Biography
November 2024
Dennis van Aarssen - It Don’t Mean a Thing if it Ain’t Got That Swing
The story of ‘crooner’ Dennis van Aarssen’s career is as incredible as it is exiting. In just five years, he went from being a project manager at a digital marketing company to winning The Voice of Holland, collaborating with renowned pianist and composer Jeff Franzel and lyricist Maria Christensen, earning two prestigious Edison Jazz Awards, and performing live in New York and London. With the release of his fourth studio album, Just Call It Love, in the spring of 2024, Dennis van Aarssen is taking steps to fulfill his international ambitions.
When Dennis began vocal training at a young age, his love for jazz and swing quickly became apparent. He recorded songs at home in a studio he built with his father and shared them on YouTube. Instead of listening to pop, dance, or hip-hop, Dennis preferred artists like Michael Bublé, Robbie Williams, and classic singers such as Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett. It was with the songs from the Great American Songbook he felt most comfortable with. “I just fell in love with the genre,” admits the singer. When Dennis decided to participate in the immensely popular TV show The Voice of Holland in 2019, he won it with popular jazz and swing songs. “That’s when I knew I wanted to build a career as a singer.”
Jeff Franzel and Maria Christensen
For his debut album ‘Forever You’, Dennis connected with none other than Jeff Franzel, former pianist and songwriter for Frank Sinatra, and lyricist Maria Christensen, who has written for artists like Celine Dion and Jennifer Lopez. From their first meeting in 2019, it was clear that the young singer and the seasoned Jeff Franzel shared a creative spark. Jeff Franzel; “It’s rare to find talent with a unique voice and the ability to compose from the heart. Dennis is a true natural. After working with Frank Sinatra, Mel Tormé, and Sammy Davis Jr., it’s refreshing to collaborate with someone who can carry on their legacy. I predict a great international career for him.”
Gold-Certified Debut Album
His debut album quickly achieved gold status and was awarded the most prestigious Dutch music honor, the Edison Jazz Award. This seemed the perfect setup for recording his second studio album, until the COVID-19 pandemic derailed all plans. Canceled shows, a postponed trip to New York, delayed release of the deluxe version of his debut album, canceled festival performances, and a suspended theater tour all took their toll.
When it became clear that his second theater tour would again be postponed due to pandemic measures, Dennis threw himself into writing new songs. This new work, however, leaned less toward the big band genre and resulted in an EP of four tracks with “a sort of electro-swing,” as Dennis describes it. Soon his focus returned to his new, second studio album. Once again, Dennis collaborated with Jeff Franzel and Maria Christensen, leading to the creation of the deeply personal album ‘How To Live’, released in 2021. Dennis reflects; “The debut album was made under intense time pressure. Now, I listen much more carefully, hearing the instruments separately. I couldn’t do that two years ago. Now I notice differences, I know when something doesn’t fit. This allowed me to make this album much more consciously.”
Just Call It Love
Dennis’ love for Christmas and all things related is evident in his third studio album, a genuine Christmas record titled Christmas When You’re Gone. This unique album features original songs composed with Jeff Franzel and Maria Christensen, along with two covers: Chris Rea’s Driving Home for Christmas and Jamie Cullum’s Hang Your Lights.
His fourth intimate, jazzy pop album, Just Call It Love, co-created with Jeff Franzel, was released in the spring of 2024. It illustrates the musical and lyrical maturity of the singer who once won The Voice of Holland as a teenage crooner. With eleven captivating tracks that showcase lyrical depth and emotional nuance, the arrangements are intentionally kept small and intimate. Dennis’ warm, glowing voice sounds richer and more colorful than ever: “My voice is more mature now, so I have more control. The songs are simpler, so it’s not about power but about the nuances.”
Crossover of Pop and Jazz
Most tracks on Just Call It Love rely on the combination of piano and vocals, while others are colored by subtle arrangements with guitar, drums, bass, and cello. With this approach, Dennis ventured into a crossover of refined pop and jazz. Maria Christensen again contributed to the lyrics, resulting in nine original tracks and two covers: Waiting for Tonight by Jennifer Lopez, with lyrics by Christensen, and She by Charles Aznavour.
Jeff Franzel comments, “Music is about working with young talent, especially for people my age. Dennis blew me away with his incredible voice. He’s also an artist who connects with his audience. The idea was to record an acoustic album with original songs from both of us. I loved that idea right away. I’m incredibly proud of this album and the fact that we present this as a duo.”
Edison Jazz Audience Award
With all tracks recorded over just two and a half days at New York’s Sear Sound Studio, the album has an organic and authentic sound. Dennis explains, “We worked with top musicians and a producer in the studio, but now, when there’s a discussion, they look to me. I have more control and have made my input clear on how I wanted it. That’s expected of me now. It’s part of my growth process, and it’s crucial to keep developing.”
In the fall of 2024, the album was awarded the Edison Jazz Audience Award. Additionally, Dennis frequently performs in theaters and clubs in Belgium and the Netherlands, presenting both regular shows and Christmas performances. His first international shows in London are already booked for spring 2025. At the end of 2025 Dennis will release a new album full of Crooner Classics
