|
|
|
 Reviews / Quotes 3 CD's
..treviews The Heron (ICP 033)
This saxophonist has.....a glowing tone, beautiful diction and a strongly developed feel for drama.
Frans van Leeuwen: NRC Handelsblad, 29 December 1997
Medleys of melodius compositions, often teetering on the edge of free group improvisations, but held together by strong, sympathetic ensemblework.
Frank van Herk: de Volkskrant, 2 January 1998
The real revelation here is Delius’ lovely sound, plotted somewhere on the Ben Webster-Archie Shepp lineage.
Down Beat, September 1998
Loose-limbed and lively, this band has a fresh feel, mixing moments of abandon with characteristic Dutch insouciance.
Pulse!, August 1998
I can’t say enough good things about this album.......The group dynamic is dense yet clear, and the range of expression is great..........This is as good as a record gets without being epoch-shattering.
Chris Kelsey: Cadence, March 1998
For this program, the quartet knew the itinerary, but not who’d cue a piece, or how long it’d last, or how much emphasis one theme might get compared to another. They kept details undefined till the tape rolled. (They recorded the tracks as they appear here, mostly single takes.) You might find that fluidity the music’s most endearing trait, even more than the frequently lyrical writing or the signature solo voices.
Kevin Whitehead
Toby’s Mloby (ICP 034)
This group moves seemingly effortlessly between passages of great complexity and pure abstraction, and does so on a dime. This recording, like its predecessor solidifies my theory that there isn’t a better working band in creative music today.
Coda Magazine, january/february 2001
The group encompasses a wide stylistic range, from cabaret evocations to abstract forms.
Wire, April 2000
Swing, waltzes, calypso and free extravaganzas come together in catchy medleys.
de Volkskrant, 11 May 2000
Delius’ mastery of the tenor is sprawling, but the deep, warm richness of his tone is a constant.
Peter Margasak: Chicago Reader, 2 March 2001
Highlights the virtues of the Amsterdam scene: swing, virtuosity, swooningly sarcastic strings, inspired chaos and a sustaining levity.......Quirky and exhilarating.
Brian Watson: Hi-fi news, July 2000
The composed materials........are efficient pacesetting devices that create concise, pungent contexts for improvisation.
Bill Shoemaker: JazzTimes, September 2000
One of the tightest groups I’ve heard for a long time. Delius has developed a cueing system which allows the band to jump abruptly from one composition to another in full flight, the result being one of the freshest and most enjoyable outings this year.
Dan Warbuton: Signal to Noise, Fall 2000
These four take the listener on an inventive journey, with plenty of detours, unexpected stops, and spontaneous side trips along the way. Yet they alway pull it together with wry humor and panache.
Cadence, December 2000
A succesful sampling of improvised music, straightforwardly played. This is music to charm both the critical and the superficial listener.
Ken Vos: Jazz Nu, Autumn 2000
These four can suddenly emerge from every direction, advance swinging together, at the same time always leaving the door open for surprises.
Rinus van der Heijden: Brabants Dagblad, 19 april, 2001
Pelikanismus (ICP 039)
Recorded over a three day club stand, Pelikanismus documents how they can whip up fiercely swinging tunes and astringent, fragmented improvisations with the same disarming offhandedness. Live, Delius, Bennink, Honsinger and Williamson somehow create an overarching festivity from these occasionally disorderly materials, a phenomenon this album vividly captures.
Bill Shoemaker:
The coming together and flowing apart of the cello and bass, the unstoppable driving force of the drums, the continual stream of ideas from leader Delius combine wonderfully on Pelikanismus.
Rinus van der Heijden: Brabants Dagblad, 24 January 2002
This must be one of Europe’s finest working groups..............eclectic lines, delightful interplay and, quite often, ferocious swing.
Greg Buium: Down Beat, June 2002
Delius, Honsinger and Williamson frequently form a section, braiding disparate timbres to sound of a gorgeous piece............Pelikanismus is a knockout display of the joys of freedom.
Peter Margasak: JazzTimes, July/August 2002
|
|
|
