I REMEMBER JOOP AND BOB

DOMINIQUE PIERARD ‘s TINTO ROJO

ON THE MOVE   (Belgium, 1992)

This one is for gypsy swing / guitar fans and in memory of Joop Ayal who recently left this world (and of Bob Dartsch who left us in October last year).

Dominique Pierard is what I would call a fixture of the Brussels musical scene.  A gifted and well-liked Belgian guitar-player who‘s been around since the 70s, he can often be caught playing in and around Brussels (and much further … friends of mine met him in the early 80s  playing Django’s music in a bar in New Orleans … small world!).  He was a member of the famous gypsy string band Waso before forming his own band..

Apart from gypsy swing he also excels in straight jazz and … rockabilly (he is/was lead guitarist of the rockabilly / swing revival band The Dominos, another Brussels fixture).  He is also a member of Bonaventure, featuring longtime buddy, Michel Clement (If you're a Bruxellois around 60 you may remember Tomahawk Blues Band and Sunhouse).  By the way, who remember Sunhouse, a superb fusion band who used to play at the Florio every Sunday night in the mid-seventies? Sunhouse recorded an excellent album for Columbia Belgium, which is still awaiting a re-issue on CD (tracks can be heard on YouTube).   

Of interest too is the presence of Indonesian/Dutch tenor sax, the late Joop Ayal, who plays in a style reminiscent of Ben Webster (My Romance, I remember Ben). He also sings Teran Bulan, a traditional Malaysian song with an interesting story (see Trivia below).

Although most tracks are definitely in the Gypsy Swing tradition, there are a few exceptions: the introspective acoustic ballad “A remark You Made” , the classic Indopop ballad (Teran Bulan) and two tracks with a smooth jazz feel reminiscent of Earl Klugh of the period (it’s 92 remember.  I must say that these two are not especially my cup of tea.

 

Trivia  Teran(g) Bulan is a song with an amazing story.  It was  based on a French melody by  XIXth Century composer Pierre-Jean de Béranger and eventually became the Malaysian National Anthem under the title of Negaraku.  (read the whole amazing story of this song here. 

Track list: 

1. Peche à la Mouche
2. Crépuscule
3. Valse simple
4. My romance
5. I'll see you in my dreams
6. I remember Ben
7. A remark you made
8. To Micky
9. In your arms tonight
10. Mamy
11. Teran Bulan 

Credits

Tinto Rojo : Dominique Pierard (gt) Stephane Noirhomme (gt) Alexandre Furnelle (cb) Bob Dartsch (dms)

Guests: Joop Ayal (ts, voc) Koen de Cauter (gt, ss, cello) Marc Willegems (cl) Robert Cordier (synthdrums)

RE-POST
I'm in the process of re-posting Attila Zoller Night Bounce session and Bert Dahlander "jazz with a Swedih Accent" LP.  The new link will be placed in the comments of the original posts.