Belgian euphonium player Niels Van Heertum leads the acoustic quartet Veder. After the minimalism of his solo album JK's Kamer +50.92509° +03.84800° (on Smeraldina-Rima)—on which he also played tuba, trumpet & electronics—Van Heertum turns to the sort of chamber jazz played on his previous collaborations with guitarist Ruben Machtelinckx. Felt like old folk (Smeraldina Rima, 2015) and especially mono no aware (Aspen Edities, 2017) presented him as part of an acoustic, often improvisational ensemble. Veder brings subtly layered compositions, frankly and freely played by the foursome. Songs like Sedum, Klauwier and Lage Zwaluw are like stylized nature portraits, in which the volatility of nature is being retained in music. Fern - like a single fern plant - seems to be forming a large carpet, and slowly but surely occupies the free space. In that same free space arise Hemlock and Die immergrüne: composed instantly, but sounding just as clear and close.
With this debut Veder immediately makes its signature clear: naturally easy, but also delicately complex.
Niels Van Heertum: euphonium Joachim Badenhorst: clarinets, saxophone Eivind Lønning: trumpet Ruben Machtelinckx: guitar, banjo
