And another dutch review!

I didn't see this coming....I hoped, but didn't pray. Some nice words caught my eyes. They arrived in Blues Magazine!
It's a loooong read, so...Thank you, TU, no you!

The Vanished Drunk

 Dutch:
Tekst: Peter Marinus
Bij dit album is wel het één en ander uit te leggen. Allereerst de artiestennaam JoostTVD. TVD staat hier voor “The Vanished Dutchman” en dat is weer een alias van de Nederlandse singer-songwriter Joost van Dinther. Hij omschrijft zijn muziek zelf als “zelfbevlekkende, narcistische, selfkickende, obsessieve en uitknijpende muziek”. Een hele mondvol dus.  Joost ontpopt zich op dit album als een muzikale doe-het-zelver, die met het grootste gemak allerlei muziekstijlen door elkaar heen gooit en daar weer één prachtig geheel van maakt.
Tom Robinson, de Engelse artiest die in de new wave periode hits scoorde met “2-4-6-8 Motorway” en “Listen To The Radio”, was dermate onder de indruk van Joost dat hij een aantal van zijn songs draaide in zijn radioprogramma op BBC 6.
Wat krijgen we hier te horen? Muziek, die beïnvloed is door artiesten als Todd Rundgren, Frank Zappa, The Tubes en nog veel meer artiesten/genres.
Het openingsnummer, Not Now, is bijvoorbeeld een funky rocknummer waarin invloeden rondzweven van Todd Rundgren, Gino Vannelli en Frank Zappa. Met name die dwarse xylofoon zou zo bij Zappa vandaan kunnen komen. Razendknap om van al die invloeden een aanstekelijk swingend funky nummer te maken. Er gebeurt echt van alles in dit nummer. Knetterende Tower Of Power-achtige blazers, een scheurende gitaarsolo en elektronische ritmes, die totaal niet storen. The Vanished Romeo begint met new age-achtige panfluit geluiden, die al snel weggevaagd worden door een schroeiende wah wah gitaar. Vervolgens wordt een luie, geile Zappa funker ingezet vol ingenieuze breaks. Joos heeft een perfect zwoel stemgeluid voor dit nummer. Ook de eigenzinnigheid van The Tubes en Todd Rundgren klinken door in dit nummer. Het luchtige funky Indie mengt Zappa, The Tubes en Toto tot een warm wiegend nummer. My Cat Is Stoned is een bizarre mix van vaudeville, funk en Zappiaanse waanzin. Er komt van alles voorbij in dit nummer: maffe stemmetjes, fluitjes, geboer, en dat alles over een kat die stoned is! Loaded is vervolgens een Tito Puente-achtig latin fusionnummer. Zwoel swingend met soulvolle zang en haast Philly soul-achtige strijkers. Gameface doet qua synthesizergeluid denken aan het spacey werk van Gary Wright, in zijn “Dream Weaver” periode. Maar Joos vermengt dit uiteraard met het geluid van The Tubes, de erotische zwijmelsoul van Barry White en Zappa.
Nerveus ratelende elektro ritmes ontwikkelen zich in Rottendance tot een loom groovend nummer vol zwevende synthesizers en retestrakke Zappa breaks. Probeer hier maar eens op te dansen! Ik garandeer je dat je binnen no time kramp in je kuiten hebt! In Crest Of A Wave gaan we op de softsoul toer met een hoog Gino Vannelli gehalte, compleet met een ruisende branding. In de felle, eigenzinnige funkrock van There’s No Sense In Making Sense lijkt Zappa een huwelijk aangegaan te zijn met Johnny Guitar Watson en de ritmesectie van Tower Of Power. All The Way is een zwoel nachtclub nummer dat doet denken aan Kevin Ayers en zijn “Falling In Love With You”.
Joos sluit dit zeer avontuurlijke album af met de sprookjesachtige instrumental Not Ever, die gedomineerd wordt door zijn warme romantische toetsenwerk.
Ik ben zeer onder de indruk van de veelzijdigheid van JoosTVD en ga het album nog maar eens opzetten. Eens kijken wat ik nu weer allemaal ga ontdekken!

english:
Text: Peter Marinus
With this album you can explain a few things. First the artist name JoostTVD. TVD stands for 'The Vanished Dutchman' and that is another alias of Dutch singer-songwriter Joost van Dinther. He describes his music as 'self-stinking, narcissistic, self-kicking, obsessive and squeezing music'. A whole mouthful.

