Many of the pieces on this CD were originally written by leader
Bo van de Graaf for a music, film, and theatre production. Van de Graaf's compositions and arrangements display a joy de vivre rarely found these days. He incorporates circus music, modern jazz, swing, and a dab of free jazz to create a very attractive and accessible pastiche of sounds. For all but one of the tracks, saxophonist van de Graaf is joined by alto saxophonist Sonja Griefahn, trumpeter Wouter van Bemmel, vibraphonist (and synthesizer whiz) Jeroen Goldsteen, plus a solid acoustic rhythm section. The players improvise throughout, winding in and out of the jagged melodies and changing tempos. It is all good fun, and while van de Graaf will never be accused of being too serious, the band makes a substantial, if sometimes lighthearted contribution to the world of jazz music. ~ Steven A. Loewy