Dick De Graaf Quartet - Moving Target (2007)

Dick de Graaf's Moving Target is well named, as the tenor saxophonist doesn't stick to one style during these 2006 sessions. Leading a quartet with pianist Jeroen van Vliet and bassist Guus Bakker (both of whom double on electric instruments) plus drummer Pascal Vermeer, the leader starts off very much in a post-bop setting with his potent "Cascade". Several of the leader's pieces were inspired by 20th century composer Béla Bartók, including the haunting "Stolen Dream" and the quirky swinger "Why Birds Always Sing" (the latter with de Graaf switching to soprano sax). Van Vliet's hand-muting of the piano strings in the opening to "Handiclap" gives the piece the feeling of a kalimba (African thumb piano), while this percolating composition never loses steam. The switch to electric instruments is a bit uneven, as the lively "Démasqué" works well but "Climate Change" sounds like warmed-over Weather Report from the 1970s. Still, this is a commendable outing by the veteran musician. ~ by Ken Dryden, AMG. 

Soundroots Records, SR02, 2007
Recorded 19th, 20th October & 9th November, 2006 at Tafelberg Studio Tilburg, NL 

Musicians:
Dick De Graaf - Tenor and Soprano Saxes
Jeroen van Vliet - Piano, Fender Rhodes
Guus Bakker - Acoustic and Electric Bass
Pascal Vermeer - Drums 

Tracks:
01. Cascade (6:59)
02. A Touch Of Bela (5:37)
03. Deka Deka (6:17)
04. Stolen Dream (4:23)
05. Climate Change (4:33)
06. Why Birds Always Sing (5:59)
07. Moving Target (5:32)
08. Handiclap (4:28)
09. Somsok Orkim Saleb II (5:21)
10. Démasqué (7:44) 

All compositions by Dick de Graaf 

Total Time: 56:53 

Credits:
Recording and Mixing - Bernard Jussen
Mastering Engineer - Peter Brussee
Photos and Art Design - Bernadette Leijdekkers
Liner Notes - Dick de Graaf, Rotterdam, January 2007 

Joris Posthumus Quartet feat. Tom Beek - The Abyss (2010)

A hot two-horn aggressive quintet from the Netherlands! They are not well known in Japan, but this bursting momentum has a huge impact. The alto and tenor are rushing with a modal feeling in the style of Coltrane. It is also full of spiritual feeling; this is a powerful mixture of the sound of the 60s and the modern era! The pianist is also McCoy-like! The modal phrases run and run and run again on the percussive block chords. The alto's fist is also amazing! In modern terms, can you imagine a saxophone like Rosario Giuliani? This spirit is hot, too hot. In recent years, European artists who have returned to hard bop have been seen mainly in Italy, but there have been few works that tackle the Coltrane mode. According to the liner notes, his roots were in New Orleans and Dixie, and after various experiences he also toured the Netherlands with David Murray. All the songs are performed with great power. This is a work that should be listened to by those who want to remember the passion of that genre. ~ from New Release Info. [Translated From Japanese] 

Challenge Records, CR73287, 2010
Recorded 6th & 7th October, 2008 at Fattoria Musica Studio's, Osnabrück, Germany 

Musicians:
Joris Posthumus - Alto Saxophone
Tom Beek - Tenor Saxophone
Jeroen van Vliet - Piano, Fender Rhodes (#8,9)
Jurriaan Dekker - Double Bass
Pascal Vermeer - Drums 

Tracks:
1. Portrait Of A Picture (5:56)
2. The Abyss (8:37)
3. Of A Different Kind (8:04)
4. The 2nd Day (6:00)
5. Death Of A Ladybird (7:31)
6. Sunshine (5:32)
7. 13 Solutions (5:24)
8. Out Of The Dreamworld (7:46)
9. Daybreak (5:39) 

All compositions by Joris Posthumus 

Total Time: 60:29 

Credits:
Producer, Mixing Engineer - Chris Weeda
Mastering Engineer - Peter Brussee
Production Coordination - Jolien Plat
A&R - Maurits de Weert [Challenge Records]
Design [Sleeve] - Esther Wiegert
Photography, Art Direction - Marcel van den Broek 

The Abyss