HOME and BIO
Proud of our newborn,
a musical tribute to a troubled humankind:
Sapiens Unlimited.
On Cd, and on Spotify and other socials.
Lyrics booklet, or physical Cd + booklet can be ordered,
click here on: ALBUMs page
To Sapiens Unlimited on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/album/69RZb3gTzg3Yrou5rvnsrq?si=3ihIolBFQTCwbIQau19qyg
Sunday MAY 18, we had our LIVE album launch of Sapiens Unlimited
in "de Nieuwe KHL", Amsterdam. Beside the album we have turned the project into an 80-minute entertaining stage performance. We expect to post a photo series and some live material soon.
Stage programmers in NL click for the concept HERE.
Music fans: check Heleen's profile on Spotify
or listen and order on the ALBUMS page
The REVIEW section has many references to the album.
Heleen has received many great reviews as a singer and composer. Her professional singing career began when piano miracle Bert van den Brink heard Heleen’s voice in 2000 and spoke of “love on first hearing” . With him, bass player Tony Overwater and percussionist Joshua Samson she recorded two albums and a live recorded DVD and performed at the North Sea Jazz festival, Concertgebouw, BIMhuis, and many other fine stages in the Netherlands and abroad.
Heleen's first album Heard in the Scene (2002) mainly consisted of jazz & soul repertoire. For her second album and theatre tour with the same band, under the title Rush in the Woods! (2004) , Heleen's long-standing passion for tropical forests inspired the lyrics and compositions, all originals. With a new team, consisting of Jeroen Vierdag (bass), Erik Rutjes (guitar), Karel Boehlee (piano) and Bart Fermie (percussion) she recorded Way Back Home (2011) a musical tribute to life, despite all loss and longing.
Her fourth solo album Blue Lifeblood (2018) is dedicated to the water world. Reunited with Bert van den Brink, this time with bass player Theo de Jong and percussionist Shahin During, she stepped up to another level of vocal performance. In the same year she recorded an album with jazz standards with Steffen t Hart on piano, Songs for a Rainy Day (2018).
Sapiens Unlimited (2024) is her new album made up of 100 % Heleen's originals inspired by humanity itself and how ancient features still run around in our blood today. With Erik Rutjes (guitar and co-production), Jeroen Vierdag (bass), Arthur Lijten (drums, percussion) and Marcus Olgers (keys & sounds).
All mentioned albums can be ordered as CDs or listened to on Spotify and others socials.
All along, Heleen has been active as a researcher and advisor in nature conservation worldwide. Her decennia-long intertwined passion led to Green Beat Performers, her initiative to promote nature-inspired music and musicians and their cooperation with social change makers. With IUCN NL and partners, she has developed nature inspired music projects in Indonesia, Brazil/Paraguay and Ghana. Heleen is open to new collaborations with nature inspired songwriting and the concept of Sapiens Unlimited in the years to come.
Heleen van den Hombergh +31-6-23082239
contact @ heleenvandenhombergh.com
Links:
Heleen’s Cds on iTunes:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/heleen-van-den-hombergh
/id307599972
Some videos of Heleen’s songs and performances:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHyst4fo49YfvSRM
8Byy3tRrWbRDg3lF7
Heleen’s Green Beat Performers active in the Brazilian-Paraguayan Pantanal area:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHyst4fo49YeaXmk
YM1gJWuSkYJEEvz6C
Green Beat Performers news and info:
"This project is not just an album—it’s a heartfelt invitation to experience the ups and downs of being human. With every note and lyric, Sapiens Unlimited seeks to inspire empathy and understanding in these challenging times. Sapiens Unlimited is a journey of reflection, connection, and inspiration that will resonate long after the final track ends" (The Trillest on various music blogs).
“Van den Hombergh and her united band members take each other to higher levels of performance…Van den Hombergh has an expressive voice (…) her singing is always emotional and the lyrics are universal. (Ruud Heiijer Heaven Magazine, NL)
“Intimate and tender, but also convincing and powerful”
(Frans van Leeuwen NRC Handelsblad, NL)
“Van den Hombergh sounds deeper, richer and riper , in the high and low registers”. (Amanda Kuyper, NRC Handelsblad, NL)
“Authentic passion and artistry, a true story to tell and the talent to make it beautiful” (Judith Schlesinger All Music Guide, Jazz Institute Chicago, USA)
“Stylish and unusual (…) her soulful lyrics and silken tones speak for themselves. (Jack Massarik Evening Standard, UK)
“A very beautiful mixture of jazz, pop and soul” (Wolfgang Platzeck WAZ Newspaper, Germany)
“Here sings a personality you can’t deny” …. “Good van den Hombergh is back” (Maartje den Breejen Parool, NL)
“A very beautiful voice, a convincing performance, authentic inspiration” (Hans Invernezzi Gelderlander/Stentor, NL)
