Jazz in Netherlands

Jazz in the Netherlands describes the development of jazz styles in Netherlands from the 20s of the 20th century to the present, and the jazz musicians who have played a role.As well as Belgium, the Netherlands can boast a rich jazz tradition, with famous orchestras, jazz musicians and composers as the Dutch Swing College Band , Louis van Dijk , Rita Reys , Hans and Candy Dulfer , but also the Instant Composers Pool .

Contents

 * 1 1920 - 1930
 * 2 1930 - 1945
 * 3 1945 - 1960
 * 4 1960 - present
 * 5 See also
 * 6 External links

1920 - 1930
The first plate of the American Original Dixieland Jass Band came in 1917 in the United States . It would take until 1920 before the new jazz style in the Netherlands really successful. In that year the British Mayfair Jazz band a tour through Belgium and the Netherlands, causing the audience of the Low Countries was introduced to jazz music. They went there also at that time that jazz was the name of a new American dance, and not of a new musical style. In the Netherlands, the pianist Leo de la Puente which became the leader of the first professional jazz band: James Meijer's Jazz Band, founded by the Amsterdam dance teacher James Meijer . The occupation of that orchestra was to "jazz standards" a little strange because there played no brass in it; The instruments consisted of piano , violin , banjo , bassoon and drums . Probably this had to do simply with the lack of available brass.

In 1926 made ​​the Low Countries will meet two greats of American jazz: the clarinetist Sidney Bechet and the orchestra of Paul Whiteman both made ​​a tour through Belgium and the Netherlands. It was especially Paul Whiteman, as a kind of jazz ambassador, made clear through interviews what jazz really was: not just a dance, but nothing less than a new art form. Whiteman carefully planned his charm offensive. His program was often the song " Rhapsody in Blue "by George Gershwin and even more jazz arrangements of classical composers such as Liszt and Wagner, all to do find acceptance as a serious jazz music form to the public. However, the Dutch radio broadcasters were not so keen to turn jazz. Only the VARA dared and so the group was The Ramblers also regularly listen to them. With their mix of light music and jazz were The Ramblers in 1936 even the resident orchestra of the VARA.

1930 - 1945 [ edit ]
Performing and listening to English music was banned by the occupying German army from 1940. American jazz, initially still. That would be only after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 be banned. In 1940 took place in the Kurhaus in Scheveningen are the Jazz World festival, where The Moochers of Boy Edgar occurred. Also a jazz magazine titled Jazz World saw the light, but that would be abused by the occupiers to belittle the jazz and then quickly disappear from the market. The control of the occupying forces went so far as dance music was banned. The dance bands were also forced to move to theaters, where, however, was strict to ensure that the entertainment was within the limits. It seemed like there was a frontal attack on jazz and dance music used: in 1942 promulgated the of Information and Arts Department ban on "Blacks and Negri extremist elements in dance and entertainment music. The bottom line was that everything that jazz was his own face gave now banned. Jazz musicians responded creatively by changing their names and less "American": The Ramblers were renamed 'Theo Uden Masman and his dance orchestra, "the Mootchers were the' Moetschers. Despite the obvious necessity character of such interventions prompted by the need to work, would include Theo Uden Masman after the war of collaborating accused. He was accused of having acted for the genazificeerde broadcasting and for the Wehrmacht . Another orchestra that takes little notice of the restrictions imposed by the occupiers, it was swinging Orchester Van 't Hoff that performed in the Netherlands and Germany and was very successful. They brought among other interpretations of Glenn Miller's music.

1945 - 1960 [ edit ]
Dutch Swing College Band with the occupation of c.1978

The boys who became the Dutch Swing College Band would establish had been active during the war years. They had to practice clandestinely and were even forced to listen while illegal radio broadcasts. On the day of liberation itself, 5 May 1945 in the Netherlands, they gave their first performance at an outdoor concert in The Hague .The Dutch Swing College Band would become one of the strongest dixieland formations of Europe and its success was correspondingly. They were not limited to performance, but also gave lectures and organized jazz sessions to promote jazz music. Under the leadership of French Finch Jr. (1945-'46) they were in the pioneering period the sign of traditional jazz in Europe.

After his sentence Theo Uden Masman returned to The Ramblers. In 1945 was also the Metropole Orchestra founded the popular music played on the radio. The orchestra was in the 50s too much on television to see. One of the programs in which they acquired with fame was the Eurovision Song Contest .

