Jasper Somsen Invites ...
In 2026, we will once again continue with the Jasper Somsen Invites … concerts. As always, Jasper will invite fellow jazz musicians to provide a special evening for us together. Jazz in Wageningen organizes these concerts together with Visum Mundi at the Vrijheidskwartier. And, of course, in close collaboration with Jasper himself.
Visum Mundi transforms the old reception area of the auditorium into a cozy jazz club! A perfect venue, therefore!
For regular enthusiasts as well as people who would like to experience the best jazz from the Netherlands in an accessible setting, the Jasper Somsen Invites … concerts are the ideal place.
Improvisational jazz music
The successful concert series by the Wageningen double bassist, composer, and producer has been running for over ten years and has become an indispensable part of Wageningen's rich arts and culture program. The formula is as unique as it is simple. Jasper invites one or two fellow musicians. These can be established names or up-and-coming (international) talents. Subsequently, they dive into each other's music for one evening. The special combination of instruments (deviating from their usual lineup) ensures that something truly special is created on stage every time! In other words, pull jazz musicians out of their comfort zone, sit on the edge of your seat... and enjoy!
On Thursday, October 8, 2026, none other than pianist Rob van Bavel and trumpeter Angelo Verploegen will be Jasper's guests.
Rob van Bavel
As a young boy, Van Bavel (1965) wanted to become a classical pianist just like his father. However, he ultimately chose jazz, which for him must always swing, in the spirit of examples such as Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, and Keith Jarrett. Immediately after graduating cum laude from the Rotterdam Conservatory, his fame rose rapidly through winning international awards and performing with numerous groups. By the late 1980s, Rob van Bavel was the primus inter pares among young Dutch jazz pianists. He worked with his own bands: a duo, trio, quartet, quintet, sextet, octet, and even a fourteen-piece big band.
Many prizes for Rob van Bavel
Rob van Bavel has won various prizes, including second prize at the first "Thelonious Monk Jazz Piano Competition" (Washington D.C.), soloist prizes in Germany and Belgium, the Wessel Ilcken Prize (Netherlands), and the Dutch Grammy (Edison) for the CD Rob van Bavel Trio.
He has released more than 200 CDs as a sideman and as leader of: The Ghost, the King and I, the Rob van Bavel Octet, and the Rob van Bavel Trio.
At the conservatories of Rotterdam and Amsterdam, Van Bavel is a motivated teacher who helps shape (beginning) pianists all over the world with his textbook “Jazz Piano Essentials”.
Angelo Verploegen
Angelo Verploegen studied musicology at the University of Amsterdam and jazz trumpet at the Sweelinck Conservatory.
Spider-Man
Verploegen leads several of his own ensembles, such as the sextet The Houdini's, with which he toured Europe, the United States, Canada, and Australia. Also noteworthy are the Trio Verploegen, Verhoeff & van der Westen, and the Trio Toïs, with which he performed the music for the film Wilde Mossels.
In addition, he has played Spider-Man with many colleagues. Some examples from a long list include the Frank Grasso Big Band, Corrie en de (Grote) Brokken, Jaap Blonk's Splinks, Zut Alors! (with Jasper Blom and Michael Moore), the Transatlantic Jazz Orchestra under Gunther Schuller, Denise Jannah, Ronald Douglas, Frank Boeijen, Candy Dulfer, and Paul van Kemenade.
Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw
Verploegen taught jazz trumpet at the Utrecht Conservatory and is a lecturer at ArtEZ University of the Arts in Arnhem. Since 2007, he has been the artistic director of the Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw.
Jasper Somsen
The namesake and driving force behind the Jasper Somsen invites … series is Wageningen-based double bassist, composer, and producer Jasper Somsen. He is a versatile musician with an open mind. He is primarily known as a jazz musician, but his interests and expertise also encompass classical music, pop, world music, film music, and theater productions.
Jasper Somsen has collaborated with some of the best musicians in the international jazz scene, including Peter Erskine, Enrico Pieranunzi, Joey Calderazzo, Jeff Ballard, John Beasley, Jean-Michel Pilc, Eric Marienthal, Bob Sheppard, Seamus Blake, Jorge Rossy, Kendrick Scott, Justin Faulkner, André Ceccarelli, Gary Husband, Gabriele Mirabassi, and Paolo Fresu.
Edison World/Jazz Award
In 2020, Jasper won the Edison World/Jazz Award with the band of Portuguese singer Maria Mendes. This was followed by four Grammy nominations with the same band. Jasper performs worldwide and can be heard on approximately 60 albums, video and film music productions. In addition to his busy schedule as a musician and studio producer, he is a lecturer at the ArtEZ University of the Arts in Arnhem.
Tickets concert
Just like the previous Jasper Somsen Invites …, this concert also starts at 20:30 (two sets, with an intermission).
Location
The Jasper Somsen invites… series is organized by Jazz in Wageningen in collaboration with Visum Mundi. The concerts will take place in the historic monumental building (the auditorium) of Visum Mundi in the Vrijheidskwartier.
Address: Generaal Foulkesweg 1, 6703 BG Wageningen
See for directions and parking options Visum Mundi op Google Maps.
