Vincent Bijlo | Met de Bijlo's

(CD in Dutch language)

De liedjes op Met De Bijlo's voeren de luisteraar langs alle stemmingen. Van het melancholieke Heimwee tot het spottende Vroeger, van het voor zijn vrouw geschreven Het Licht, tot het introspectieve Duister. Van het langzaam rockende de Maan, waarin hij stelt dat de maan is bedacht door een Amerikaan, tot het ontroerende Jij Bent Nog Steeds… dat hij schreef in herinnering aan zijn vader.

Het zijn dertien zeer persoonlijke liedjes, geschreven en gespeeld door één man.

Op de vraag of de Bijlo’s ook live gaan spelen antwoordt Bijlo: “ik heb vier ledematen en een mond, ik kan dus vijf instrumenten tegelijk. Nee, zonder gekheid, ik heb voor de liveconcerten een aantal klonen van mezelf laten maken.”

CD | 3091 842

Geert Chatrou | Ornithology

Geert Chatrou is a professional whistler. And not just another one. He won the world championship 2 times.

In 2005, Basta released his first album Chatroubadour, a heavy partnership with the band Ocobar. This album received nothing but good critics and the music was used in countless documentaries and tv-commercials.

Now this second album takes you through a much wider variety of musical styles, from jazz to klezmer to classic to pop. Several pieces were composed especially for Chatrou’s virtuoso whistling by well known Dutch composers. Additionally to the 90 minutes of music, the second disc contains a short animation as well as a documentary, both viewable on a computer.

2CD | 3091 692

Vincent Bijlo | Kort door de Bocht

“De voeten van de Nederlanders worden steeds groter. Hun tenen steeds langer. Je kan geen stap meer verzetten, of je gaat er wel op een paar staan. Toch blijf ik lopen, dwars tussen al die opgeblazen voeten door. In mijn nieuwe voorstelling loop ik zonder omhaal recht op mijn doel af, kort door de bocht. Geen loos geroep, geen holle vaten, maar duidelijke taal. Ik zal proberen de steeds dieper en breder wordende kloof tussen de mensen te dichten. Nederland is immers vol van wij-zij-denkers, en daar moeten jullie nou maar eens mee ophouden, jullie, zienden. Alles in dit land is namelijk de schuld van de zienden. Ik zal zingen over de vader, die ik niet meer heb, de kinderen, die ik niet heb, de vrouw die ik heb en de idealen die ik ook nog steeds heb. Het wordt respect, liefde en vrede, in deze voorstelling, maar dan niet soft. Dat kan. Als je wilt weten hoe, loop dan met me mee, kort door de bocht.”

Bijlo, de koning van de ongenuanceerde nuance.

DVD | 3091 852

Raymond Scott | Ectoplasm

Ectoplasm is the first-ever CD presenting Scott's second Quintet, which recorded in 1948-49. Like its groundbreaking 1937-39 predecessor chronicled on 2003's Microphone Music, this "quintet" had six members, but unlike the original RSQ, this band didn't create music associated with cartoons.

Although the 1948-49 band sounds like quintessential Raymond Scott, it did not resort to a nostalgic aping of the first RSQ. The usual Scott trademarks abound: wit, sophistication, and a touch of eccentricity. Like the first, the second RSQ is complex and hyperactive, with an undercurrent of wry mischief, befitting the band's namesake. Both RSQ's were known for swirling horns, muted trumpet, and daredevil tempos. The style could be termed "parlor jazz," or "chamber swing"—breezy and cerebral.

As a composer, Scott moved away from his quirky novelties of the late 1930s and progressed in a more challenging direction. However, he still liked painting "portraits in music." The unusual album title refers to a spooky Scott work evoking a "voice from the beyond." Other Scott originals on the album are "Street Corner in Paris," "Snake Woman," "Bird Life in the Bronx," "Good Listening," "Curley Cue," and "Question Mark." In addition, Scott goes lunar with his visionary opus "Dedicatory Piece to the Crew and Passengers of the First Experimental Rocket Express to the Moon."

The album includes jazzed-up arrangements of the light classics "Humoresque" and "Song of India," and over a dozen Tin Pan Alley standards which clock in at less than two minutes each. These miniatures — including such standards as "Blue Skies," "I'll See You in My Dreams," and "How High the Moon" — were intended as radio program interludes. They demonstrate Scott's skill as an editor, distilling the essence of these songs in compressed form. Tunes like "Honeysuckle Rose," and "You're the Cream in My Coffee" were dolled up to affirm Scott's musical identity, with the melodies respected. Scott seemed to prefer jazz in service to composition rather than the other way around. That said, he took his share of liberties as a composer by integrating original intros and bridges that re-invent these relics with an unmistakable Scott spirit.

