Album Notes

Saxofonist Herb Geller 2008:
Gerard Kleijn is one of the best young trumpet players I have heard. His timing, harmonic conception along with his taste and command of the instrument makes me want to hear more of his work.

The Gerard Kleijn Group’s recent album Le Flirt de Satie is a statement that not only flirts with Satie’s works but permeates of influences from around the world in creating a contemporary soundscape of jazz improvisations and exhilarating collaborations free of inhibitions. The music is instinctually made from a love of jazz and to indulge audiences.Jazzreview – USA - 2007

This group takes a downtown New York-approach: loose, funky and not too careful. In this way they avoid the danger of an overly 'tasteful' approach to 'jazz-meets-classical'. And yet it all makes sense. Jazzpodium/Dutch Press/november 2006

The result of this fusion, including Kleijn's own contribution 'Flow', is absolutely fascinating. This is due to the experience and creativity of these four musicians, who have delved into this unusual material with total devotion; it has led to listenable and swinging music. Jazzflits/Dutch Press/november 2006

The Dutch trumpet player Gerard Kleijn and his group are flirting-flirting in earnest, and quite remarkably, with the music of Erik Satie(1866-1925). For their program the Gerard Kleijn Group has made an intense study of the life and works of this French composer, which has inspired them to create a unique and captivating jazz interpretation of his music. Erik Satie had his own sound, which he created largely outside the rules of his musical contemporaries. And he was at the top of his fame at the time when jazz was being born. This program unites the music of Satie with jazz, providing a fascinating look at the miraculous and peculiar music of Erik Satie. For example, did you know that Satie is the composer of the first European ragtime piece, or that for years he earned his living as a bar pianist? In March 2006 Kleijn's band recorded a live CD of this project at The Bird's Eye in Basel (Switzerland).

Gerard Kleijn(NL) - trumpet
Paul Berner (USA) - double bass
Joost Kesselaar(NL) - drums
Franck Amsallem(FRANCE) - piano