Dutch drummer Eric Ineke, inspired by Philly Joe Jones and Elvin Jones, is regarded by many as the ultimate sideman. For over half a century he’s accompanied a multitude of top jazz artists including Dizzy Gillespie, Johnny Griffin, Dexter Gordon, Joe Henderson and Hank Mobley. He’s performed with a number of high-profile Dutch bands for many years, not least the Rein de Graaff / Dick Vennik Quartet, and for the last 16 he’s led his own hard bop quintet, The Eric Ineke JazzXPress.
Ineke reached 75 this year. His new album, Swinging, Boppin’ And Burnin’ has been released to mark the occasion with a compilation of nine of his live recordings from April 1968 to May 2007.
To open, we hear father and son guitarists, Jimmy and Doug Raney in Johnny Mandel’s Hershey Bar. Ineke’s subtle accompaniment enables both guitars to take centre stage. Then, the often overlooked Etta Jones features in a polished rendition of I Thought About You. This has Houston Person on tenor sax, Canadian valve trombonist Rob McConnell and Rein de Graaff’s trio with Koos Serierse on bass.
Charlie Parker’s uptempo Ornithology has altoist Piet Noordijk with Pepper Adams driving on baritone sax. It’s followed by the superb trumpet of John Marshall and fine piano soloing in Ralph Rainger’s ballad, Easy Living. Rodgers & Hart’s Thou Swell is delivered by another fine trio with Frans Elsen on piano, walking bass from Jacques Schols and accomplished brushwork from Ineke.
A hard-swinging Tangerine has de Graaff’s trio again, this time with Marius Beets on bass, supporting Scott Hamilton on tenor. It’s followed by Eric’s Blues, spotlighting Maynard Ferguson’s trumpet fireworks. He’s backed by guitarist Wim Overgaauw, pianist Pim Jacobs, bassist Ruud Jacobs and, of course, Ineke.
In Miles Davis’s Theme, Ben Webster’s urgent tenor rouses the audience to clap in unison. Tete Montoliu’s lively pianism and Ineke’s energetic drum solo has the crowd shouting for more. Lastly, Jotosco – a hot 2007 number from Ineke’s JazzXPress – closes the album with startling trumpet from Rik Mol, first-rate piano from Rob van Bavel and explosive soloing from Ineke.
This mostly hard-bop selection of Eric Ineke’s live outings provides great, foot-tapping snapshots of the drummer’s illustrious career to date.
Discography
Hershey Bar; I Thought About You; Ornithology; Easy Living; Thou Swell; Tangerine; Eric’s Blues; The Theme; Jotosco (78.47)
Ineke (d) on all tracks, various locations, The Netherlands, 1968-2007, with:
(1) Jimmy Raney, Doug Raney (g); Ruud Brink (ts); Jesper Lundgaard (b).
(2) Etta Jones (v); Houston Person (ts); Rein de Graaff (p); Koos Serierse (b).
(3) Piet Noordijk (as); Pepper Adams (bar); Rob McConnell (vtb); de Graaff (p); Serierse (b).
(4) John Marshall (t); de Graaff (p); Marius Beets (b).
(5) Frans Elsen (p); Jacques Schols (b).
(6) Scott Hamilton (ts); de Graaff (p); Beets (b).
(7) Maynard Ferguson (t); Wim Overgaauw (g); Pim Jacobs (p); Ruud Jacobs (b).
(8) Ben Webster (ts); Tete Montoliu (p); Rob Langereis (b).
(9) Rik Mol (t); Sjoerd Dijkhuizen (ts); Rob von Bavel (p); Beets (b).
Daybreak DBTR 801