AB Miller (1921-1997) was one of the musicians who worked before the war with large ensembles. He broke through with the Miller Sextet, which saxophonists Herman Schoonderwalt and Harry Verbeke played a part, as well as pianist and singer Pia Beck . Beck was in 1949 left the band and with their own combo start which garnered international success.

Other important groups and soloists from the years 1950-1960 are Boptet Rob Pronk, the Flamingos, the Atlantic Quintet , Diamond Five (which bop played), Dutch All Stars , Wessel Ilcken Combo (with Rita Reys , Ilckens woman, as a singer) pianist Louis van Dijk , Boy Edgar (leader of the Boy's Big Band ) and trumpeter Nedley Morales .

1960 - present [ edit ]
Rita Reys in 2004

Hans Dulfer

Michiel Borstlap

After 1960, the polite interest in jazz because of the popularity of pop music a dramatic downturn. Jazz musicians went forced to go abroad. Among modern musicians emerged gradually resentment over the lack of opportunities in the Dutch music scene, especially on the subsidy policy pursued by the government which improvised music seemed to ward off the programming on radio and in concert halls. With the death of John Coltrane in 1967 as the figurehead of the avant-garde jazz appeared in the development of jazz also stagnate a time, even free jazz -frontman Ornette Coleman late 60s or in Belgium for recording his album Broken shadows .. In the Netherlands, some jazz musicians were however not throw in the towel: pianist Misha Mengelberg, drummer Han Bennink and saxophonist Willem Breuker founded in 1967 by the ICP (theInstant Composers Pool ). It was an association to defend the interests of improvising musicians intended. The activities of the organization included the establishment of an infrastructure of groups, ensembles and orchestras, producing and distributing boards and generally promote jazz as an art form. The jazz of the period, the plates labeled ICP Records, was the jazz critic Kevin Whitehead in the American jazz magazine Down Beat described as "jazz with a private Dutch accent."

The aforementioned Willem Breuker played before he turned his attention to CPI in the free jazz band Free Jazz Inc. , was then in ' Orchestra Perseverance 'play and later, in1976, he was with his Willem Breuker Collective seen on the First Fold the Vuurpijl , a five-day festival which also includes Hans Dulfer occurred. The festival has since presented on New Year's Eve not only improvised but also composed music. A typical Breuker album is like a patchwork of different styles, with swing, torch songs and pieces of music circus that are interwoven. The 'Collective' would later, in the 80s, a number of tours take in include the USA and Canada.

A milestone in the development of jazz in the Netherlands was the opening of the Bimhuis in Amsterdam in 1974 . It was as good as home to the IBGE, the Association of Improvising Musicians (founded in 1971). Between 1987 and 1991 the October Meetings were organized here with a lot of important foreign musicians from the United States and Europe. Another important center for jazz was Groningen, where the annual "jazz marathons' place.

Jazz musicians who received recognition abroad included tenor saxophonist Hans Dulfer (also in Japan received a lot of success), the singer Denise Jannah which in 1991 made ​​her debut at the North Sea Jazz Festival was offered and signed to the prestigious Blue Note label. An internationally known ensemble is the Cubop City Big Band led byLucas Merwijk which toured with great success in the US In the list known jazz personalities should certainly composer and pianist Michiel Borstlap not lacking. His compositions are by greats such as pianist Herbie Hancock and saxophonist Wayne Shorter played. Possibly the most famous jazz couple from the Dutch jazz history was formed by pianist Pim Jacobs and singer Rita Reys , America's First Lady of Jazz. Rita Reys took dozens of albums and is still a welcome guest at the North Sea Jazz Festival.Rita Reys' new studio album 'Young at Heart' came in 2010, having never previously recorded songs such as "Young at Heart" and " I Remember You . " Reys is accompanied by Ruud Jacobs Quartet, with guest musicians Scott Hamilton on tenor saxophone and Thijs van Leer on the Hammond organ . Another regular guest at the North Sea Jazz Festival Candy Dulfer, the daughter of Hans Dulfer, who enjoys international acclaim as one of Dutch most funky saxophonists.

Other well-known modern jazz musicians clarinetist / saxophonist Ab Baars, drummer Han Bennink , singer Greetje Bijma , bebop pianist Rein de Graaff , pianist Guus Janssen , alto saxophonist Paul van Kemenade , bassist and pianist Niko Langenhuijsen , the trombonists Willem van Manen and Wolter Wierbos , bebop alto saxophonist Piet Noordijk , accordionist Joe Vanenkhuizen , band leader Herman de Wit , Fay Claassen and alto saxophonist Benjamin Herman , band leader of the New Cool Collective .