Album Notes

Jazz funk quintet Captain Hook first hit the Dutch music scene in 2005 with their debut album, Hooked Up. In 2007 they released the album f.ex.
Energetic grooves with catchy melodies and surprising harmonies! Jazz and groove and positive vibes!
The new album 'Plunge!' will be officially release on the 2nd of july 2011 at Melkweg – Amsterdam.

The press about f.ex:
‘After several years of playing Captain Hook obviously matured. The second album expresses a sense of quietness as well as power playing.’ (P.J. Korten, Jazzflits)

‘The powerful hornsection gradually shifts to a more harmonious and nicely arranged ensemble playing. The soloing on f.ex is excellent, especially the contributions of Santeri Sulkunen are noteworthy.’ (Johan Bakker, Nederlands Dagblad)

The press about Hooked Up:
‘The music is performed very subtly. The five musicians, who have clearly no trouble in finding each other’s wavelength, play with dynamics, sensation and atmosphere.’ (rakenDra Smit, Muziekwereld)

‘From the word go the album sounds promising and as it progresses it gets more and more fascinating. Sulkunen’s fluent guitar sound is striking. Spaargaren sounds especially fresh on soprano and one can’t help but think of Branford Marsalis during the “Bring on the Night”-tour by Sting.’ (P.J. Korten, Jazzflits)

‘Mouths dropped in wonder and admiration when the music committee heard this quintet’s album.’ (Henk Loman, Jazzweekend Bergen op Zoom)

‘Captain Hook delivers funky jazz, pushed along by an outstanding rhythm section. The music sounds fresh and the production is bright. The best part about it is that every composition is original. These are true artists. They can easily join the ranks of the jazz-funk heroes of the early seventies.’ (www.soundslike.be)

Their albums opened doors to numerous jazz festivals and jazz clubs in The Netherlands and Belgium. It even got them an invitation to play at the prestigious Dutch Jazz Competition 2006.

F.ex features trombone player Bart Lust (New Cool Collective Bigband) and Gerben Klein Willink (The Young Sinatras) in Captain Hook’s original compositions.

In 2008 they toured with classical saxophone-quartet Esquire (www.esquiresaxofoonkwartet.nl). Several Captain Hook compositions, as well as new written material by Corrie van Binsbergen a.o., were used as a means of exploring classical and jazz music in a live context.

In 2009 Captain Hook played at the BIMhuis, Amsterdam; had a television appearance in VPRO’s ‘Vrije Geluiden’ and did a radio show at 'Weekend Winfried, NPS Radio6'.

Captain Hook:
Iman Spaargaren (saxophones, flute, bass-clarinet)
Santeri Sulkunen (guitar)
Sebastian Gampert (rhodes, piano)
Dave Sahanaja (electric bass)
Pieter-Jan Nijessen (drums)