Aafje van Summeren Trio

With a delicate and airy but accurate voice, Aafjie van Summeren weaves a musically seductive spell on Space Unknown. Of the eight tunes, five are originals co-written with Steve Blanco, whose trio recently released Contact.

Summeren is accompanied by Blanco and Adam Roberts, the bassist who added so much to Contact. Roberts is so strong that the drums are not missed, and Blanko's piano playing is as much on display as Summeren's singing. The effect at times would be that of a piano duo record with occasional vocals, if it were not for structure of the tracks. These usually start with Summeren's unique vocals, which are then combined with unusual melodic and harmonic structures.

The original tracks, then, become much more than tunes. They seem to have a story line that is outlined by non-standard melodic structure and harmonic treatment. The story is then handed from the vocalist to instrumentalists, who expound and expand its meaning until the vocalist returns with the melody now forever changed.

The covers change the whole equation, because they place the group in creative pop/jazz standard territory, with all of the familiarity that comes with it. Any instrumentalist, especially a singer, risks a lot by asking for comparisons. This is particularly the case with Joni Mitchell's “Black Crow,” and thus the song's original features and this version become united with the composer in the collective audience's mind. How can one produce a fresh version while staying in touch with the song's original meaning? Summeren creates more than a Joni Mitchell imitation, but less of a total (and successful) reworking than ”Woodstock” got by Crosby, Still, Nash and Young.

”Skylark” has its own dangers. It's one of the most instantly recognizable and beautiful tunes in the jazz songbook, and hence everyone has recorded it. The feeling on this piece, to these ears, is that in an effort to stand apart, the song lost its melancholic undertone through an overly fast and light treatment.

All of this pales, however, with the triumph of “You Don't Know What Love Is,” a torch song if there ever was one. Needing the barest of accompaniments, Summeren pours herself into the song, letting her airy voice and perfect pitch carry her emotions directly to the listener. The song totally exposes the singer, and any kind of attempt to merely play at being a wounded lover would surely fail in this context. Summeren does not just pull it off, she can melt your insides.

–Budd Kopman, All About Jazz - All About Jazz

AAFJE VAN SUMMEREN / SpaceUnknown
The trio is named after the vocalist Aafje Van Summeren, but don’t be fooled. Together pianist/composer Steve Blanco and bassist Adam Roberts bring just as much flavor and individuality to the music as her voice. This makes the album so interesting by giving each musician their own freedom to the music. The tracks can be enjoyed through three musician’s perspectives and together as a whole. Having both been drummers, Blanco and Roberts bring an extra sense of percussiveness to the group. Van Summeren feels a greater sense of expression without drums in the ensemble. Her rhapsodic voice flows melodically over the color tones Blanco lays down. His playing complements van Summeren’s voice in harmony with proper emphasis. Robert’s playing is entirely acoustic, serving as the rhythmic backbone to the pieces, while innovating snaps and clicks to give it color. “Three Windows” is a truly unique track deviating from the traditional jazz playing. It is choppy and bold, yet works brilliantly by allowing each instrument to “talk”. This is an album that can be listened to over and over again; bringing something new to the ears.– Steve Chung, Ins & Outs Magazine - Ins & Outs Magazine

Clef Notes?Unknown not for too long for this beat has a sense of unique rhythms to it that seperates it from the inundation of debut spins. Aafje van Summeren Trio opens the doors to a sharp sound with a vocal execution only Ms Summeren could unveil. The pitch is tight however fresh with tone. "Space Unknown" is a curious yet splendid spin in this new wave of jazz therefore this effort has legs to continue a long journey.??Title cut "Space Unknown" has a somewhat mystic flow as if Ms Summeren was developing the lyrics ans message as she records, which can only be translated in the real world as a methodical delivery. Which works very well in her case as the other cuts demonstrate.??Classic percussion and keys are injected into her performance, which marries the effort together. Room for growth... Of course what debut hasn't but the foundation set is solid and pure.??Karl Stober, ejazz news - ejazznews