6th June 2025: Jasper  Blom launches new album with concert at Amsterdam’s Muziekgebouw

Jasper  Blom Launches New Album With Concert At Amsterdam’s Muziekgebouw

Dutch jazz saxophonist Jasper Blom introduced his latest album in live concert last week at Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ in Amsterdam. The performance marked a milestone in Blom’s career, as it featured the music from his recently released album ‘Metropolarity’, in collaboration with the Metropole Orkest. So what more fitting tribute could there be than for Jasper to be joined by his JBQ colleagues Frans Van Der Hoeven, Jesse Van Ruller and Martijn Vink to perform new versions of some of his most celebrated compositions, in collaboration with internationally renowned Metropole Orkest? 

The concert, held on 28 May, featured Blom performing with his quartet—consisting of Jesse van Ruller on guitar, Frans van der Hoeven on bass, and Martijn Vink on drums—alongside the formidable Metropole Orkest. The event culminated a long-held aspiration for Blom, who expressed that working with the Metropole Orkest fulfilled a long-time dream. Blom “shared the stage with jazz legends” like Lee Konitz and Chet Baker and was awarded the Buma Boy Edgar Prize in 2019. The collaboration with the orchestra forms the core of the new album unveiled during the concert. 

The evening commenced with orchestral introductions, setting the tone for a performance that balanced ensemble sonics and individual improvisation. Blom’s tenor and soprano saxophone led the quartet through selections interpreted in full orchestral colour— which underscored the synergy between Blom’s quartet and the Metropole Orkest. The concert showcased Blom’s long-standing career as a bandleader and educator: he has led several ensembles and served as a mentor at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, according to Muziekgebouw’s overview. 

With the launch concert now completed, Blom is expected to continue performances linked to the album release in the forthcoming summer and autumn. While specific details of subsequent shows remain under wraps, the Amsterdam concert is confirmed to be the first major public debut of the orchestral album.