Wouter Hamel is back! ‘The Dutch Jamie Cullum’, as the musician who seamlessly blends jazz with catchy pop music has been called in the past, will return to Paard van Troje with his newest album ‘Pompadour’.
‘Pompadour’ is all about passion for life. While previous album ‘Lohengrin’ (2011) was more of an introverted and solo production, ‘Pompadour’ grew out of creative collaborations that resulted in the purest of pop music. The album has been produced by Benny Sings, who also produced Hamel’s first two records, and was recorded in Wouter’s own studio in Amsterdam.
Teamwork is central to ‘Pompadour’ and is expressed in a variety of ways. The first single ‘Hollywood’ is an excellent example of this. “It’s an upbeat pop song with a chorus I wrote with Simon Gitsels whom I used to study with. I then took it over to Benny and we fine-tuned the verses and harmonies until it totally came together. Only then, did Shirma Rouse deliver her part – and her powerful voice made the track shine even more,” says Hamel. Other collaborations include that of jazz legend Mark Murphy and Danish songstress Penny Police.
When combined with the unified tone of ‘Pompadour’, these various musical side-trips have resulted in a bubbling and extroverted whole. The exciting and energetic selection of songs has a surprise around every corner. As the purest of pop music, the album bursts with a passion for life.
