The Dutch Handsome Harry Company is running like a train through Europe, now already for it's tenth year. Their fifth CD, Boogie don't stop (Munich Records) represents beaten and unbeaten tracks, sometimes screaming and yelling, while taking bends, at other times peacefully rolling along. It's an entertaining journey and the six Harrys keep track.
The album contains fourteen self-written tunes and features also Dutch cabaret phenomenon Hans Teeuwen -to be heard in the title song-, guitar player Guido Eyman and Fernand de Willigen on the slide trombone.
While starting out in 1990 as true followers of the Jump and Jive style that hit the black VS population some 50 years ago, they now represent an interesting melting pot. There is Rhythm and Blues of the fourties, the mambo of the fifties, hard bob ingredients of the sixties and even some crossover funk and boogaloo to be tasted. It's like a good lasagne: tasting wonderfully, while never revealing it's recipe, every layer presenting a new surprise.
The extremities of the mighty entertainer Peer de Graaf, the soulful sax sound of Wout Wantenaar, the tasteful virtuosity of trumpeter Bert Lochs together with the elegant understatements of pianist/organ grinder Lucas Asselbergs, the greasy bass sound of double bass player Taeke Stol and the pleasantly pumping grooves of drummer Joost Kroon produce their remarkable sound: transparent, sophisticated, catchy and groovy. Weather it's a tantalizing boogie, a cool Latin or a deep blue ballad, you'll recognize without doubt the sound of this unique Handsome Harry Company.
The group plays mainly festivals (e.g. North Sea Jazz Festival twice, Oerol's Terschelling, Jazz Ascona,), theatres and occasionally big private
parties. They also appeared many times on the Dutch, Belgian, German, Austrian and Italian radio and television.
Some people doubt if the sound of a band that is so much alive during a concert can be captured on a CD. The answer is: yes it can, just listen to Boogie don't stop. Buying Handome Harry's new CD means treating yourself to a most exciting jive party.
Ten F.A.Q.'s about the Handsome Harry Company
- Who is 'Harry'?
Everyone in the band is Harry: We have Harry Stoteles, the great thinker, excelling on the trumpet, Harry Saxophoni, the insatiable saxophone beast, Harry Covert, who's tickling a variety of ivories, Harry Pøtter, the great teacher on the double bass, Harry Verdechi, the merciless master of the kettles, who likes to travel and last but not shortest: Harry Krishna, lead singer and master of ceremonies.
Of course all this is untrue, 'cause the only real Harry is in fact Harry Gibson, a splendid Jump and Jive star from the forties, who wasn't handsome at all, sung like a frog and belongs to the collection of great treasures of the forties to be discovered.
- Why 'Company'?
You have to be a firm or a theatre group in order to use this name. Both are a little bit true. We like to do business and the theatre was the first habitat of this group. Even now the group often performs in and around theatres, of course in a theatrical way.
- What is Jump and Jive?
Jump and Jive is the music from the forties that inspired the group, together with swing of the thirties, 50' mambo, 60' hard bop en '70 funk. Jump and Jive is pure fun, rhythm and musical dexterity. Most famous emblem of this style is Louis Jordan, from Kansas USA.
- What style do you actually play?
Most people who don't like jazz, say it's the first jazz style they really can appreciate. In fact hardcore jazz lovers dig it too. The Handsome Harry company was twice a success on the North Sea Jazz festival and on many other (jazz) festivals around Europe. So it's associated with jazz, whereas it is not altogether 'jazz'. It's less improvisational, noisy, squeaky, time consuming. And it is definitely not nostalgic or traditional. It's a new recipe consisting of many different well-known ingredients. There are so many influences that you can't decipher one discrete style. It's fun, it's swinging, it's intelligent, it moves, it grooves, makes you feel in the mood, hip to the tip and right into the groove.
- Why are you using this line up and were is the guitar?
The band uses the typical hard bop line up of rhythm section plus two horns. The great difference with the well-known units from the late fifties and early sixties is lead singer Peer. The group uses the guitar once in a while. On 'Boogie, don't stop' there's actually a lot of good guitar playing to be heard. And there is also trombone. A great surprise is the appearance of Cabaret-Phenomenon Hans Teeuwen on two tracks of this album.
- How many albums did the band make so far?
'Boogie, don't stop' is already the fifth album, after 'The Handsome Harry Company' (1993), 'Come on Jump' (1994), Camel Ride (1997) and 'This is Cool (1999). If you like to order a copy please mail us (handsomeharry@handsomeharry.nl) or call: 06-20158837). Most of them can also be ordered in the regular CD shops.
- How tall is your lead singer and why is he able to keep up acting like a moron
Peer is 2 meters and 2 centimetres tall and he is acting this way because it's definitely the only way to behave. Peer is a peerless improviser, who is not willing or even able to do the same thing twice, who is always entertaining en making you laugh your head of, either you want it or not. Irresistible!
- Who writes the tunes?
Most people are surprised to hear that practically all tunes are self-written. Tunesmiths are Lucas Asselbergs and Bert Lochs, whereas on former albums bass player Tony Ector contributed many songs.
- What are your future plans?
Become very famous and adored by an ever-growing flock of admirers. The band will definitely appear on many interesting music and theatre festivals. Please contact us for more details.
- How can you grasp the 'live feel' on a record?
That's a hard one!?Well, people's reaction to our records after they saw our show is that the music really reflects the good spirit that can be felt on stage. Most of all our albums are intended as an invitation to join a live concert of the group. So join the party and let's groove along |
