Hip Holland: Modern Jazz in the Netherlands (1950-70)

The Netherlands had one of the most strategic locations in Europe for touring American jazz musicians. Artists often started Continental road trips in Paris and then worked their way north by train, stopping in Brussels, Belgium, before continuing on to Rotterdam and Amsterdam in Holland. From there, they made their way east to Hamburg, Germany, and then north to Copenhagen and into Scandinavia before returning to the U.S. Sometimes this path was reversed.

Also fundamental to the Netherlands' exposure to American jazz were several major Dutch labels, most notably Philips Records. The label was founded in 1950 after its parent technology company acquired Decca's Dutch record-pressing operations in Amsterdam in 1946. Most important, Philips distributed American Columbia's records in the U.K. Fontana was a Philips subsidiary and also pressed Columbia records. Dutch jazz musicians not only could easily access American jazz records but also play as sidemen with touring jazz musicians.

For a taste of how good jazz in the Netherlands was between 1950 and 1970, the Dutch N.E.W.S. label has just issued Hip Holland Hip: Modern Jazz in the Netherlands (1950-1970). The 17-track release sound terrific and grooves from start to finish. Artists featured include Tony Vos, the Jacobs Brothers, vocalist Rita Reys with Oliver Nelson, the Herman Schoonderwalt Septet, Les Halles, the Diamond Five, Kwartet Leo Meyer, Herbie Mann with the Wessel Ilcken Combo and Boy’s Big Band.

Once again, the album serves as a reminder of how much worthy jazz there is to be heard abroad.

JazzWax tracks: Here's Herbie Mann with the Wessel Ilcken Combo playing Mann's Afro Blues...



Here's Boy's Big Band playing John Coltrane's Blues Minor...



Here's the Diamond Five playing Les Halles...



Bonus: Here's Diamond Five in 1962 playing Jordu and Bohemia After Dark...