The sextet The Houdinis has been around for fifteen years already and is one of the Netherlands' leading ensembles. Besides a heavy swinging groove The Houdini's also emphasize very dynamic, well-balanced ensemble playing and a good looking presentation. The Houdinis first performed at the North Sea Jazz festival in 1989, shortly before their first record 'Live at the Paradox' was released. At the time the American jazz critic Michael Bourne wrote in Down Beat: 'The Houdini's, a band of young jazzers as good as the young jazzers of New York'.    

The next step was a recording with the famous producer Rudy van Gelder in New York. In 1995 The Houdinis received the 'Gouden Notenkraker'  . From then on other joint efforts followed, among others with the Nieuw Sinfonietta Amsterdam, Frank Boeijen, and the Schönberg Ensemble. In 1999 they played the Duke Ellington program in cooperation with the Vara and The Jazz Orchestra of The Concertgebouw.

It was in the beginning of the 90's that I started to get interested in jazz music. I began listening to all this Blue Note classics by Art Blakey, Hank Mobley and Donald Byrd.

I was also looking for live music in different jazz clubs but almost every concert was a disappointment. The Dutch jazz musicians weren't into the hard bop sound I liked. I gave it one more try with this new group called The Houdini's. I read their story and they had just recorded an album with the famous Blue Note producer Rudy Van Gelder. The man with the sound I loved so much. Well, they blew my mind!

What power, what energy! The Houdini's showed me that jazz was all about fun. This was the live sound I had been looking for. These guys were like a rock 'n roll band playing jazz. I have been a fan ever since and they have kept growing and developing their music, releasing other great albums. In 2001 I started doing some gigs with them and I formed The Jazzinvaders with two of the members.

In 2007 we got together to work on a project together. You're now looking at the result. An album on which we wanted to go back to the Houdini's roots. I think we succeeded in getting that powerful energy of their great live sound on tape. To make this project even bigger I asked a couple of my favourite producers to give their interpretation of the tracks. What a big surprise! It shows that the material of the Houdini's is funky, danceable and irresistible.
Phil Martin - May 2007

  CD1 'Unleashed' :

01. Blue Ribbon Jury 4:23
02. Fat Groupie 4:00
03. The Emergendizer 3:23
04. Orvathology 7:01
05. Catch 22 Hot 4:12
06. Hybrid 6:41
07. No More Yesterdays 4:22
08. My Lost Hands Crumbles 4:39
09. Brad's Feast 5:13
10. Unleashed 4:15

 CD2  'Remixed' :

1. Catch 22 Hot (The Jazzinvaders remix) 4:40
2. My Lost Hands Crumbles (Eddie Roberts remix) 5:20
3. Fat Groupie (Lack of Afro remix) 4:05
4. Blue Ribbon Jury (Buscemi remix) 3:37
5. Orvathology (Natural Self remix) 4:38
6. No More Yesterdays (Gianni De Luca remix) 6:08
7. The Emergendizer (AIFF remix) 3:48
8. Brad's Feast (Nostalgia 77 remix) 4:12
9. Unleashed (Solo Moderna remix) 5:20
10. Hybrid (Diesler remix) 5:02

Musicians :
Angelo Verploegen : trumpet
Rolf Delfos : alto saxophone
Ilja Reijngoud : trombone
Erwin Hoorweg : piano
Marius Beets : bass
Bram Wijland : drums

label : Social  Beats
Socialcd06
Ean : 8715440004014

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