Joost reveals himself on this album as a musical do-it-yourselfer, who throws all kinds of musical styles together with the greatest ease and makes one more beautiful whole.
Tom Robinson, the English artist who scored hits in the new wave period with '2-4-6-8 Motorway' and 'Listen To The Radio', was so impressed with Joost that he played some of his songs in his radio program on BBC 6.
What can we hear here? Music influenced by artists like Todd Rundgren, Frank Zappa, The Tubes and many more artists / genres.

The opening track, Not Now, is for example a funky rock song in which influences float around from Todd Rundgren, Gino Vannelli and Frank Zappa. Especially that transverse xylophone could come from Zappa. A frenzy to make all those influences an infectious swinging funky song. There really is everything happening in this issue. Crackling Tower Of Power-like horns, a ripping guitar solo and electronic rhythms, that do not disturb at all. The Vanished Romeo starts with new age-like panflute sounds, which are quickly wiped out by a scorching Wah Wah guitar. Then a lazy, horny Zappa funker is used full of ingenious breaks. Joos has a perfectly sultry voice for this song. Also the idiosyncrasy of The Tubes and Todd Rundgren resound in this song. The airy funky Indie mixes Zappa, The Tubes and Toto into a warm rocking song. My Cat Is Stoned is a bizarre mix of vaudeville, funk and Zappian madness. All kinds of things pass by in this song: wacky voices, whistles, bats, and everything about a cat that is stoned! Loaded is then a Tito Puente-like latin fusion number. Swinging with soulful singing and almost Philly soul-like strings. In terms of synthesizer sound, Gameface is reminiscent of the spacey work of Gary Wright in his 'Dream Weaver' period. But Joos mixes this with the sound of The Tubes, the erotic whisper of Barry White and Zappa.
Nervous rattling electro rhythms develop into a loom grooving song full of floating synthesizers and retro twist Zappa breaks in Rottendance. Try dancing here! I guarantee that you have cramp in your calves in no time! In Crest Of A Wave we go on the softsoul tour with a high Gino Vannelli level, complete with a rustling surf. In the fierce, quirky funk rock of There's No Sense In Making Sense, Zappa seems to have entered into a marriage with Johnny Guitar Watson and the rhythm section of Tower Of Power. All The Way is a sultry nightclub song reminiscent of Kevin Ayers and his 'Falling In Love With You'.
Joos closes this very adventurous album with the fairytale instrumental Not Ever, which is dominated by his warm romantic keyboard work.

I am very impressed by the versatility of JoosTVD and will put the album up again. Let's see what I'm going to discover again!

A Drooble review from Bulgaria!

Anyone who is a musician these days roams around the web to find opportunities, like platforms where you can share your music around. I'm no exception. Possibilities. One of the "newer', upcoming platforms is Drooble (you have to log-in though) where I have uploaded a few of my favourites. You can build up a network of listeners, give feedback to other hungry musicians. Earn Karma points. Read here for more information.
Well, as I've earned a few karma points and it came back to me with a nice album review of "Just Say kNOw": 
(and this time no Zappa reference , but Faith No More...)

Bulgarian Dutchman?

