Boy's Big Band: Return

In the decade spanning 1960-70, composer / saxophonist Boy Edgar (1915-1980) led one of The Netherlands' most acclaimed and adventurous big bands, a contemporary of the massive Metropole Orchestra and precursor of the renowned Dutch Jazz Orchestra. Return consists of nine never-before-released concert performances recorded during the band's heyday in 1965-66 including the first recording of Theo Loevendie's forward-looking "Finch Eye." To augment the band's cadre of esteemed Dutch musicians (alto saxophonist Piet Noordijk, tenor Toon van Vliet, bass trombonist Erik van Lier and pianist Cees Slinger among them), American trumpeters Benny Bailey and Ted Curson each appears on two selections.

The album opens with Duke Ellington's "Solitude" and John Coltrane's "Blues Minor" from a concert taped July 19, 1965, in Hilversum. The second concert, held in Groningen in October '65, encompasses Nat Adderley's "Work Song," baritone saxophonist Herman Schoonderwalt's "Blue Boy," Edgar's "Now" (a.k.a. "Competitive Challenge"), the album's longest track at fourteen minutes, and Loevendie's "Return." The producers acknowledge that sound quality on the last two numbers, from an April '66 concert at Amsterdam's Concertgebouw, may be less than satisfactory (it isn't) but endorse their inclusion because of the world premiere of "Finch Eye." Loevendie's magnum opus is preceded by the Jerome Kern / Otto Harbach standard "Yesterdays" and followed by the earnest finale, Edgar's blues-drenched "Play the Game Now" (which consumes another thirteen minutes-plus of the album's generous seventy-four-minute playing time).

Baritone Joop Mastenbroek, taking his lone solo on "Game," makes sure it counts, as do trumpeter Ado Broodboom, valve trombonist Cees Smal, bassist Dick van der Capellen, flutist Chris Hinze and an uncredited soprano (either Loevendie or Schoonderwalt) and trumpet (most likely Curson). Noordijk shines on "Solitude," while Bailey traverses a higher realm. Coltrane's "Blues" is brightened by Loevendie (soprano), Noordijk, Schoonderwalt, van der Capellen, van Vliet and drummer John Engels, Adderley's "Work Song" by Slinger, Smal and the engaging tenor Harry Verbeke. Schoonderwalt wrote "Blue Boy," on which he solos with Smal, Singer, van Vliet, Engels and bassist Rob Langereis, and Loevendie "Return," on which his expressive soprano flashes between prancing solos by Smal and Noordijk.

Even though these performances were recorded more than fifty years ago, they remain fresh and alive, serving as a reminder that Boy Edgar's band was among the finest of its time, one that warrants comparison to one of its more celebrated counterparts, the masterful Clarke / Boland band from France. Return is part of a series of reissues designated Treasures of Dutch Jazz. Should future releases live up to this standard, they would indeed be more than welcome.