Holland has always exerted a fascination for me: a little land in Western Europe full of ingeniousness. The architecture, the art, the culture, the clever way to tear off the ground from the sea, their ships, their bicycles, their night-life, their foggy and rainy afternoons, their open mindedness, their cool and friendly happy-go lucky way of being, their folk music, but most of all its jazz! Dutch jazz has moved away from American jazz and is considered now one of the most creative in all of Europe.
The "Tilmar Junius Trio" has established itself as part of this new generation of Dutch artists that puts away the distinction between classical and contemporary music. The result is a high quality release, "Songs and Dances". The trio scouts out traditional Dutch music, which is more than seven centuries old (except for "Oost en west/ East and West" composed by Wim Kegel) and brings about a delightful jazzy identity.
Listeners who are familiar with traditional Dutch music will note that some of the songs were deconstructed and assembled with improvisational contrasts. You cannot help but hum alongside the folk tunes of "De Nachtegael Die Sanc Een Liet / The Nightingale, It Sang A Song", "In 't Soetste Van Den Meye / The Sweetness of May".
Junius grew up in the academies and now plays with both elements (prevailing and unobstructed), fraternizing within the European and American roots. He succeeds to emancipate his voice while allowing chasm to Voogd’s bass and Kegel’s Drums.
Kegel’s composition "Oost En West/ East and West" is a master piece of drum agility in which Kegel captures the influence of jazz by integrating ethnical elements.
If one is on the way and about to visit Holland, being tempted for its culture, traditional and jazz music, do no hesitate to pay attention to Tilmar Junius’s release, as he blends all dogmatisms, whether it’s libertarian or traditionalist.
