Ole Miss - Black Bottom Jazz Band 2007

  • 16 years ago
Ole Miss - Black Bottom Jazz Band 2007

In our highschool days in 1952-53 at the Goois Lyceum in Bussum, Netherlands three classmates became furiously interested in traditional jazz. I remember together with Eduard Rahusen and Lodewijk (Bolle) Verwoerd we would listen to the twenties recordings of King Oliver, Jelly Roll Morton and Louis Armstrong. We were also fascinated by the black revival New Orleans Bands of Bunk Johnson and George Lewis. Then of course our own famous Dutch Swing College Jazz Band as well as the trad sounds from Britain with Humphrey Lyttleton, Ken Colyer and many of the bands that had created the trad boom. We decided to start a jazz band as well. I remember the first time I played with Arent Nieuwkamp and my primary school friend Jack Vincken an improvised blues at the attic of our home and it seemed to work. We got together with Eduard and Bolle and soon our Black Bottom Jazz Band had its beginnings. Our signature tune was Jelly Roll Morton’s Black Bottom Stomp. I used to listen to this 78 rpm disc on a very a small-wind up gramophone at night under the blankets in my bed.This way I would not disturb anyone .This tune has had a life long fascination for me and still today I find it one of the greatest pieces of early jazz.

In this clip , now in 2007, some 55 years later, we picked a tune we had learned from the early Ken Colyer Jazzmen from England. We recorded it in a first take.
Arent switched from clarinet to soprano sax and does some great improvisational work. Unfortunately Jack Vincken could not make this reunion session and Bolle Verwoerd is no longer with us. That is the reason we left his spot open and played without drums.
The other members are Jack’s replacement on banjo, Ari van Mensvoort felt right at home and did a superb job. Rob Herwig piano, Eduard Rahusen trombone, Wim de Vries bass and Bob Erwig cornet.