[Dixielandjazz] Feel the Jazz

[Marek Boym]

Strange as it may seem, this is a Durch record label, well worth
searching.  Ran by Spronk in Breda, it has recorded numerous excellent
Dutch musicians and bands, as well as foreign artists visiting Breda.
It has also issued quite a few Cds of music from the annual Breda Jazz
Festivals (used to be Old Style jazz Festival), which still feature a
good proportion of OKOM.
I have just finished listening to FTJ CD 11 - George Probert with two
Dutch groups: The Brabant Swing Machine and the Scat Cats, both also
featuring Rob Cremer on cornet..
Both groups are very good, and Probert definitely is not the only
oyster in the stew.  Some of the Dutch musicians match - if not better
- their Ameican guest.  Just listen to Cremer, the trombonist Jack van
Elewout (who also plays an array of other instruments, albeit not on
this particular CD), or the pianist Harry Kanter.
The first band features vocals by Loes van Wees, whom i have described
in The Mississippi Rag as "a real hot mama."  Her diction is
excellent, and, although she tries to sound "black," she does not
sound affected.
The Scat Cats are - or used to be - one of the hottest bands anywhere.
 On this particular showing, the Swing Machine has an edge because of
the vocals by the Scat Cats' cornetist and banjoist, who try too hard
to affect an American accent.  But Probert is more prominent on that
session.
While I consider the label worthwhile, I do not know how to find it on
the web - I've tried both Feel the Jazz and Spronk, but got too many
results to really know what was going on (one wa about a car - Honda
Jazz).
I have many more, mainly vinyl, and not one that is not good, even if
some are better than others, and some include numbers which I whish
were not there.
Season's greetings