Frans Elsen

• 2X VINYL LP GATEFOLD EDITION

That's a Fender Rhodes on the cover, and there's lots of it on the record too – played by Frans Elsen with a wonderful sound, in a range of different settings – all heard here on rare tracks from the 70s that were never commercially issued at the time!

Frans has a fantastic sound on the keys – an approach that's more in the European use of the Rhodes than some of the American recordings of the time – maybe the style you'd hear from Michael Naura, or some of the players on MPS – with a great focus on tone, a nicely spacious quality, and a strong ear for the other sidemen on the dates!

The lineup here shifts throughout – there's initially four tracks with a septet that includes Piet Noordijk on alto, Eddie Engels on trumpet, and Wim Overgaauw on guitar – then more with Ferdinand Povel joining the group on tenor and flute, and a few others that switch bassist Victor Kaihatu for Rob Langereis, who's on the first four numbers.

PERSONNEL:

• Leo van Oostrom, Piet Noordijk (alto sax)
• Herman Schoonderwalt (baritone sax)
• Rob Langereis, Victor Kaihatu (bass guitar)
• Frans Elsen (conductor)
• Eric Ineke, Tony Inzalaco (drums)
• Frans Elsen (electric piano)
• Jan Huydts (electirc piano, soloist)
• Eddie Engels (flugelhorn)
• Ferdinand Povel (flute)
• Wim Overgaauw (guitar)
• Wim van der Beek (percussion)
• Henk Elkerbout (piano)
• Dick Vennik, Ferdinand Povel, Ruud Brink (tenor sax)
• Bart Van Lier, Erik Van Lier, Hans de Ruyter, Rudy Bosch (trombone)
• Cees Smal, Eddie Engels, Fons Diercks, Klaas Wit, Wim Kuylenburg (trumpet)

TRACKS:

• SIDE A
• A1. Ringebu
• A2. Harpefoss

• SIDE B
• B1. Skåbu
• B2. Otta
• B3. Mordor
• B4. Whirligig
• B5. Ah-Mooh
• B6. Ringebu II
• B7. Ringebu I

• SIDE C
• C1. Harpefoss
• C2. Skåbu (Live)

• SIDE D
• D1. Otta (Live
• D2. Skåbu