Nabou Claerhout (trombone) | Gijs Idema (el. guitar) | Trui Amerlinck (double bass) | Daniel Jonkers (drums)

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After their first outing with debut ‘Hubert’ – for which Nabou Claerhout got nominated for the Sabam For Culture Award ‘Jazz Composer 2019’ – the band is refining that special sound further on their second album ‘You Know’ (Outnote Records, 2021). The third album of N∆BOU is set for release in January 2026 on Edition Records. 

‍The album explores change, renewal and shifting human connections, building on the strong foundations N∆BOU has established in Belgium and the Netherlands while signalling Claerhout’s growing international reach. It is an album of metamorphosis: new collaborators, new perspectives, and deeply personal compositions transformed into music that feels raw yet refined, intimate yet powerful.

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The sound world of Indigo moves between dreamy atmospheres and melancholic resonance, from lyrical, contemplative passages to playful, groove-driven energy. Haunting tributes such as Light Blue Shawl (for Stijn) and Consent (for Stijn) sit alongside the structural suite of Ruin & Redemption, Lost Soul and Consent, each piece reimagining itself through form and texture.

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Claerhout’s trombone remains the guiding force, shaped by subtle effects and ghost-like solo interludes that thread fragility, weight and release into the music. With its balance of intimacy and power, Indigo signals a bold step forward, an album that opens Claerhout’s music to new audiences with a compelling and resonant voice.

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The unique sound of N∆BOU is the result of the close collaboration of a quartet of musicians. Trui Amerlinck (double bass) has been a permanent fixture in the band since its inception, providing a reliable foundation with her soft, steady playing. Gijs Idema (guitar), one of the original members, has been shaping the quartet’s sound from the outset. Although his studies in New York temporarily interrupted their collaboration, he returned to bring new depth to the ensemble. Daniel Jonkers (drums) brings an intuitive, almost primal drum sound that always reconnects the music with its essence and heart. Together, they create a sound that is both versatile and uniquely recognisable, providing a foundation on which composer Nabou Claerhout’s trombone can float, whisper and tell stories.

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While others start with the melody, N∆BOU often starts with the rhythm, which gives their music a capricious and layered quality. On Indigo, the sound is richer, warmer and more emotional than ever. It ranges from introspective depths to unexpectedly light-hearted moments, almost nodding to country music.  
Indigo is an album that constantly shifts between contrasts — dark and light, loss and beauty, experimenta-tion and melody — taking listeners on a personal and musically layered journey of transience.

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EPK IN HET NEDERLANDS