JoosTVD want you to Just Say Know to progressive funk

When you are a really competent musician who just wants to have fun, the result is JoosTVD. Just Say Know is 11 songs worth of expertly played, groovy, smooth progressive funk. The project’s style is very interesting and out there, not conforming to traditional songwriting and instrumentation.
There’s a playful mood to the record — there’s a song about one’s cat partaking in weed, for goodness’ sake! But what strikes us most is how much fun JoosTVD is having performing such tricky, jazzy, funky parts. It’s a lovely thing to observe and hear, yet JoosTVD is never comical or goofy.
Just Say Know is clearly a labor of love and that shows through the masterful songwriting, tight performance, and challenging, compelling song structures. This is a progressive project, after all, and the person behind it did one hell of a job!
If you ever wondered how Faith No More may sound if they dialed back the edginess, give Just Say Know a spin.
Horns up: Masterful instrumentation where the musicians play off each other in perfect sync.
Horns down: The vocals might need some getting used to.

Another nicely written review thanks to the Drooble team

And another dutch review!

                                          
                                                                     It's all about networking I guess.......


This time I've got some welcome feedback from Timpaan Muziek
And again that Zappa reference....

Well, as a dutchman I'm not used getting dutch reviews...

Dutch:
Joost The Vanished Dutchman (JoosTVD) is een multiinstrumentalist en heeft een nieuw album uit, Just say know.
Funky jazzachtige muziek met een onverwacht lage stem doet een beetje aan Frank Zappa denken. Virtuoze loopjes en ingenieuze tegenmelodieën vullen elkaar continue aan. Opener Not now heeft een prima drive. The vanished Romeo doet de mondhoeken onwillekeurig omhoog krullen. Even een korte stijlbreuk met een citaat erin verweven. kortom muziek waar over nagedacht is. Humor zit in deze muziek. My cat is stoned voor de slappe lach. Het beeld dat JoosTVD oproept is zo lachwekkend. Alleen de tekst ‘My cat wants to be a dog‘ al, tranen over de wangen. De referentie aan Frank Zappa is ook hier onmiskenbaar. De humor en absurde teksten en onderwerpen benadrukken dat.
De virtuositeit klinkt wat te gepolijst op dit album. De vraag komt daardoor gelijk op of het al dan niet ‘live’ is ingespeeld of dat er flink gesampled en bijgeschaafd is. En ja, hij heeft het allemaal echt ingespeeld, weten we. Maar die vraag wil je als luisteraar niet in je hoofd hebben zitten. Maakt wel nieuwsgierig naar live-uitvoeringen van de nummers. Het hummen en ‘dabadibedie’ in Gameface nodigt uit tot meedoen. Naar mate het album vordert zijn de liedjes wat inwisselbaar voor elkaar met name Crest of wave en There is no sense in making sense. Het croonende pianonummer All the way is een welkome afwisseling en was een mooie afsluiter geweest. De echte hekkensluiter van het album Not ever komt iets te veel uit de elektronische toetsen, maar maakt het album wel op een goede manier af.
Virtuoos, humoristisch, eigenzinnig en absurd. JoosTVD! Nu een liveband en het clubcircuit in.
Eindoordeel: 8,0

The Vanished....Dutchman

English:
Joost The Vanished Dutchman (JoosTVD) is a multi-instrumentalist and has a new album, Just say know. Funky jazzy music with an unexpected low voice reminds a bit of Frank Zappa. Virtuous loops and ingenious counter-melodies complement each other continuously. Opener Not now has a good drive. The vanished Romeo involuntarily curls up the corners of the mouth. Just a short style break with a quote in it. in short, music that has been thought about. Humor is in this music. My cat is stoned for the limp laugh. The image that JoosTVD evokes is so laughable. Only the text 'My cat wants to be a dog', tears on the cheeks. The reference to Frank Zappa is also unmistakable here. The humor and absurd texts and subjects emphasize that. The virtuosity sounds a bit too polished on this album. As a result, the question arises whether it has been played live or whether it has been sampled and refined. And yes, he has really played it all, we know. But you do not want that question as a listener in your head. Makes you curious about live performances of the songs. The humming and 'dabadibedie' in Gameface invites you to participate. As the album progresses, the songs are exchangeable for each other in particular Crest or wave and There is no sense in making sense. The crowning piano number All the way is a welcome change and was a nice ending. The real hekkensluiter of the album Not ever comes a bit too much from the electronic keys, but makes the album in a good way. Virtuoso, humorous, idiosyncratic and absurd. JoosTVD! Now a live band and the club circuit in.

