Each year the programmers of leading Dutch jazz clubs select the Young VIPs, the most promising jazz talents composing original music. They will be allowed to go on tour with their own bands. In 2018 the these are the Kika Sprangers Quintet and the Sebastiaan van Bavel Trio.

Saxophonist Kika Sprangers leaves an impression with her lyrical, melodic playing on alto and soprano. Early 2017 she released het first EP Leaves of Lily with her original compositions performed by various formations. Her part acoustic, part electric quintet will play pieces from the EP alongside new works and parts of her suite Nieuwe Beelding, which was inspired by the art movement De Stijl. Kika Sprangers has collaborated with Metropole Orkest and lists Maria Schneider and Joshua Redman among her role models.

Sebastiaan van Bavel is a pianist and composer with a vision whio expresses his talent in both jazz and classical music, which he blends effortlessly with other styles. His trio made its album debut in 2014 with As the Journey Begins, which received an Edison Award. Its follow-up Cosmic Dance was based on texts by Indian poet Sri Aurobindo. On this album Van Bavel brings together Western musical structures with melodic and rhythmic concepts from Indian music.

SEBASTIAAN VAN BAVEL TRIO MET JASPER BLOM & VERA NAUS

Sebastiaan van Bavel piano, Vera Naus vocals, Jasper Blom tenor saxophone, Maciej Domaradzki bass, Jimmi Jo Hueting drums

KIKA SPRANGERS LARGE ENSEMBLE

Kika Sprangers (soprano/alto saxophone) and her quintet: Manuel Wouthuysen piano/keys, Eric Brugmans guitar, Danny van Ruitenburg bass, Benjamin Torbijn drums
In the BIMHUIS extended to Large Ensemble with: Maite Neri flute, Tom Ridderbeekx trumpet, Fanni Pósa horn, Emilio Tritto bass clarinet, Sanne Rambags, Marit van der Lei, Anne den Boer vocals