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Joy of a Toy
Eric Boeren Quartet
Okay, in the interest of full disclosure I must say that I may be prejudiced to liking this band primarily because one of the musicians play alto clarinet.
The musician's name is Michael Moor who also plays alto sax and Eb clarinet too. He is joined by Eric Boeren on cornet, Wilbert de Goode on Bass, and Han Bennink on drums.
Their music strikes me as playful compositions
from four
smart and talented people who understand the value of joy.
The original composers are Boeren and Ornette
Coleman. The number of pieces are mostly split between these two but they included
Gershwin's "Embraceable You."
Most of the thirteen pieces on this 57 minute CD were recorded in Amsterdam in early 1999. Uh, I know that this is going to sound strange but only ten of the pieces are numbered.
This is the calmest Han Bennink I believe that I have ever heard. I believe that normally he exhibits a most unique intensity in his playing. Even the liner notes refer to him as headstrong.
In the liner notes, Boeren, describes highlights of some of his experiences being in this band and gives two lessons, one at the beginning and one at the end. The first lesson is that bands need time to develop.
The second lesson is "some people still seem to think collective improvising is blowing with no regard to each other or to form. I think of it as creating and analyzing music at the same time."
Bvhaast CD9907
Prinseneiland 99
1013 LN Amsterdam, Holland
http://www.ejn.it/ag/bvhaast.htm
wbk@xs4all.nl