Final verdict: 8.0 

Dutch review!

This is the third time, after "Open up My Parachute" (2016) and "Sagitario" (2017), I'll get another welcome review from dutch reviewer, thanks to Fred Pach from Musicworld.
Just short and sweet! Just say wOw.




English:
Dutch multi-instrumentalist / singer-songwriter JoosTVD (alias of Joost van Dinther) remains productive in his studio, because Just Say Know is his third album in three years. With his new album, JoosTVD builds on the road taken on its previous albums with 11 decent songs, on the cutting edge of funky pop, r & b, often topped with a jazzy sound. It continues to be incredibly cool that he can invent, develop and complete his music projects in his studio. He delivers craftsmanship of international allure for Dutch standards.

Dutch:
De Nederlandse multi-instrumentalist/singer-songwriter JoosTVD (alias van Joost van Dinther) blijft productief in zijn studio, want Just Say Know is alweer zijn derde album in drie jaar. Met zijn nieuwe album borduurt JoosTVD voort op de op zijn vorige albums ingeslagen weg met 11 degelijke songs, op het snijvlak van funky pop, r&b, veelal overgoten met een jazzy sound. Het blijft razendknap hoe Joost van Dinther zijn muziekprojecten weet te bedenken, te ontwikkelen en in zijn studio af te werken. Hij levert voor Nederlandse begrippen vakwerk van internationale allure.

That's a dutch review for ya!

Another nice review from Music World (source: https://goo.gl/gy84HQ)
Auteur: Fred Pach

"Ongeveer een jaar na zijn vorige album Open My Parachute bracht de Nederlandse multi-instrumentalist/singer-songwriter Joos TVD (alias van Joost van Dinther, met als muzikale bijnaam Joost The Vanished Dutchman) een nieuw album uit, getiteld Sagitario. En ook dit keer stelt hij de luisteraar niet teleur. Wederom een aangename, dansbare mix van r&b, funk, pop en cabaret en een jazzy sausje, waarmee een aantal nummers wordt opgekleurd, is hoorbaar.
In het eerste nummer Private Scene zingt Joos TVD op grappige wijze dat het toilet onderhand de enige plek is waar men tegenwoordig alleen kan zijn. In andere liedjes komen onder andere aan de orde hectische vriendinnen en het leven van de rijken in Hollywood. Rode draad in de liedjes zijn de humorvolle teksten en de grote afwisseling tussen de twaalf nummers was voor mij evenals op zijn vorige album ook een aangename ervaring.
Het is opnieuw nauwelijks voor te stellen dat we hier te maken hebben met een puur soloproject. Van Dinther bespeelt alle instrumenten en schreef alle liedjes zelf. Zijn muzikale projecten zijn dan ook uniek. Dat het album je het gevoel geeft naar een voltallige band te luisteren, komt mede doordat hij gebruik maakt van ‘drum samples’ met als prettig gevolg dat de organische waarde van het album op peil blijft. Sagitario is wederom een geslaagd muziekproject van JoosTVD".

English: About a year after his last album Open My Parachute brought the Dutch multi-instrumentalist / singer-songwriter Joos TVD (aka Joost van Dinther, with musical nicknamed The Vanished Dutchman Joost) a new album, entitled Sagitario. And once again he does not disappoint the listener. Again a pleasant mix of danceable R & B, funk, pop and cabaret and a jazzy flavor, which some songs are tinted, is audible.
In the first issue Private Scene Joos TVD sings funny way that the toilet by now the only place where one can nowadays only. In other songs will include raised frantic friends and the life of the rich in Hollywood. Theme in the songs are humorous texts and the large variation between the twelve songs for me as well as his previous album a pleasant experience.
Again, it is hard to imagine that we are dealing with a purely solo project. Van Dinther plays all the instruments and wrote all the songs himself. His musical projects are therefore unique. The album you hear makes you feel a whole band, is partly because he uses 'drum samples' with the pleasant result that the organic value of the album is maintained.
Sagitario is another successful music project from JoosTVD.

