SIDE A
1. Johnny’s Birthday
2. Ruined Girl
3. Lutuli
SIDE B
1. Lining Up
2. New Born
3. Monosyl
The Diamond Five was founded in 1959 and lasted until 1964 . They are a Dutch quintet led by pianist Cees Slinger and were based as a resident band at the famous “Sheherazade” jazz- club in Amsterdam. They enjoyed quite a popularity.
Playing all over Holland, accompanying expatriate American musicians on their visits to Amsterdam and even made a trip to the international jazz festival in Antibes on the French Riviera.
The quintet stayed at the “Zade” for four years. Many guests appeared with it, notably Stan Getz, organist Lou Benneth and many other famous American musicians who were doing concerts in Holland and who took the opportunity to come to the “Zade” to jam with the Diamond Five members: practically all the musicians in Quincy Jones’s ill-fated ‘Free and Easy’ band, Elvin Jones, Roy Eldridge, Jay Jay Johnson and many more.
However, when the club closed its doors due to a shift in popular interest from jazz to rock music, the quintet disbanded soon after.
The musicians are unique in their style, as Slinger plays sparse notes on his piano and tenor saxophonist Harry Verbeke solos are filled with a multitude of notes. Cees Smal playing different horns, while the bass and drum player support it by keeping it tight and bluesy.
Highlights are “Johnny’s Birthday”, “Lutuli”, by composer Ruud Bos and the final track “Monosyl, composed by Cees Smal are all included on their first full length album.
Quite in demand obscure jazz album, reissued by Music On Vinyl for fans of the jazz/hard bop genre.
180 gram audiophile vinyl
Legendary Dutch Jazz Quintet, in demand album
Includes “Johnny’s Birthday”, “Lutuli” and “Monosyl”
