The Skymasters at Nick Vollebregt’s Jazzcafe in Laren (1979)

Last fall, Thisbe Vos was planning to visit her family in the Netherlands. But then the Corona crisis and social distancing intervened. So instead of bringing Thisbe to Laren at Easter, I’d like to bring Laren to her instead.

The Skymaster with bandleader/arranger Tony Nolte directing Fons Diercks, Wim Kat, Jaap Leben, Jan Oosthof and Ack van Rooijen-trumpets; Rudy Bosch, Bart van Lier and Jack van Wouw-trombones; Leo Gerritsen, Henny Kluvers, Piet Noordwijk, Ferdinand Povel and Dick Vennik-saxophones and flutes; Frans Elsen-piano; Rob Franken-Fender Rhodes and synthetisizer; Wim Overgaauw-guitar; Koos Serierse-bass; Evert Overweg and Cees Kranenburg-drums and percussion. The guests are Dutch vocalists Greetje Kauffeld and Rita Reys, and Belgian mouth Orhan genius Thielemans. ”AVRO’s Swingtime,” live from the Nick Vollebregt Jazz Café, Naarderstraat 40, Laren, The Netherlands.

In the fall of 1979, the Radio Netherlands Worldwide Broadcast company recorded the AVRO radio-orchestra The Skymasters during two days of filming. The audience members were not extras, but the genuine cafè’s audience who were regular visitors to The Skymasters’ weekly broadcasts from Laren. They were directed to sit in the same spots and wear the same clothes on both days.

The idea for the film originated with Ton van der Horst, who had his own jazz radio program in 1957. “The Skymasters movie,” he explained, “went to the African nations, but also to non-commercial stations in the U.S., Latin America, Canada, Australia, Indonesia and Singapore. The introductions were made by Pim Jacobs, the regular presenter of Swingtime.“

The Skymasters were founded in January 1946, originating from The Red, White and Blue Stars. The Skymasters’ musicians rehearsed at the café and on Monday evenings between 11:00 p.m. and midnight their live broadcast went on air. It was unique that a big band of such size was actually playing amidst the casual atmosphere of this small café. The acoustics of the place were so excellent that Chet Baker, Bill Evans and Dizzy Gillespie all recorded albums at Nick Vollebreg’s Jazz Café.

Enjoy this half-hour film and despite the present difficult time have a happy Easter.