Wunderschön!

Hai folks, It's a cold spring so far, but that doesn't bother me at all. As long as the sun comes up......and if there's any music that will cure your spring fatigue...
The new stuff has been listened to and played on various radio and to round it off it has been reviewed. I hope more will follow, but there so much going on in musicland, so I have to be happy by whatever that's been giving me. Feedback.
Well here are some really nice words again (his eight review of my albums) from Nathan Norgel, placed in this german, cultural online magazine Wasser-Prawda 

In german:
Wenn der Frühling kommt, dann erscheinen nicht nur die Schwalben aus dem Süden. Auch neue Musik des Niederländers Joost van Dinther aka Joos TVD darf man erwarten. Sein neues Album Sagitario erfüllt die Erwartungen aufs Schönste.
Auf den Listen der Orte, die besungen werden, taucht einer eigentlich zu selten auf. In "Private Scene" singt JoosTVD das Lob der Toilette. Denn das ist einer der wenigen Plätze, wo man noch wirklich allein sein kann. Auch Psychopharmaka, hektische Freundinnen, das Leben der Reichen in Hollowood oder andere Themen der Gegenwart liefern dem Niederländer Stoff für äußerst humorvolle oder sarkastische Lieder.
Musikalisch bietet Sagitario wieder die komplette Bandbreite zwischen Jazz, Funk, Rock, Cabaret und Nonsense. Wer JoosTVD bislang noch nicht kennen sollte: man kann ihn wirklich nicht klassifizieren. Was der Songwriter und Multiinstrumentalist Jahr für Jahr allein in seinem Studio zusammenrührt, ist eine Kur gegen jegliche schlechte Laune oder Frühjahrsmüdigkeit.

In english (not great these translations):
When spring comes, not only the swallows appear from the south. Also new music from the Dutch Joost van Dinther aka Joos TVD can be expected. His new album Sagitario fulfills the expectations most beautifully. On the lists of the places, which are sung, one appears actually too rarely. In 'Private Scene' JoosTVD sings the praise of the toilet. Because this is one of the few places where you can be really alone. Even psychopharmaceuticals, hectic friends, the lives of the rich in Hollowood, or other contemporary subjects provide the Dutch fabric for extremely humorous or sarcastic songs.
Musically, Sagitario again offers the complete range of jazz, funk, rock, cabaret and nonsense. If you do not know JoosTVD yet you can not really classify it. The fact that the songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, alone in his studio year after year, is a cure against any bad mood or spring fatigue.

Ready for the download

Yes It's ready! For a few words I've got a few downloadcodes left for ya....from Bandcamp.

Always welcome: raving reviews

Yes, that's right. Fred Pach wrote this nice, dutch review of my latest songs on Muziekwereld. Glad he did. Let the summer begin!

English; "The album Open Up My Parachute of the Dutch multi-instrumentalist / singer-songwriter JoosTVD (aka Joost van Dinther, with musical nickname Joost The Vanished Dutchman)) is a notable release because on the one hand a very successful one-man project and by the varied musical character, a mix of r & B, funk, pop and Latin, often still covered with a jazzy twist.We can talk right here from a solo project, as Van Dinther is not only responsible for the lyrics and lyrics, recording, mixing and mastering, but also take all the vocals, guitar and bass, keyboards and percussion for his account in his own studio ! All this leads to a pleasant mix of twelve alternating frequently 'danceable' tracks. This jump for me personally the songs Dancing Dutchman, It's A Struggle Honey and Ha Veda Veda just slightly above the high average level of this album. Open Up My parachute was to my pleasant musical introduction to the work of Joost van Dinther and in my opinion is also a very successful musical project."

