If you’re a fan of the West Coast Cool sounds of the 1950s, try taking a trip to Holland on this album of guys that drank from the same well. You’re not going to no the names, in fact you might not even be able to pronounce the names, but don’t let that dissuade you from imbibing some of the most sublimely swinging sounds this side of Stan Getz, Chet Baker and Shorty Rogers.
This two disc set includes a surfeit of small group sessions that rival anything that California had to offer back in the same period. You’ve got an alto saxist named Karel Reys who is a mix of Art Pepper and Phil Woods on swinging affairs like “Indiana” and “Roxy”. Pianists Pim Jacobs and Rob Madna bop like Bud Powell in trio sessions on “Lady Bird” and “First Fig” respectively. Harry Verbeke and Cees Small sound like Getz and Brookmeyer sessions on the sublimely swinging “The Beauty of the Ball” and vocalist Rita Ray taps into June Christy on seductive pieces such as a breathy “My Funny Valentine” and a bold “I Should Care”. Biggest ringers are a Buddy DeFranco-ish bopping clarinetist Jan Morks on “Queen”, a Shorty Rogers inspired bigger band for “The Goofer” , a jivey Wessel Ilcken hamming it up on “If You’re SO Smart, How Come You Ain’t Rich” and a guitarist named Robby Pauwels” who took his Johnny Smith pills for “All The Things You Are”. The windmills were swinging in Holland during these sessions!