Songs (click on the -icons for a small audio-sample)
1. Dertig jaar later
2. De blues
3. In mijn hart
4. De zomer
5. Ajajajaai
6. Afscheid van een stad
7. De vleugels van de nacht
8. Het eind van de wereld
9. Mannen en vrouwen
10. Hier
11. Prinses van het pajottenland
12. Paspoort
13. De weg
14. Ooit

1. Ik wil de wereld zien
2. Brussel
3. Mooie dagen
4. Daar gaat ze
5. 'k voel me goed
6. Mambo King
7. Bar Tropical
8. Rosie
9. Volle maan
10. Laat me nu toch niet alleen
11. Vierhoog in de wolken
12. Paulien
13. De musette
14. Café de Reisduif
15. Madeleine La Marolienne
16. Zingen tot morgenvroeg
17. Met z'n twee (duet with Marka)
18. Het café der blije harten
19. Rue des bouchers
20. Vriendinnen van vroeger

Musicians :
- Patrick Steenaerts : guitar
- Bert Candries : bass, keybaords, guitar, marimboula
- Leo Caerts : keyboards
- Stoy Stoffelen : drums, timbales
- Erik Jonghmans : clarinet
- Rony Verbiest : clarinet, accordion, soprano, flute
- Pierre Devos : hobo
- Frank Michiels : percussion
- Bart De Nolf : upright bass
- Michel Bisceglia : piano
- Dries Geeraerts : horn
- Jean-Philippe Komac : drums
- Igor Semenoff, Gudrun Vercampt, Lode Vercampt, Frank Hellemont : strings
- Heidi Boumans, Kommil Foo, Laïs, Patrick Riguelle, Jo Lemaire, Roland, Big Bill, Kris De Bruyne, Stef Bos, Wannes Van de Velde : choir

Production : Johan Verminnen en Bert Candries
Recorded at Bert's Studio, Wezemaal and Studio Crescendo, Genk
Sleeve : ArtWork (Luk Guillaume)

My opinion

Being busy in music for over 30 years, in an uncorrputed way, ànd without becoming obsolete : that's something only the best manage to do. One of the best in Belgium is certainly Johan Verminnen. Many traveller has set sails with his songs in mind, many a heart has been warmed by the sound of his voice, many a tear has been shed on his melancholic tunes. With projects such as "Spelers & Drinkers" and the excellent book on the career of this Flemish chansonnier, have already put a crown on the works of this cuddly animal.
Just as that other recalcitrant man celebrating his 30-year jubilee Kris De Bruyne, Johan Verminnen didn't want an anthology of the period behind him on a cd. Kris de Bruyne (who does the backing vocals on the song "Afscheid van een stad" btw) re-recorded his songs with a chamber orchestra ("dertig jaar zwervend bestaan"), Johan Verminnen took the occasion to release a combination of a "Best Of" and a cartload of new songs as "Vroeger of Later" (that would be "sooner or later" in English).
The first cd "Later" consists entirely of new material, written in combination with Bert Candries and Leo Caerts, and recorded with accompaniment of Kommil Foo, Laïs, Patrick Riguelle, Jo Lemaire, Roland, Big Bill, Kris De Bruyne, Stef Bos en Wannes Van de Velde. Country, swing, chanson, folkrock, mambo, wals en bossa nova ... Verminnen clearly still likes many types of music. Best are the merriness on "Ajajajaai", the desolate feeling in "Afscheid van een stad" and the sweet duet with Jo - Piaf - Lemaire in "De vleugels van de nacht".
The second cd "Later" is an almost impeccable flashback on his career in 20 songs. Surprises in the choice of tracks - because imho not really essential - are "Mambo King", "Rosie", "Paulien" and "Vriendinnen van vroeger". But it's really nice to retrieve the energetic duet with Brussels-based Marka in "Met z'n Twee" (Accouplés) and the re-recording of his zydeco-hit "Rue des bouchers".

And your opinion?
Did I get it all wrong, or was I spot-on ? Do you want to share your opinion about this cd ? Send it in, and I'll put it up here !

This Album in the Press

- Peter Van Dyck in Weekend-Knack : "One disc contains the best of the past three decades, the other freshly baked songs that sometimes look into the future, and sometimes look back with nostalgia. ... A man that has seen a lot, but still doesn't think he has become much wiser with all that."

Did you see a good (or bad) review of this album ? Tell me about it !

Where to buy this CD ?

You can order this CD from a number of locations (prices researched on November 3rd, 1999, but nothing guarantees they still are the same when you read this).

The lowest price is in yellow, the highest in red. This price comparison doesn't take things into account like deduction of shipping expenses when ordering more than 1 cd, bonus points, differences in guarantees ... Shipping prices are those for customers in Belgium.

Have you seen this record elsewhere on the net, do you own an online-CD-shop with Belgian products in it, or if there's something wrong with my calculations : let me know.

More about this artist :

- bio of Johan Verminnen in the Belgian Pop & Rock Archives

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