Jasper Quartet

Vivian Fung has long been a friend and admired composer of the Jasper String Quartet. The Quartet first performed one of her works in 2019, and we were immediately captivated by the visceral energy and impeccable craft of her writing. Vivian’s String Quartets Nos. 1–4 span 18 years of her career and reflect a remarkable journey of absorbing, integrating, and synthesizing a unique spectrum of influences into her compositional voice. Unwavering in all of the works is a fierce heart, instrumental fearlessness, and an amazing instinct for texture. We are incredibly grateful to have recorded these works with Vivian in the studio and for the growth we experienced in the process.

Vivian Fung has long been a friend and admired composer of the Jasper String Quartet. The Quartet first performed one of her works in 2019, and we were immediately captivated by the visceral energy and impeccable craft of her writing. Vivian’s String Quartets Nos. 1–4 span 18 years of her career and reflect a remarkable journey of absorbing, integrating, and synthesizing a unique spectrum of influences into her compositional voice. Unwavering in all of the works is a fierce heart, instrumental fearlessness, and an amazing instinct for texture. We are incredibly grateful to have recorded these works with Vivian in the studio and for the growth we experienced in the process."

This album marks the culmination of our decade-long journey with Aaron Jay Kernis’ music for string quartet. From the moment we put bow to string for Aaron’s Second Quartet, we realized his special voice and our connection to his music’s ability to capture both the complexity of the world and the simplicity of a moment. This depth fascinated us, inspired our playing and prompted us to dream of commissioning Aaron’s 3rd Quartet.

In the fall of 2013, the cosy old bar of the grand café Loburg in my home town of Wageningen (The Netherlands) turned into a brand new, beautiful small venue, perfectly suited for an audience of a hundred people. In collaboration with LoburgLive, we started the concert series “Jasper Somsen Invites …” as part of the international programme of Jazz in Wageningen, in January 2014.

A lustrous double album showcasing just why Jasper Blom is one of the Netherlands' most prominent, forward-thinking saxophonist-composers in contemporary jazz. 'Polyphony' documents two sold-out live concerts from his quartet at Amsterdam's BIMHUIS in collaboration with two special solo artists - trumpeter Bert Joris and trombonist Nils Wogram.

Jasper Blom is one of the Netherlands’ most revered musicians and a leading figure on the contemporary jazz scene. He’s known as a versatile soloist, a forward-thinking composer and an expert leader, having fronted his long-time quartet of guitarist Jesse van Ruller, bassist Frans van der Hoeven and drummer Martijn Vink for over 20 years.

A lustrous double album showcasing just why Jasper Blom is one of the Netherlands most prominent, forward-thinking saxophonist-composers in contemporary jazz. Polyphony documents two sold-out live concerts from his quartet at Amsterdams BIMHUIS in collaboration with two special solo artists - trumpeter Bert Joris and trombonist Nils Wogram.

Spring Forward, the delightful title work by Peter Schickele, is a gift to the composer/humourists’ many worldwide fans. This touching Suite represents a culmination of sorts 'after a lifetime of entering sketches for such a piece into my notebooks,' Schickele writes in his entertaining program notes. Richard Danielpour’s moving Clarinet Quintet, ('The Last Jew in Hamadan') was composed with Danielpour’s memories of his childhood in Iran in mind. (The members of his family who escaped the country were the lucky ones.) Aaron Jay Kernis’ intriguing Perpetual Chaconne reflects his fascination with the variety of approaches composers have used to develop and vary their ideas over the ages.

As the members of a string quartet, we are incredibly lucky. The four of us have spent the past decade playing together, learning to breathe and move as one. We're honored to play in the most intimate settings and the top concert halls. Most importantly, the music we play is the best that there is. Seeking out new pieces to contribute to this conversation is as important, if not more so, as rediscovering the sublime human experience of a Beethoven quartet.