1. Way Down Yonder in New Orleans
2. Sensation Rag
3. Riverside Blues
4. At a Georgia Camp Meeting
5. Peter's Swayin's
6. South
7. Weary Blues
8. Basin Street Blues
9. Copenhagen
10. Lazy River
11. Kitty's Dream
12 The World is Waiting for the Sunrise
13. Savoy Blues
14. Lulu's Back In Town
15. There'll Be Some Changes Made
16. Shortwave Shuffle
17. Working Man Blues
18. Steamboat Stomp
19. When the Saints Go Marching In
20. Bill Bailey
21. Trouble In Mind
22. La Java
23. Mon Homme
Wybe Buma – Trumpet
Wim Kolstee – Trombone, piano
Peter Schilperoort – Clarinet, soprano sax,
drums
Dim Kesber – Clarinet, soprano sax
Jan Morks – Clarinet (track 7)
Joop Schrier – Piano
Arie Ligthart – Banjo, guitar
Bob van Oven – Bass
André Westendorp – Drums, cornet
Neva Raphaelo – Vocals (tracks 19-21)
It
often happens that people converted to a cause
are more enthusiastic than those who have
grown up with it. This is certainly the case
with the Dutch Swing College Band, a group
formed in 1945 and (as far as I know) still
going strong. It has been kept going not only
by such people as its co-founder, Peter Schilperoort,
but also by the enthusiasm of its musicians,
whose spirit is well exemplified in this excellent
collection, which catches the band in 1955
at one of its many peaks of creativity.
The
repertoire is typical of what the band enjoyed
playing, looking back to the golden days of
New Orleans and also the swinging style of
Chicago jazz. Take Basin Street Blues as
an example, with Schilperoort’s soprano saxophone
paying homage to Sidney Bechet and trumpeter
Wybe Buma showing that he must have been listening
to Louis Armstrong. Or sample Weary Blues,
which steams along with the superb power of
a well-oiled locomotive. Savour the tight
ensemble playing in The World is Waiting
for the Sunrise, where Schilperoort and
Dim Kesber play two clarinets with enviable
unity.
Many
bands playing this type of material are sadly
lacking in technique but these musicians know
what they are doing. Schilperoort is an impressive
multi-instrumentalist; Dim Kesber is equally
eloquent on clarinet and soprano sax; and
Arie Ligthart contributes some respectable
banjo solos.
I
have only two complaints about this CD. One
is that the drummer uses the woodblock too
often. Drummers started using it in the early
days of recording as it was one of the few
ways for the drummer to make himself heard,
but it should only be used sparingly. On the
inevitable When the Saints Go Marching
In, its clatter sounds like coconut shells
imitating a horse’s hooves.
My
other grouse is with the audience on the live
tracks. They somehow feel obliged to applaud
after nearly every solo: a habit which breaks
the continuity of a performance and indicates
that they don’t care about missing the first
four bars of the following solo. Some while
ago, I proposed starting a pressure group
called SOUSA (Stamp Out Unnecessary Silly
Applause) and it still seems a desirable campaign.
The
recording quality is generally OK, although
there is too much echo on South. With
a generous playing time of 78 minutes and
23 tracks which never outstay their welcome,
this CD is a keepable souvenir of the Dutch
Swing College Band in its heyday.
Tony Augarde
CD Reviews
Lake LACB
237