CD | 3091 572

The Beau Hunks | On to the Show

Finally available - the Beau Hunks' definite recordings of Leroy Shield's film tunes

The Amsterdam-based "documentary orchestra" The Beau Hunks was originally founded to recreate the toe-tapping melodies from the Hal Roach shorts of the 1930s -- the Laurel & Hardy, Our Gang, Charley Chase, Thelma Todd and Taxi Boys series. This music, although familiar to all, was never commercially released by the studios and the original recordings are presumed lost. Over the years, several attempts were made at recreating the tunes: Robert Crumb and his Cheap Suit Serenaders in the '70s, Ronnie Hazlehurst in the '80s and Vince Giordano in the '90s. It was the Beau Hunks, however, who finally gave the stock music of Leroy Shield its due in a series of albums released between 1992 and 2000. Detective work, top-of-the-bill musicianship, scholarship, vintage instruments, acoustic recording and note-for-note transcriptions combined in quality albums generating rave reviews and prestigious awards.
In their third album "On to the Show", first released on the American KOCH label in 1995, these qualities reached an artistic peak. Produced by Gert-Jan Blom and Piet Schreuders, The Beau Hunks provide swinging versions of dance tunes such as "Streamline Susie" and "Let's Face It"; short mood pieces like "Colonel Buckshot" en "Hollywood Kate"; thrill and hurry cues like "The Villain", "Go Get Him" and "Confusion"; the semi-classical "Cascadia" and the romantic "Early Morning". The album contains a total of 50 tracks, all of which were composed by Leroy Shield.
BASTA is proud to present a rerelease of this album which has been hard to find for many years. The detailed program notes were updated and the package redesigned by Piet Schreuders.

"I loved it .. it triggered off a very beautiful sentimental chord in my soul." -- BRIAN WILSON

CD | 3091 592

JacobTV | Rainbow

Box 1 of 3 in the JacobTV trilogy set. The 2 CD’s contains heavenly orchestral works, performed by The Arnhem Philharmonic Orchestra and the North Netherlands Orchestra & Concert Choir, conducted by Jurjen Hempel and Alexander Liebreich, featuring soprano Claron McFadden, tenor Thomas Allen, saxophonist Arno Bornkamp, cellist Marien van Staalen and percussion duo Lorenzo Ferrandiz & Gustavo Gimeno. The DVD contains the tv documentary "So Heavenly It Hurts" by Jan Willem Looze, ...NOW.. for symmetrical orchestra with videos by Jaap Drupsteen, Short Cut, the choreography by Hans van Manen by the Nederlands Danstheater on string quartets by JacobTV, 2 pianoworks performed by Kees Wieringa, Postnuclear Winterscenario No.12 for orchestra and a preview of box 2. Audio and video samples at: http://www.jacobterveldhuis.com/box_1.htm

2CD + 1DVD | 3091 732

JacobTV | Shining City

Box 2 of 3 in the JacobTV trilogy set serie; This box contains his so called boombox music - a new musical style: Music for one or more instruments combined with a soundtrack, to be reproduced simply by a boombox, aka ghettoblaster. The soundtracks are based on audio samples from human speech from every day life, turned into groovy patterns with a dramatic impact. A colourful mix of high and low culture, of classical music, rock, pop, rap, rhythm & blues and jazz. By freely combining avant garde with American popular music easthetics, he creates his ‘Avant Pop’ music, played on this album by a European-American team of distinguished musicians and ensembles. Contains 16 audio tracks and 8 video clips with visuals by Jan Willem Looze, Kristien Kerstens, Michiel Zegers and Danielle Kwaaitaal. audio and video samples at: http://www.jacobterveldhuis.com/box_2.htm

2CD + 1DVD | 3091 742

JacobTV | Suites of Lux

Box 3 in the JacobTV box set trilogy: contains his best works for stringed instruments: violin, viola, cello and piano in various combinations, performed by The Netherlands Quartet, Monica Germino, electric violin, René Berman, cello, Kees Wieringa, piano, Roeland Gehlen, violin, Benjamin Schmid, violin and Frank Peters, piano audio and video samples at: http://www.jacobterveldhuis.com/box_3.htm

2CD | 3091 752