Dutch: "Het album Open Up My Parachute van de Nederlandse multi-instrumentalist/singer-songwriter JoosTVD (alias van Joost van Dinther, met als muzikale bijnaam Joost The Vanished Dutchman)) is een opvallende release vanwege enerzijds een zeer geslaagd eenmansproject en anderzijds door het afwisselend muzikale karakter, een mix van r&b, funk, pop en latin, veelal nog overgoten met een jazzy sausje. We kunnen hier met recht spreken van een soloproject, want Van Dinther is niet alleen verantwoordelijk voor de songteksten en lyrics, opnames, mixing en mastering, maar neemt tevens alle vocalen, gitaar- en baspartijen, keyboards en percussie voor zijn rekening in zijn eigen studio! Dit alles leidt tot een aangename mix van twaalf afwisselende veelal ‘dansbare’ tracks. Hierbij springen wat mij persoonlijk betreft de nummers Dancing Dutchman, It’s A Struggle Honey en Ha Veda Veda nog net iets meer uit boven het gemiddeld hoge niveau van dit album. Open Up My Parachute vormde voor mijn een aangename muzikale kennismaking met het werk van Joost van Dinther en wat mij betreft is dan ook sprake van een zeer geslaagd muzikaal project.."
On Musicmeter
 (original source: Muziekwereld)

No, I probably will not begin to sing in the shower...

Grateful for this!

Joos TVD - Open Up My Parachute (Nathan Nörgel source: Wasser Prawda)

Nathan Norgel's translation of a german review for
Joos TVD - Open Up My Parachute

You should sing his new songs in the shower says Joos TVD. And it's not necessary to have a parachute with you there. What does that mean? Joos TVD did an album full of humor with "Open Up My Parachute". And he does a coursing across every musical style you may think of in his songs.

What does it need to get great pop songs? Of course you need melodies, that go straight to your head and a groove to make you dance on the spot. And every great pop song needs lyrics to make you laugh or cry. Yes, you can say: "Open Up My Parachute" very close to be a perfect pop album!

Joos TVD has once again put together rhythms and melodies in his studio, that make you think of Frank Zappy (without the guitar, but with his sense of humor). Sometimes you may also think of the jazzy pop by Steely Dan or even of songs by The Talking Heads (when it gets funky). With songs like "Hipster Mind" the Dutchman starts to rap even. The song about the parachute, which does not want to open, reminds me of movie songs of the 1930s. There are really no limits for Joos TVD. And that's a good thing - because it is never boring to listen to his new and old songs .

No, I probably will not begin to sing in the shower. And I really don't have a parachute with me. But I most certanly wil listen to "Open Up My Parachute" a lot in the next weeks. This pop music is very addictive!

2 Thousand + 5teen

The last blog, before I go.
So what did I do to make my life a little more bearable and more complete in 2015? I've listened. My ears seem to filter out the junk more quicker than before and that's a lot! That saved me a lot of time to focus on the writings, recording and releasing of a bunch of new songs. Thanks world.

As with 2014, the death celebrities of our time, become more frequent as age always proves to be the ultimate killer. Here are a "few" that have more or less influenced my state of being (source http://goo.gl/8871CK):

P.F.Sloan (Eve Of Destruction), Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor (Moterhead's drummer of Ace Of Spades), Andy White (Beatles "Love Me Do" drummer), Daevid Allen (Gong frontman, The Magick Brother), Chris Rainbow (Vocalist, Alan Parsons), Allen Toussaint (composer, producer, arranger, pianist, talentscout, inspirator, what a loss of talent!), Joost Zwagerman (schrijver), Drs P. (dutch singer, poet of humoristic absurdism), Gunnar Hansen (remember the original Leatherface?), Maureen O'Hara (John Wayne's favorite company on screen), Phil Woods (played alto sax on so many of my favorite albums of the seventies, like Billy Joel and Paul Simon), Oliver Sacks (the one who really used his brains), Rico Rodriquez (ska trombonist of the Specials), Wes Craven (horror director), Bob Johnston (sixties producer of Bob Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel), Cilla Black (her rendition of bacharach's "Alfie" especially), Omar Sharif (screen legend), Patrick Macnee (remember when tv was " John Steed" cool), Chris Squire (Yes bassist-extraordinaire), Ornette Coleman (free jazz sax blower), Ron Moody (Oliver's Fagin), Christopher Lee (the best Dracula actor next to Bela Lugosi), BB King (subtle "Lucille" bluesplayer), Errol Brown (Hot Chocolate's "Every1's a Winner"), Andy Fraser (Free bassist, composer of Robert Palmer's "Every Kinda People"), Percy Sledge (voice of "When a Man Loves a Woman"), Ben E King (voice of "Stand By Me"), Günter Grass ("The Tin Drum" writer), Clark Terry (Fluegelhorn/ Trompet player), Lew Soloff (trumpet player of Blood, Sweat & Tears, loved those horn arrangements), Leonard Nimoy (logical Spock versus emotional Kirk), John Renbourn (british folk finger-picking guitarist), Rod McKuen (composer, poet), Anita Ekberg (Fellini's "La Dolce Vita"), Rod Taylor (actor of "The Time Machine"), Armand (60s protestsinger), Thé Lau (singer/songwriter), Hirth Martinez (singer/songwriter).

