Dutch double bassist, composer and producer Jasper Somsen (1973) graduated in both Jazz and Classical double bass. He is an open minded versatile musician. Best known as a Jazz musician his field of interest and expertise also includes cross overs to classical, pop, world and film music and theater productions.

Jasper has collaborated with some of the very best musicians on the international jazz scene including Peter Erskine, Enrico Pieranunzi, Joey Calderazzo, Jeff Ballard, John Beasley, Jean-Michel Pilc, Eric Marienthal, Bob Sheppard, Seamus Blake, Jorge Rossy, Kendrick Scott, Justin Faulkner, André Ceccarelli, Gary Husband, Gabriele Mirabassi and Paolo Fresu.

Besides a performer and composer, Jasper Somsen is a Challenge Records artist and a renowned studio producer. Jasper performs world wide and can be heard on more than 45 albums, video and film music scores. Outside a busy playing and studio producing schedule he is an educator at the ArtEZ University of the Arts, Arnhem (NL) and the general director of the foundation Cultural City of Wageningen, in his hometown.

Dutch double bassist & composer Jasper Somsen (1973) studied Jazz and Classical double bass at the conservatories of Utrecht and Amsterdam, The Netherlands. During his career Jasper has performed with some of the very best musicians at the (inter)national jazz scene, a.o.: Enrico Pieranunzi, Joey Calderazzo, Jeff Ballard, John Beasley, Jean-Michel Pilc, Bob Sheppard, Justin Faulkner, André Ceccarelli, Gabriele Mirabassi, Bert Joris, Bert van den Brink, Ramón Valle, Toon Roos, Karel Boehlee, John Engels, Yuri Honing and Eric Vloeimans. Albums as a leader at Challenge Records: 2010: "Dreams, Thoughts & Poetry" (The Music of Enrico Pieranunzi) - Jasper Somsen Group 2013: "Sardegna" - Jasper Somsen Group 2017: "A New Episode In Life" part I - Jasper Somsen Trio featuring Jean-Michel Pilc & André Ceccarelli 2017: "A New Episode In Life" part II - Jasper Somsen Trio featuring Jean- THE TRIO It’s no coincidence Jasper Somsen’s third album as a leader features an internationalpiano trio line up. Recently performing and/or recording with a.o. Enrico Pieranunzi, Joey Calderazzo, Jeff Ballard, Justin Faulkner & André Ceccarelli, he is much sought after by (in particular) pianists. The former New York, now Montreal based French master pianist & composer Jean-Michel Pilc and one of Jasper's all time favorite French drummers André Ceccarelli joined him. The music is an intriguing and exciting exploration in the hearts and minds of these three wonderful musicians.

TWO ALBUMS On July 11 and 12, 2016 the Jasper Somsen Trio went into the MotorMusic Studios, Mechelen (Belgium). Their entire album was recorded in less than one recording day. The same night Challenge Records decided to have the trio record their second album on day two. And just so happened. The first album is an all new original compositions album by Jasper Somsen. The second album contains a mix of free improvisations and some freely approached standards and was recorded in less than 6 hours. Most of the tracks of the second album were recorded in just one or two takes.

Pianist and composer Jean-Michel Pilc has performed with numerous jazz giants including Roy Haynes, Billy Hart, Michael Brecker, Dave Liebman, Jean Toussaint, Rick Margitza, Kenny Werner, Martial Solal, Michel Portal, Daniel Humair, Marcus Miller, Kenny Garrett, Lenny White, Chris Potter, John Abercrombie, the Mingus Dynasty & Big Band, Lew Soloff andRichard Bona, among others. He has also worked with Harry Belafonteas his musical director and pianist, and has performed a duet with the legendary opera singer Jessye Norman.

Jean-Michel’s renowned trio featuring bassist François Moutinand drummer Ari Hoenig has released numerous standout recordings, including Together - Live at Sweet Basil and NYC - Vol. 1 & 2 (2000),Welcome Home (2002), Cardinal Points (2004) and Live at Iridium, NYC(2004). The group later released Threedom in 2010 after reforming under the collective name Pilc-Moutin-Hoenig.

An active solo performer who’s appeared in concert internationally, Jean-Michel has released four critically-acclaimed solo piano records: Follow Me (2004), Essential (2011) and What Is This Thing Called? (2015), and a new solo double album, Parallel, released on Challenge Records in June 2018.

In addition to extensive work as a sideman in a variety of ensembles, Jean-Michel’s diverse other personal projects include Modern Lights, a composition reflecting on Charlie Chaplin’s work that was premiered at the Caramoor Jazz Festival in August 2009. The project was funded through a New Works Grant from Chamber Music America.Additionally, in 2013, Jean-Michel was granted a Fellowship from the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, in the Music Composition category for the creation of Big One, a project featuring all new original music for octet. He was also the subject of a 2009 documentary by filmmaker John McCormick, titled Jean-Michel Pilc – A Portrait.

Jean-Michel has built a strong international reputation as a very unique educator. From 2006 to 2015, he was a NYU Steinhardt faculty member and gave private lessons (piano and other instruments), taught ensemble classes and held improvisation workshops. He also acted as Co-Director of NYU Summer Jazz Workshop in 2010. Jean-Michel also taught for the New School in New York City, as well as offering private lessons in his own studio.

Since September 2015, Jean-Michel has acted as Associate Professor at theSchulich School of Music of McGill University in Montreal. There, he teaches piano, jazz improvisation to all instruments and a Seminar on Improvisation in All Styles to 40 McGill jazz and classical students. He has acted as Schulich’sJazz Area Chair between 2016 and 2018. During this time, Jean-Michel has also founded the Improvisation Workshop Projectwith Rémi Bolduc, Kevin Dean and Jean-Nicolas Trottier, a research project funded by the Fonds de Recherche du Québec - Société et Culture (FRQSC).

He is now a Challenge Records recording artist, and has released a new solo double album Parallel, in June 2018. He performs solo as well as with NYC-based groups such as: Pilc-Moutin-Hoenig, Total Madness Quintet, duo with Sam Newsome, and NYC Trio with Sam Minaie and Jerad Lippi.