
The FRITS LANDESBERGEN BIG BAND was formed in 1969 by
the Leiden pianist Frits Landesbergen and when formed was the
only Big Band in the region.
During
the first few years of its existence the band had a mainly
jazz repertoire and therefore only played in the regional
jazz clubs. As the demand for Big Bands which could play not
only jazz but also good dance music developed over the years
the band broadened its repertoire accordingly.
For
more than 20 years the band has had the full Big Band complement
of 5 saxes, 4 trombones, 5 trumpets, 2 singers and a complete
4 man rhythm section. Our regular vibraphonist provides an
extra dimension.
The
style of the band is based on the traditional swing of the
famous bands from the fifties and sixties.
The repertoire contains many original Count Basie, Woody Herman,
Duke Ellington, Sammy Nestico, Bill Holman arrangements as
well as those made Frits Landesbergen himself.
An
impressive range of highlights from the history of the Frits
Landesbergen Big Band include:
· a concert with the singer Greetje Kauffeld
· a series of luxury dinner dances in the Okura Hotel,
Amsterdam
· major festival evenings for the Lions Club in Beverwijk
and IBM Netherlands
· several gala balls for university student societies
and dance schools in the region
· concerts in regional jazz clubs
· Sunday morning concert in De Doelen concert hall,
Rotterdam
· recording for the Leidse Jazzweek LP
· recording in Studio 44 by Max Bolleman
· annual dance evening for the Leiden 5 May Liberation
Day Ball
· Luxor Theater, Rotterdam, entertainment after the
musical Foxtrot
· performances In Theater De Tobbe (Voorburg, NL) with
guests:
-
Frits
Landesbergen & Lodewijk
Bouwens (vibes), Ronald
Douglas (vocal) Piet
Noordijk (altosaxophone),
-
Hilly
Grace
(vocal) and Tom
Gäbel (vocal).
The
band also played for the Dutch ballroom and Latin American
Dance Championships for Amateurs in the Congresgebouw in The
Hague and gave concerts on all three days of the jazz spectacle
"Swinging Scheveningen".
The
Big Band was also invited to give a concert on the main stage
in the Hofvijver in The Hague during the week of the "European
Festivities" which was sent out live on local television.
Some recordings of the band have also been broadcast in the
AVRO radio programme Hobbyvitamine.
Another
highlight and a recognition of the constant quality of this
exceptional Big Band was the invitation to take part in the
cultural exchange programme between the University cities
of Leiden and Oxford. Various concerts were given in Oxford,
one of which was broadcast by the BBC.
|