The Selfkicker (Remastered) Jasper van't Hof & George Gruntz

• 1 The Selfkicker 05:34
• 2 Pas de deux 06:06
• 3 Associations 07:12
• 4 Hang Out 06:17
• 5 Night After the Day Before 04:18
• 6 Refillable 04:44
• 7 Home Again 03:40
• Total Runtime 37:51

Info for The Selfkicker (Remastered)

The Selfkicker reunites Jasper van’t Hof with his compatriot German guitarist Toto Blanke. The album demonstrates why they were considered two of the best fusion players on the international scene. The title piece integrates a strange rhythmic pattern with a rhythmically juxtaposed melodic motif, and the 3/4 Pas de Deux has a pensive theatrical quality, with van’t Hof alternating between the electronic effects and acoustic piano. Associations is another off-beat piece with Blanke’s needle-sharp lines piercing through the dark background; Jasper vocalizes the melody towards the end. Hang Out heralds a synth spectacle whereas there’s a bit of French romanticism at the beginning and end of The Night After the Day Before as well as a fantastic (synth? guitar?) solo. Refillable and Home Again unite van’t Hof and Blanke in dynamic duo (Jasper also plays drums here). Creative European jazz fusion at its peak by players who know how to do it right!

Jasper Van't Hof, keyboards
Toto Blanke, guitar
Bo Stief, bass
Pierre van der Linden, drums
Kaspar Winding, percussion

Recorded at Tonstudio Zuckerfabrik, Stuttgart, Oct., 4-8, 1976
Mixed at Soundpush Studio, Blaricum, Holland
Engineered by Chips Platen, Christoph Wertz
Mixed by Jan Schuurman
Produced and recorded by Willi Fruth and Jasper Van't Hof

Digitally remastered

Jasper Van't Hof
Born in 1947, Hollander Jasper van’t Hof is one of the best known jazz pianists and keyboardists in Europe. Van’t Hof first made a name for his work with guitarist Toto Blanke, and went on to form Porkpie with jazz greats Charlie Mariano, Jean-Franois Jenny Clark, and Aldo Romano. Jasper has recorded with such major names as Archie Shepp, Steve Swallow, and Steve Kühn. He is especially noted for his solo piano work and his highly successful world music group Pili Pili. With its Euro-African mix of jazz, rock, and pop, the group has been a mainstay on the World Music scene from its founding in 1985 through the present, and has been a stepping-stone for the careers of such African pop icons as Angélique Kidjo. Co-led and produced by the influential Swiss keyboardist-composer George Gruntz (1932-2013).

This album contains no booklet.