Swing College At Home - The Dutch Swing College Band

 

Swing College At Home

Swing College At "Home"

Dutch Swing College Band

Recorded at the Kurhaus Scheveningen Holland, September 1955

Philips Minigroove Records B 08001 L

From the back cover: There are few people who haven't heard the time-honored adage "All good things come to an end" – not to mention discovering the inevitable truth of this statement of themselves. And it's equally true of this great record, too, for although it is his third Minigroove and first live-concert record, it nevertheless marks the end of the professional career of Holland's all-time most popular jazz musician, the founder and leader, up to the date on which these recordings are made, of the Dutch Swing College Band: Peter Schilperoot.

The original idea for this "live" farewell concert came from Mr. Pieter Sweens of the Netherlands Phonogram organization, the music being recorded on the 13th and 19th September, 1955. Scheveningen is actually the seaside resort of The Hague – in fact they form one large city – and The Hague is home of the Dutch Swing College Band. Where then, could the band be more at home than in the Kurhaus?

This is a live-recording, we said, which means that it differs form all the other Minigroove records by the Dutch College Swing Band released to date, with one important exception, however... the high standard of their playing, which is an invariable as it's breathtaking! We refer, of course, to the fact that you'll find "combo's within the band" on this record, in addition to the well-known combination employing either two clarinets or two trumpets, and there is even one number in which yet another musician joins the band, but more about that later on. Now, let's turn our attention to the music. The record naturally opens with the band's signature tune, "Way Down Yonder In New Orleans". A trombone slur and then, slowly, the melody. Suddenly Wybe Buma comes in with his break, followed by a fast one as a prelude to the finish with its classical Dixieland close. First on the program is "Sensation Rag", an old number as is obvious from the word "Rag", and a firm favorite on the repertoire of the original Dixieland Jazz Band of 1917. Way back, this number was syncopation than swing. In the hands of these extremely capable musicians, however, every bar of it is jazz, swinging jazz. The clarinet solo is by leader Peter Schilperoot.

The first recording of "Riverside Blues" was made by Joe "King" Oliver's Creole Jazz Band in 1923, in which Louis Armstrong played second cornet, with Joe himself in the lead. In order to continue this tradition, Peter Schilperoot sat down in the Kurhaus behind the drums, while the regular drummer, André Westendorp, played cornet to Wybe Puma's trumpet. "Riverside", by the way, refers in this case to the bank of the Mississippi on which New Orleans lies.

At A Georgia Camp Meeting" is one of the numbers in which you can listen to a special instrumental combination. There's no trumpet this time, but a melody section consisting of Peter Schilperoot (soprano sax), Dim Kesber (clarinet) and Wim Kolstee (trombone). Something as funny as it was unexpected happened during the recording of this number, although it wasn't particularly funny as far as the "victim" himself was concerned. One of Arie Ligthart's banjo strings suddenly broke without warning. He turned with a "what-do-I-do-now?" look on his face towards recording engineer Jos Ditmars high in his control-room above the stage, but as everyone simply carried on playing as if nothing had happened, he picked up his guitar and followed suit. The next number, "Peter Swayin's" is a completely on the spot improvisation, the title of which gives Pieter Sweens' name written down phonetically. The first clarinet solo is by Peter Schilperoot, while the order in which the soloists appeared was only decided during the actual session. But the result is real jazz!

"South", from Benny Moten's Band in Kansas City, is played with two trumpeters Wybe Buma and André Westendorp with Peter on the drums again. Before the band started off with "Weary Blues", Peter Schilperoort introduced his clarinetist-successor to the thousands of jazz-fans present at this memorable concert. His name is Jan Marks and where Jan goes, his clarinet goes too! Next on the program, therefore, is a really remarkable version of that old Artie Matthews number, with no less than three clarinets in the melody section! The first solo is by Jan Marks, followed in turn by Dim Kesber and Peter Schilperoort. This latter order is also adhered to for the second chase.

Leader Schilperoort was the soprano-sax soloist in "Basin Street Blues", which is followed by a number invariably associated with the white Chicago jazzmen of the Twenties – "Copenhagen" in which there's some fine clarinet-playing by Dim Kesber. In "Lazy River", it was then Peter Schilperoort's turn for a special solo-spot on clarinet, which provides him with a wonderful opportunity to display his fine taste and virtuoso qualities. "Kitty's Dream", in which the personnel are Dim (soprano sax), trombonist Wim Kolstee at the ivories, Bob van Oven (bass) and André Westendorp behind the drums, is a composition by Dim Kesber.

Dim' really got something to say in this number, especially in the second chorus!

"The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise" features both Peter Schilperoort and Dim  Kesber on clarinet. In this number, which certainly set the whole hall rocking, Dim takes the first solo. He's followed by pianist Joop Schrier and then it's Peter's turn, after which Peter and Dim really get going. As you'll certainly need to relax for a moment after all that excitement, the Band follows up with "Savoy Blues", that beautiful Louis Armstrong classic, in which trumpeter Wybe Buma blows a fine solo.

And finally, there's another great number by one of New Orlean's most famous pianist and bandleader, Jelly Roll Morton. So off we set again along the old Mississippi in "Steamboat Stomp", heading as our final destination, for the place where it all began... "Way Down Yonder In New Orleans". 

It's all over then, both the first live-recording by the Dutch College Swing Band and the leadership of the man who made this orchestra what it is today, the "top", to say the least, in Dixieland music in Holland. The Band will now carry on with Joop Schrier in the leader's chair and Jan Marks instead of Peter Schilperoort. And if There ever was a grand farewell concert, then it was this one. Truly unforgettable!

'Way Down Yonder In New Orleans

Sensation Rag

Riverside Blues

At A Georgia Camp Meeting

Peter's Swayin's

Weary Blues

Basin Street Blues

Copenhagen

Lazy River

Kitty's Dream

The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise

Savoy Blues

Steamboat Stomp

'Way Down Yonder In New Orleans