Jelle Van Giel Group, a septet based in Antwerp, Belgium, released its critically acclaimed debut album Songs For Everyone in 2015 on the Hevhetia label. Their second, entitled The Journey, appeared in June 2017 with eight new compositions by Jelle van Giel, inspired by events of everyday life, as well as by his overwhelming travels and other experiences. The Journey is a trip through enchanting musical landscapes where everyone feels at home.

Drummer Jelle Van Giel, trained at the conservatories of Antwerp and The Hague by Ari Hoenig and Jim Black, found his personal style, both soft and energetic, quite quickly. Van Giel is also an effective composer, an art he has perfected with Kris Defoort and Bert Joris. His themes are simple, endearing and inspired by personal events, reflecting travels or intimate situations like the moving Lullabye For Nelle in the form of a nursery rhyme dedicated to his daughter.

The arrangements are presented with a wink to the past by reviving the virtues a swinging jazz having its solid citizen rights before the bop of Charlie Parker came. Of course, the success of such an undertaking is heavily dependent on the soloists that one can have at his disposal. Fortunately, Van Giel's septet, sounding like a mini big band, brings together musicians as talented as trumpet player Carlo Nardozza, alto saxophonist Tom Bourgeois or pianist Bram Weijters. With them Van Giel has all the good cards in his sleeve: the improvisations are fluid and the homogeneity of the formation impressive while the warm and relaxed side imposed by the leader is preserved throughout the repertoire. Special mention should be given to the guitarist Tim Finoulst, whose clear timbre and phrasing, both nuanced and measured, fits very well into this kind of mainstream jazz: his splendid solo introduction of a remarkable fluidity on Colorious is a model of its kind.

The CD's beautiful three-part cover, realized by Sébastien Gairaud, gives an abstract, even mathematical vision of Van Giel's popular musical universe. Seductive, restful, singing and always elegant, The Journey exudes a charm that, while a little obsolete (but not outdated), is none the less real.