his second album Vortex and released this live-recording during a nationwide tour starting in the famous Bimhuis, Amsterdam. The title composition 15 - the last and most intense work on the album - is obviously a tribute to his brother, Vincent sees him as the main inspiration for his musical career. 15 symbolizes energy, vitality and total passion for music. Furthermore the debut album 15 consists of seven compositions with musical contributions from renowned jazz musicians Eric Vloeimans (trumpet), Bert Boeren (trombone) and Tabla player Walid Nowrouzi. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/vincenthoudijk

Band line up: Vincent Houdijk - vibraphone and all compositions; Christof May - saxophones and bass clarinet; Aron Raams - guitar; Ludo van der Winkel - double bass; Mark Schilders - drums

Featuring: Eric Vloeimans (on Art of Living); Bert Boeren (on Intimate Moments)

" VinnieVibes is a clear example of how young musicians experience and especially perform jazz in this era. The concert of Vincent Houdijks' VinnieVibes was an energetic event, expertly put down, with fresh ideas, great craftsmanship, attention to detail and as far as the bandleader itself is concerned, a tremendous sense of harmony, melody and swing." Rinus van der Heijden, Jazzenzo Magazine  4 star review by Jazzism Magazine

"The compositions of Houdijk emenate power and are vigorously brought to life. Each piece of music stimulates the imagination." Hessel Fluitman, JazzFlits Magazine

"Vincent Houdijk showed himself the disciple of his teacher" He exceeded his tutor "Not only as a vibraphonist, but especially as a creative artist: since all the compositions of his hand, which the band played this evening, had a quality that you do not often encounter in contemporary music. Strong in terms of melodic character, exciting in the construction and embedded into fine grooves." Gerard Hoekmeijer, Jazz New and Deep Foundation

15

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Vincent Houdijk - Live at the North Sea Jazz Festival

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:18
Size: 138,7 MB
Art: Front

( 7:29)  1. Moonshine Song
( 6:52)  2. Grounding
( 7:49)  3. Timeline
( 8:53)  4. Uy Scuti
( 7:21)  5. Kerrara
( 9:42)  6. Vortex
(12:10)  7. '15'

Since the making of his 2013 debut album, 15, Dutch vibraphonist Vincent Houdijk has released two live recordings, each showcasing a mix of songs both old and new. His quintet, aptly named VinnieVibes, consists of Floris van der Vlugt on both alto and soprano saxophone, Gersom Raams on guitar, Sven Happel on double bass/bass guitar, and Haye Jellema on drums. One might think that in a country a third the size of New York, finding suitable musicians to occupy a vibe-led jazz band might prove challenging. But at 31, Houdijk clearly has the experience necessary to assemble and lead a group whose individual strengths mesh well harmonically. Recorded in Rotterdam during July 2018 , all of the songs on Live At The North Sea Jazz Festival are originals composed by Houdijk. Their night begins with the slow burning ballad "Moonshine." Gersom Raams has a sound all his own, and his solos tend to have a certain moody heft to them, both in this song and throughout the album. Following "Moonshine," the band moves through their set list with ease, whether it's the contemplative "Timeline" or the exotic, inventive "UY Scuti." The slightly surreal atmosphere of the latter fits well with its namesake, which is believed to be the largest star in our solar system. The quintet veers slightly off course for the album's penultimate song, "Vortex." Houdijk swaps out his vibraphone for a MalletKat, giving the up tempo tune a modern edge without sounding out of place. It's interesting to see how this group of musicians adapt to any change of direction, and innovative is the word which best describes their unanticipated playing. Dedicated to his brother, a fellow percussionist who sadly perished in a 1996 plane crash, "15" spends ten minutes slowly building up pressure before exploding into a wild ending. Houdijk claims he wrote the song during a period in which he was coming to terms with the tragedy. It has a contemplative groove, cascading up and down before finally submitting to some sort of catharsis in the form of a reckless, emotionally wrought finale. 

The musical equivalent of flinging all the furniture in a room at the walls in a whirlwind outburst, the entire band kicks into high gear for the last couple minutes, memorably finishing their set on a high note. aking a moment to be critical, it would have been nice to see the final song on the album take the expected move and finish with the warbling echo of Raam's guitar to the crowd's applause. Instead, he chose to end with a quiet fade out, a bit like watching a towering wave crash to the shore, without the benefit of seeing it wash away, reclaimed by the sea. Regardless, Vincent Houdijk is a vibraphonist for the 21st century. At times sedate, at others wildly inventive, it seems as if he's attempting to redefine the instrument's place in contemporary jazz. Further commendable is that he manages to do so without the benefit of modern sound-manipulating computer software, instead opting to utilize VinnieVibes' unique European flair both in studio and on stage. While comparisons to vibe greats such as Bobby Hutcherson and Milt Jackson are unfair today, there is little doubt that the talented young vibraphonist deserves and aspires to one day have the kind of recognition they enjoyed. ~ Peter Hoetjes https://www.allaboutjazz.com/live-at-the-north-sea-jazz-festival-vincent-houdijk-vinnievibes-music-productions-review-by-peter-hoetjes.php

Personnel: Vincent Houdijk: vibraphone/MalletKat and all compositions; Floris van der Vlugt: Alto and Soprano saxophones; Gersom Raams: guitar; Sven Happel: double bass / bass guitar; Haye Jellema: drums.

Live at the North Sea Jazz Festival

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