© Giannina Urmeneta Ottiker.
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The 14-strong band, weighted toward lower horns and brass, is punchy and dynamic, playfully romping through clarinetist/leader Peter Vermeersch's charts. With a big sound and juicy arrangements, they're stacked with able improvisers, perfectly exemplified on “In Between Rivers”, which breaks down from the huge orchestral sound to an intimate trumpet/drum duet. On “Withhout,” the intimacy happens –this time jittery free play from drums and trombone– in the company of a sedate composed part for piano and band. Drummer Teun Verbruggen deserves special mention for his wide ranging abilities, even if he does cop mercilessly from New York drummer Jim Black on Uri Caine's “Snaggletooth.”
The band breaks from raucous shenanigans a couple of times, including the short vibes feature “Lie To Me” and a less successful vocal forary for Roland Vancampenhout, whose delivery on “Hilton's Heaven” shows an aspiration to capture something of Tom Waits that's too close and, at the same time, way off mark. Vancampenhout's hyped up guitar cameo on “Edward, Why Don't You Play Some Blues” also fails to impress. The band is better when it sticks to its comfort zone, like the intricate cartoonish parts on the title track, which is in 9/8
DOWNBEAT HOTBOX - John Corbett
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