Pegasus Sjoerd Van Eijck

• 1 Pegasus 04:16
• 2 Little Dream 07:28
• 3 Mercurius 05:58
• 4 Kepler 07:40
• 5 Water World 04:32
• 6 TrES-2b 03:11
• 7 Reminiscence 06:24
• 8 Methusalem 03:39
• 9 Canto 04:16
• Total Runtime 47:24

Info for Pegasus

“Pegasus” is an album by the Dutch pianist and composer Sjoerd van Eijck, featuring the German cellist Jörg Brinkmann and the Norwegian drummer Jarle Vespestad. The trio was formed in 2019, when Van Eijck invited Brinkmann and Vespestad to perform at a Carte Blanche concert at the Paradox in Tilburg. The immediate musical chemistry between the three musicians led to further collaboration, resulting in this album.

The music on Pegasus consists largely of compositions by Sjoerd and is inspired by astronomy and the imagination of the cosmos. With a line-up of piano, cello and drums, the trio creates an aesthetic sound that moves between jazz, chamber music and contemporary improvisation. The music sometimes leans towards a classical idiom, whilst the openness and spontaneity of jazz remain central.

Both Brinkmann and Vespestad have built up a strong international reputation within the European jazz and improvisation scene. Vespestad is known worldwide for his long-standing collaboration with ECM pianist Tord Gustavsen, whilst Brinkmann, in his own unique way, pushes the boundaries by combining classical cello techniques with improvisation. With Pegasus, the trio presents a refined and dynamic ensemble sound in which composition, timbre and improvisation come together in an intimate musical dialogue.

Sjoerd van Eijck, piano
Jörg Brinkmann, cello
Jarle Vespestad, drums

Sjoerd van Eijck
(Breda, 1992) is a pianist, composer, and educator. He graduated in 2016 from the Tilburg Conservatory, where he studied under renowned pianists such as Jeroen van Vliet, Rembrandt Frerichs, Harmen Fraanje, and Wolfert Brederode.

In recent years, Van Eijck has established himself as a distinctive voice within the Dutch jazz scene. His lyrical playing style is characterized by a classical approach to the piano, a refined touch, and a rich tonal palette. Melody, timbre, and space are central to both his compositions and improvisations, seamlessly blending influences from classical music, free improvisation, and contemporary jazz.

In 2021, he released his debut album, *Aurora*, with his quartet OAK—comprising trumpeter Koen Smits, bassist Nathan Wouters, and drummer Willem Romers—on the ZenneZ Records label. The album was well received by the press, audiences, and concert programmers alike. OAK continued this artistic trajectory with their follow-up album, *Eight*. Released in 2024, the album was nominated for an Edison Jazz Audience Award and solidified the quartet's standing in the Dutch jazz world. OAK is known for a unique musical language that fuses influences from classical music, Scandinavian jazz, minimalism, and free improvisation into an intimate, layered sound.

In addition to OAK, Van Eijck forms the trio Mudita alongside trumpeter Koen Smits and vocalist Sanne Rambags. With this ensemble, he recorded two albums, including *Listen to the Sound of the Forest*, which won an Edison Jazz Award.

As a sideman, Van Eijck has collaborated with numerous prominent musicians from the Netherlands and abroad. He has been a member of the Efraïm Trujillo Quartet and HOTSPOT, Eric Vloeimans’s band.

Recently, Van Eijck stepped up his international activities through a new collaboration with German cellist Jörg Brinkmann and Norwegian drummer Jarle Vespestad. This resulted in the album *Pegasus*, a work that blends lyricism, improvisation, and chamber-music refinement, marking a new chapter in the trio's artistic evolution.

Beyond the jazz scene, Van Eijck has served for several years as the regular pianist for singer Dennis van Aarssen. Together, they have performed in numerous theater productions, concerts, and international tours across Europe. In recent years, Van Aarssen has emerged as one of the most successful Dutch crooners of his generation, boasting multiple Edison Jazz Awards, sold-out concerts at home and abroad, and a rapidly growing international career.

In addition to his work as a performing musician, Van Eijck is an active educator. He is a principal piano instructor at the Tilburg Conservatory and also teaches piano at De Nieuwe Veste in Breda.

This album contains no booklet.