Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Highlight Big Band: Tros Sesjon

124

Highlight Big Band: Tros Sesjon

By

Sign in to view read count
Highlight Big Band: Tros Sesjon
The Highlight Jazz Orchestra’s name should be plural instead of singular, as Tros Sesjon, the Netherlands–based big band’s debut recording from March ’98, consists of one dazzling highlight after another. It helps, of course, to stack the deck with such awesomely talented touring artists as trombonist Bart van Lier and saxophonist Leo Janssen, but the ensemble itself is wide–awake and scrappy throughout, enabling its guests to unbend and feel right at home beneath a wide canopy of complementary swinging. Good thing, too, as the visiting headliners get right down to business with van Lier and/or Janssen heard on ten of an even dozen selections. The trombonist is featured on “Meet the Master,” “All the Things You Are” and the ballad “Spring Is a Little Late,” the saxophonist on “Just Like That,” “Angel Eyes,” “I Hear a Rhapsody” and “Bouncin’ with Bud,” while both men are given room to maneuver on “Silhouette,” “Just Friends” and “Cherokee.” Janssen plays soprano on “Angel Eyes,” tenor elsewhere. The band opens with Peter Herbolzheimer’s deceptively easygoing composition, “Just Like That,” which builds in intensity much like the wonderful Tom Kubis arrangement of “When You’re Smiling” (a favorite of big bands all over the world). Janssen’s extended solo is a gas, and he and van Lier show on the next track, “Just Friends,” that it was no accident, as both are superb in their starring roles. On my demo copy (the disc may not yet be available commercially), “track 1” actually encompasses three numbers, the last of which is probably van Lier’s aptly named showcase, “Meet the Master.” Drummer Niek van Wiggen leads Janssen’s tenor into a romping up-tempo version of “Rhapsody,” after which the band’s splendid guitarist, Vincent Korning, bares his chops on the late Emily Remler’s “Firefly” and pianist Cees Slinger does the same on “The Girl Next Door.” Janssen and van Lier are featured on Herbolzheimer’s shapely “Silhouette,” van Lier on an up-tempo reading of “All the Things You Are” and “Spring,” Janssen again on Bud Powell’s “Bouncin’ with Bud” and Matt Dennis’ “Angel Eyes” (whose superb charts are by Frans Elsen). The finale, deftly arranged by Herbolzheimer, has van Lier and Janssen trading well–aimed salvos on Ray Noble’s Jazz evergreen, “Cherokee.” This is exemplary big–band Jazz with more than enough “highlights” to please even the most demanding listener.

Track listing: Just Like That; Just Friends; Meet the Master; I Hear a Rhapsody; Firefly; The Girl Next Door; Silhouette; All the Things You Are; Bouncin’ with Bud; Angel Eyes; Cherokee (74:23).

Personnel

Adri van Velsen, conductor; Jelle Schouten, Jan van der Scheer, Ray Bruinsma, Idius Felix, Victor Borkent, Ellister van der Moken, trumpets; Paul van Egmond, Gert Bloemen, Patrick Noordermeer, trombones; Ren

Album information

Title: Tros Sesjon | Year Released: 1999 | Record Label: Tros Radio

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris
Candid
Sunny Five
Inside Colours Live
Julie Sassoon

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.