June 2025 is proving quite a month for Dutch saxophonist and composer Kasper Rietkerk. It has just been announced in Holland in the past few days that he is the winner of the Next Step Award. A new album is about to be released.
It is just under eleven months since Rietkerk was announced as the winner of the inaugural Brubeck Living Legacy Prize, chosen by a panel consisting of Nick Smart, Head of Jazz at the Royal Academy of Music, Claire Martin OBE, Darius Brubeck and the late, much-missed Martin Hummel of Ubuntu Music (link to news story below).
The prize gave the opportunity to make a recording and to release an album: “The Happy Worrier”, featuring the saxophonist plus a stellar band – John Parricelli (guitar), Tom Herbert (double & electric bass), Jonah Evans (drums), with guest vocalist Rebecka Edlund on two tracks, was recorded towards the end of October 2024 at Lighthouse Studios and is about to be released, respecting the schedule that was indicated when the original announcement was made last year.
There is a particular sadness surrounding this album. As Kasper Rietkerk says in the opening of the liner note: “First and foremost I want to thank Martin Hummel. He believed in me, and guided me from the very start of this process until his later days. He always took the time to help me carefully, share his experience, and then let me decide which path to choose. Martin, you are truly missed.”
The death of Martin Hummel has practical consequences. His Ubuntu label would have released the album, but it is now being released on Kasper Rietkerk records in partnership with ECN Music.
For Rietkerk, the album marks a new departure. As he says: “The BLL Prize gave me focus and discipline, and I was able to work with musicians I admire and trust. The Brubeck family’s support – both personally and financially – was invaluable. It allowed me to bring the sound world I imagined to life.“
One Response
Thank you for giving this beautiful album this recognition here at UK Jazz News, Seb.
It’s a release that serves as a fitting bridge between the Ubuntu mission, the great work of Brubeck Living Legacy, Martin’s dedication to nurturing new talent, and the artist, Kasper Rietkerk, a deserving recipient of the inaugural prize.