Alto saxophonist and flautist Ben Sluijs (Antwerp, 1967) is a colorful, unique and quirky artist. Initially appreciated by connoisseurs, his music is gradually gaining a wider audience. This recognition is long overdue given that Sluijs now has some thirty albums to his name and every new release is greeted with rave reviews. Particles, the latest album of the Ben Sluijs Quartet, is no exception: ‘a perfectly balanced album,’ according to writteninmusic.com, which adds: ‘a fragile, intimate and personal album’. And jazznu.com wrote that the album is proof that the Flemish artist ‘is one of the very best improvisers Western Europe has to offer’. Ben Sluijs became interested in jazz when he was 15 years old. Later he developed further with John Ruocco and, in America, with Dave Liebman. Particles was recorded with the quartet that will be appearing in Rotterdam: Bram De Looze (piano), Lennart Heyndels (bass) and Dré Pallemaerts (drums).
