BJ Baartmans is one of the most sought after guitar players in Dutch rock and Americana. He has worked with his own units as well as adding beatiful tones and colors to performances by Carter Sampson, Jeff Finlin, Oh Susanna, Matthews Southern Comfort and Dutch stand out acts like Jack Poels, Hidden Agenda Deluxe or Frans Pollux
A little over 25 years after the release of his first solo album The Pawnshop Guitar Chase songwriter/guitarist/sideman/producer BJ Baartmans steps fully into the spotlight with GHOSTWRITER: 13 songs that have easily recognizable, accessible but at the same time very personal stories, views and beliefs behind it. They cover an already more than 40 year long journey in music with 14 albums under his own name, appearances on hundreds of album sessions and something like 4000 live performances while raising a family, dealing with serious life changing events, making but also losing lifelong friends, chasing dreams and discovering little treasures.
"A ghostwriter's always got someone to blame" is a line from one the songs on the new album. The stories present themselves but then need to find a way to connect with the listeners. So they can make them their own. A songwriter may be hiding behind his own characters. And then again not. They have to be real. Musically the album is a blend of Americana, 70's Pubrock, Reggae and Folk. But GHOSTWRITER is in its core a Rock & Roll record, even where it's mellow or slowed down.
