Geminga: Open deur

Dutch electronic downtempo jazz duo Geminga have come up with a concept album of sorts about opportunities that come to the fore if another route is no longer available. On Open deur ("open door") Claudia Cathérine and Jean-Paul Pino make a case for being optimistic, and not being let down be unfair odds. The highlight is the lengthy Gram (Dutch for "getting even)", a song about the controversies during TV talk shows, where nobody listens, but is only interested in venting their own opinions. A bit of a row or a full-blown incident with one the participants storming off might be good for the ratings, but it doesn't help the debate to move forward. The previously released radio edit told the story within 4 minutes, but the album version is nearly three times as long, giving the trumpet and percolating percussion all the space they deserve to go deep.

Geminga is a band who dares to take risks, without making it inaccessible. They challenge the listener to follow them, leaving trinkets and gems in their wake. Music and lyrics are treated like equals, creating a gently flowing set of songs that should be enjoyed in one sitting. Once the closing track Exit has runs its course, go back to the Entree for a second helping.

Geminga: Vroeger​/​beter

Dutch electronic downtempo jazz duo Geminga have added a trumpet to their eclectic aproach on their new single Vroeger/beter, a song about the presumption that things were supposedly better in the past. Jean-Paul Pino and Claudia Cathérine are fully aware that this not true, but it works quite well as a vessel for lamenting the passing of time and getting older.

Geminga: Nu & dan

Dutch electronic downtempo jazz duo Geminga have once again added a bit of funk to their musical vocabulary on their new single Nu & dan ("every now and then"). Jean-Paul Pino and Claudia Cathérine are trying to find out what the other party is up to, carefully navigating emotions and opportunities. Fully committing to another can be quite scary. And since of none of it is set in stone, the inherent uncertainties make for captivating listening.

Geminga: Gram

Dutch electronic downtempo jazz duo Geminga are back with a new single, Gram (Dutch for "getting even)", a song about the controversies during TV talk shows, where nobody listens, but is only interested in venting their own opinions. A bit of a row or a full-blown incident with one the participants storming off might be good for the ratings, but it doesn't help the debate to move forward. Jean-Paul Pino and Claudia Cathérine added a bit of funky bass to give it a solid foundation for a slow dance. Sander Roerdink helped them out with drums and percussion.

Geminga: Daarom

Dutch duo Geminga play an unusual mix of electronics and jazz. Jean-Paul Pino and Claudia Cathérine are always game for trying something new, so when Cathérine's uncle Sjax de Bekker came by with a huge stack of songs wondering if any those would be of interest to them to record. They picked five of them and rearranged them for a 5-track EP. The concept itself is pretty straightforward: bookended by a songs about having breakfast (Het Ontbijt) and preparing for bed (Bedtijd), the other three tracks focus on mundane and bigger questions that come to mind during the day.

As a philosopher Claudia Cathérine knows all about questioning things and sometimes the answer is simply Daarom ("that's why"). Jean-Paul Pino provides dreamy trumpet flourishes, a far cry from the glaring, military tone that this instrument is often associated with. Geminga's knack for exploring the back roads of downtempo music are a perfect fir for De Bakker's lyrical wanderings. Further exploration of this collaboration should not be a problem. De Bekker wrote 300 songs so far and picking a few for a follow-up release should be fun.