Food For Thought
V.A. : Dutch Rare Folk
- 43 lost classics from the golden age of Nederfolk 1967-1987- (NL,pub.2007)****°
This compilation is assembled by Fonos who have one of the first official CDR library copy services with a lot of rare Dutch records. They have developped a huge library and extensive background with this archive and beyond and decided to release a double CD album with some classic examples of rare Dutch folk/folkpop/folkpsych albums. The folk scene in Holland, they say, always was smaller compared to Belgium, where there always were numerous folk bars, scenes and also festivals. But if you see the results of what they collected and from what I knew already I think Holland still stand out pretty well with their examples.
Only a handful of Dutch folk related artists/groups became relatively popular and are still appreciated amongst global collectors, like the s/sw/folkpop/psychpop artist Boudewijn De Groot, (especially for ‘picnic’ and ‘nacht & ontij’). Myself I remember how good L.Nijgh was as a songwriter for B.De Groot (also others proved this well, like for instance Dutch s/sw / cabaratier singer Herman Van Keeken on ‘Papie, Loop Toch Niet Zo Snel’ a concept about a father missing his child after a divorce-), or the classic naive psychfolk from Elly & Rikkert (especially for ‘Parsifal’, ‘Draad Van Ariadne’, but also ‘Oinkbeest’ & ‘Maarten en Het Witte Paard’). The soft chamberfolk group Flairck also had their foreign success. One of the songwriters which has success in the Dutch speaking countries I still like to mention is s/sw / cabaratier Herman Van Veen of which I think his debut and the Brel inspirations on ‘Morgen’ are also worth checking out. Van Veen’s first guitarist, Harry Sacksioni (of which I appreciate his debut and especially his second album, ‘Vensters’) I think it still is a bit underestimated, and not enough mentioned. But this collection mostly takes out much rarer albums, (often from labels like Stoof & Munich) of which many of them surely deserves also proper reissues.
One of the best voices and talents surely is Jan Duindam, with a splendid acoustic song track from his classic ‘Thoughts’. He was also part of Tail Toddle, also listed in the collection (medieval troubadour folk, taken from another classic). Completely unknown is his project Interweave, also listed (a great minstrel guitar track arranged with vocal chorus). Many more troubadours are added, like Gerard van Maasakkers (playing with De Vaste Mannen ; Dutch minstrel folk / s/sw), Doede Veeman (minstrel folk from Friesland), Cobi Schreijer (Dutch minstrel traditional folk styled own inspirations ; she led and organized the important Haarlem folkclub De Waag), and Bert Diederen (troubadour folk/folk). One listed singer is a bit more in the direction of Boudewijn De Groot : Cheops (s/sw folkpop/softrock). And a few of them are hardly folk, like Amphora (folk/pop song, taken from a 7”) and Cinderella (actually more psych/pop/rock ; the band supported Focus & Supersister; the singer later formed the girlband The Nasty Girls). For song music in Holland, cabaret or the mainstream was never too far away. Anneke Konings has her own originality there, in an acoustic and slightly hippie fashion (a reissue of an album will be released any time soon ; later she joined Dandylion). Herman Erbé is listed with a more cabaret-kind of eclectic folk s/sw track. Not all of his work whould be equally appealing outside Holland, but this track is really fine.
From the folkrock genre, Fungus was amongst the most popular groups. Their album actually isn’t rare at all, but also not so good if you ask me. Sido Martens had participated with Fungus and also has a track listed, in an Irish-like traditional folk-rock style. Even less appealing to me than Fungus is Crackerhash, the final track on the collection, entertaining Dutch bar-folk with a Scottish/UK influence. Mostly the English influence worked quiet well in Holland and made brilliant examples that should also interest the UK scene. Booze Hoister Band is one of the legendary folk-rock bands in this style. Further in this context I could mention Sundown (English lyrics/song related soft pop/rock), or Sycamore (UK styled folk, with arranged vocal harmonies). Pretty English as well, and rather little folk related is Mayfly, another favourite of mine (sadly their classic collector only was reissued once by JJ Production in an extremely limited edition). This is rather pastoral folkpsych song music. Another big one with a rather independent distinctive style, (not necessarily with an English influence) which is highly appreciated amongst collectors is Chimera (listed here with a great 8 minute track of medieval Dutch folk-rock with harmony vocals, from their classic, ‘Obstakel’, sadly still not reissued), followed by Interlude (a post-Chimera group in a rather English styled post-folk song music). Also different from the others is Whitsuntide Easter (Christian folk/psychfolk : sadly also still not reissued).
Where the English style influence can be very clear in folk groups at one stage, most group just have their own flavours with or without this influence. Deirdre is often a rather UK folk styled group, here is listed with a Dutch traditional (the singer later appeared with Pegasus, while the guitarist later became known as The Watchman). King’s Galliard’s track sounds almost like being a traditional Irish folkdance but their traditionals are from Dutch origin. Other groups are Sistrum, Ouwejan & Makkers, Volluk (Dutch folk), Folkcorn, Perelaar, Wolverlei, Wargaren, Dommelfolk (Dutch traditional folk), Dageraad (Dutch folk with medieval touch), Eerste Hollandse Dansband (Dutch medieval dance-folkrock ; violist was also in Crackerhash, guitarist in Wolverlei, 2 other members formed Chimera), Palace Flophouse (with a rather medieval folkrock instrumental), Happiest Band That Ever Played (original folk songs), Deining (Dutch folk with blues touch guitar). Some of these band perform in their own dialect, with a more local folk style, like Törf (local dialect traditional folk) and Koeraash (dialect local folk/rock) for instance.
Lots of bands and names from Friesland are also added, of which Irolt is the most known name (to collectors). A limited cd box was released some years ago. I guess their debut is their best. All the bands and singers from Friesland sing in their own regional separate language. Familie Van der Meer (Frisian traditional -dance-folk), Jarje (Frisian more modern sounding soft folk/pop), Roel Slofstra (Frisian traditional folk songs, often Biblical inspirations, rather minstrel-styled, worked later with Belgian naive-traditional folk band ‘t Kliekske), and the already mentioned Doede Veeman (minstrel folk).
Considering the huge amount of unique tracks they collected, the music hangs well together as a collection, the rarity of most sources, and the great booklet providing much background information makes this is a rather essential release. (The second album is a bit more pure folk related).
A few names that were not mentioned but also deserved its place are Farmer's Union Band (also with Sido Martens, folk), Opo (with 2 great UK folk styled albums, especially ‘2’, which is essential, -not sure why it isn’t included-), Miles Martin group (rather UK folk styled), Avalanche (rather UK styled folk), Windy Corner (acidfolk), Voiz (Christian folk), Surprieze (crazed acoustic psych). I also heard about Pegasus (English folk). Not sure how Makreel sounds like (folkrock) (thank you, Feddo Renier & Peter B. for a few of these names) and perhaps Ton Vlasman (English folkpsych songs, if this wasn’t too English styled to list). A group which most often made experimental music but which two first albums were psychfolk, Use Of Ashes (like a very acoustic, more quite Legendary Pink Dots/Edward Ka-Spel) are also amongst my favourites, but also here is little folk reference.
More info on the artists :
