New Wave of (Dutch Heavy) Jazz
There has been a wealth of activity recently in the lowlands involving a number of groups focusing on the blurred lines between rock, punk and ecstatic jazz. Cactus Truck is just one example, and has joined a program of 4 Dutch bands billing themselves under the title New Wave of Dutch Heavy Jazz including the Dead Neanderthals, Donné et Desirée and Albatre. Their self released compilation CD has just come out and they will be celebrating the release with a concert at Jonosh in Asten-Heusden on March 27.
Just south of the boarder, John Dikeman has been working more and more with Belgian guitarist, ambient musician Dirk Serries (aka Vidna Obmana) and they have recently released a duo LP and trio tape with Teun Verbruggen on Serries’ New Wave of Jazz series for the Tonefloat label. They’ve also performed a number of gigs and recorded with Onno Govaert and will soon travel to London to perform with Colin Webster and Andrew Lisle at Cafe Oto on April 1, then hit the studio with the quartet and end their trip with a final trio recording session with Steve Noble.