NL-Fusion: with seven bands from different countries or regions living in the Netherlands.
1- Harry Niehof & Los Bamberos.
Los Bomberos (The Firefighters) makes Cuban Son, a fusion of African and Spanish music traditions, and was founded in 1997. In 2004, the six men of Los Bomberos released the album Cuba Blues with singer/guitarist Harry Niehof with salsa music with lyrics in Groningen. dialect. In addition to its own repertoire, Los Bomberos plays many Cuban songs from, among others, Buena Vista Social Club and Celia Cruz. The show also focuses on current Salsa hits from various Latin American countries. CD. Cuba Blues – Harry Niehof & Los Bamberos. LABEL: Silvox Records (2005), code: SIL110. Video
2- Klezmokum.
At the end of the eighties, the American Burton Greene (who lives in Amsterdam) embraces Klezmer as a new hybrid with (free) jazz, and starts the group Klezmokum (with which he produces five CDs). Much of the source material was composed in the period between the two World Wars. It reflects the joy and sadness in the lives of mainly Ashkenazi or Northern and Eastern European Jews. Burton Greene has a predilection for the beauty, innocence, hope and longings reflected in many early Israeli compositions. He also discovered the wealth of unusual rhythms and moving melodies from Sephardic sources: from Turkey, Greece and the Balkan countries. CD. Klezmokum. LABEL: BVHaast (1993), code: 9209. Video
3- Boi Akih
A jazz/world music ensemble based in Amsterdam composed of Monica Akihary on vocals, Niels Brouwer on guitar. The group combines musical traditions from the Moluccas, Bali, improvised music, Indian classical music and traditional African music. Monica Akihary writes and sings in her father’s native language: Moluccan, which is considered dying. CD. Uwa í – Boi Akih.
LABEL: Enja Records (2003), code: ENJ 94722. Video
4- Fra Fra Sound.
Bassist and composer Vincent Henar of the Surinamese-Dutch band Fra Fra Sound started the band in 1980. The album Kula Wroko Kibri recorded in 2020 will not be released until 2022 due to the Covid period. In the first part, a selection of guests perform a collection of exciting kaseko songs. This is followed by a beautiful collection of instrumental Afro-Caribbean Fusion. This is the sound – the energetic mix of kaseko, Latin, African and jazz rock – that the band has patented and operates inimitably. CD. Kula wroko kibri – Fra Fra Sound. LABEL: Pramisi PRA Code: CD 2212. Video
5- Boh Foi Toch.
Originated as an occasional band. Former Normal members Jan Manschot and Ferdi Joly, bassist Willem te Molder and harmonica player/songwriter Hans Keuper met for a performance during the Achterhoek Gala on New Year’s Day, 1990 in Hengelo. Their mixture of zydeco and rock was an immediate success, the Boh Foi Toch-Rap was a great success. The repertoire was expanded and polkas, waltzes, but also ballads found their place, just like Folky tunes and Tex-Mex. The texts always remained in Achterhoeks! Jan Manschot left the band in 1997. Ferdi Joly returned to his old love “Normaal” at the end of 2005. CD. Gewoon Verdan – Boh Foi Toch. LABEL: Eigen beheer (2010), code: BFT GVN 018. Video
6- Gil Semedo.
Cabopop is not just the name of Gil Semedo’s album. It is also the name of a foundation that the singer created to stimulate Cape Verdean music in the Netherlands. Gil Semedo has been the most important ambassador of Cabopop in the Netherlands since the early 1990s. The singer is especially popular in Portuguese-speaking Africa (Cape Verde, Angola and Mozambique) with his slick mix of R&B, soul and Cape Verdean rhythms. More than ever, Gil Semedo builds his songs around the acoustic guitar, the most important instrument in Cape Verdean music. CD. Cabopop – Gil Semedo. LABEL: Harmonia (2008), code: 023972. Video
7- Max Tax Y sus Banditos.
Brabant party band, inspired by the music from the south of the United States and Mexico. In terms of line-up, they are a typical Tex-Mex band: accordion, acoustic guitar, double bass, wind instruments and percussion. However, the music style is a mixture of Cajun, blues, zydeco, bluegrass, Tex-Mex and polka. Max Taks Y sus Banditos eventually became the backing band during Flaco Jimenez’s tours.
CD. Zorro, Zorro – Max Tax Y sus Banditos. LABEL: Deep Blue Something (2001), code: DBS 90042.
Thanks to:
