Jazz On The Beach 97
One of the most enjoyable records I’ve heard recently is a new compilation Hip Holland Hip: Modern Jazz in The Netherlands 1950-1970, compiled by Belgian DJ Lander Lenaerts with producer Stephan Raab and released on Stefaan Vandenberghe’s Sdban Records. The double vinyl set features 18 tracks from artists such as The Tony Vos Quartet, The Rhythm All Stars, Herbie Mann with the Wessel Ilcken Combo and Kwartet Leo Meyer. The first thing that hits you is just how good this music is and how it has its own distinct slant on American jazz, just like the scenes in other major European jazz cities like Paris, London and Copenhagen.
On this week’s show there’s a track from The Diamond Five, perhaps the most celebrated of the Dutch jazz bands of this era, who were led by pianist Cees Slinger with tenor saxophonist Harry Verbeke, trumpeter Cees Smal, double bassist Jacques Echols and drummer John Engels. Amsterdam Blues was originally released on the Poll Winner’s Jazz three track EP released by Fontana in 1961, and it really swings.
Also this week, a wonderful new release from veteran Sun Ra Arkestra saxophonist Knoel Scott with Makanda, a track from his debut solo album Celestial that was recorded in mono direct to tape at Artone Studios in The Netherlands and released last week by Night Dreamer. The other musicians here are his Arkestran leader and bandmate Marshall Allen on alto saxophone (sounding fantastic at 99 years old), former Arkestran drummer Chris Henderson during Sun Ra’s lifetime and now a Paris resident and hot UK jazz scenesters pianist Charlie Stacey and double bassist Mikele Montolli.
Radio Times
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