NEW NIKS & ARTVARK SQ - BUSY BUSY BUSY

• new niks & artvark sq: busy busy busy
  (2009, cd, nl, private release)

About half a year ago, the Bimhuis club in Amsterdam presented three days of Dutch jazz and improvisation. One of these days staged the New Niks ensemble and the Artvark Saxophone Quartet. Both quartets played a short set, and joined each other afterwards for an extra concert.
You can find more info of this gig (music and interviews) over at the Radio6 site:
http://vprojazzlive.radio6.nl/2009/03/13/bim-live-133-artvark-saxophone-quartetnew-niks/

Actually, this wasn't the first time that these two ensembles had performed together. They had already played together at the Rottpod festival in Rotterdam in 2008. An experiment left everyone asking for more.

The sum of New Niks plus the Artvark Saxophone Quartet is called Busy Busy Busy, and as it happens, that's also the name of this new album.
"Busy Busy Busy" combines the playfulness of New Niks with the powerful backing and dynamic solos of the Artvark 4tet.
The music on "Busy Busy Busy" reflects that Delfos, Broekhuizen, le Clerq, Niks, Erker, Suntrop and Wirtz all signed for at least one composition. There's a lot of variation to be found on this disc, and yet, the octet sounds as if they've been playing together for years.

Recommended listening.

http://www.artvarksq.com
http://www.arendniks.com/

Check out the YouTube video for a little taste:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSKmfYz0Ze8