Ilja Reijngoud Quartet: New Arrival

The Dutch winner of the 2003 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Composers Competition (for his composition “No Substitute”), Ilja Reijngoud imbues New Arrival with clean-cut recorded first takes of coolly-flamed advanced jazz. The trombonist’s range, rhythmically precise looseness (as on “Why Certainly”), beauty of tone, slide control and handling, breathing dynamics, and emotive capabilities (nostalgically expressed on the bluesy “Welcome Home”) are a credit for leader Ilja Reijngoud.

His writing is most certainly worthy of winning the most prestigious jazz contest in the world, and all but one of the numbers are his. Novel voicings, harmonics and melodic lines are laid out to be snorted by percussive sweeps. Reijngoud is shaded, nourished, caressed and challenged by Martijn Van Iterson on guitar, Marius Beets on bass, and Marcel Serierse on drums. Van Iterson, who’s a soloist on par with Reijngoud and a fine-minded guitarist, issues abundant chordal finesse. Beet’s bass is earthily in your face, making quite a presence, fingered with fibrous sinewy strength per “Blue Alternative.” Blues-grounded, swing-inspired, boppilingus jazz is punched on through by Serierse and the rest of these cool cats.

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