Bertolf

Behind the name Bertolf is Bertolf Lentink, a Dutch singer-songwriter, composer and multi-instrumentalist based in Zwolle. He writes and sings in English in a register between melodic pop, Americana and roots music. His work rests on very structured songwriting, nourished as much by 1960s and 1970s pop as by folk and country textures. Bertolf emerged in the late 2000s, at the same time he was also playing in Ilse DeLange’s band, which placed him both in the singer-songwriter scene and in a broader Dutch pop-folk context. Over the years he has built a steady solo discography and taken part in the Color Reporters project. With Big Shadows of Small Things (2019, Excelsior Recordings) he pursued a balance between pop melody and a more introspective Americana mood. Happy In Hindsight (2021) returned to more direct, luminous songs, largely recorded at home and finished in Amsterdam with long-time producer Frans Hagenaars. In 2023 Bertolf released Bluefinger, recorded in Nashville with contributions from bluegrass musicians such as Jerry Douglas, Stuart Duncan and Mark Schatz.