What did I work on in 2015? I've been having my own fun, writing, playing, recording and releasing two albums:  
                                                                  Lightning Dutchman

A few song hit the radio waves, like: Unscrew yourself, Don't Do It Again, Paranoiac With A Gun, Guru In A Lovetown, Limo, Rock'n Roll Me In Or Out

                                 
                                                and an instrumental For Your Pleasure vol.2

(more and more people seem to be interested in using my music for their viseo projects)

So what about the music of 2015?
The word "emo" fits the description. But is it emotion?
Only a few new albums made it, because as I grow older and greyer (bored? Nope!), the more I seem to dwell back to the sounds I used to listen when I was this green innocent seventies lad. Except for the much younger generations like Mercury Rev, Tame Impala and Steven Wilson maybe, but nothing else seem to linger.....  aaah, I'm such a romantic fool. It's just that a lot of the old guys keep coming back with a more fresher sound... Well not all the "older" ones though. I was very dissapointed by the releases of Prince (I mean HITnRUN Phase One, P. how do you sleep? but...his Phase 2 is just classic P.!). Ben Folds (pretentious, but vague chamber noodlings), Jeff Lynne's ELO (=Jeff Lynne...) or Seal (Trevor Horn is back, but...without any surprises).  All too predictable and safe.
It's the fault of these retro times. Now, every "new" production can reproduce qualities from the thirties up to the sixties, uuuhm, seventies and ....mmm...the eighties to my bemefit, because my mind seems to wander off easily to what I've already heard. It's just like these newbies are saying "Joost, I know you've got that somewhere on vinyl, but who really cares?". It says a lot of these smug, arrogant, narcistic times. Who will rise to the occasion to do the unexpected?

In the meantime, here are my faves of 2015:
                                                              
                                                                              J.D.Souther - Tenderness

Veteran songwriter surprises with less is more. Subtle arrangements, production, subtle songwriting, title says it all.


                                                                    Steve Martin & Edie Brickell - So Familiar

Bluegrass? BanJoost? No, this is just a very comforting listen, very Up, very welcome in these times.


                                                                                       Boz Scaggs - A Fool To Care

The only Boss for me, age can do good. Eclectic and very soulful. That voice never bores me. Less is so much more...


                                                                                     Joe Jackson - Fast Forward

Welcome back Joe the composer, arranger of wide, colourful canvases. Musicians from Berlin, New York, Amsterdam and New Orleans keep this album fresh.

                                                                         David Gilmour- Rattle That Lock

I just love his tone in voice and guitar. The surpringly jazzy "The Girl In The Yellow Dress (Orchestral Version)". The instrumentals don't add anything specific, but overall there's still a comfortable Floyd in the air.

                                                                         Tom Robinson - Only The Now

 
Welcome back Tom! You're still angry and I feel it. Wild, edgy, actual and in your face, the subtle arrangements in quieter moments (title song) though especially, draw me in.

                                                                     James Taylor - Before This World

A new JT album? I've kept playing it a few times more than I'd expect. Songcrafting they call it. Just James Taylor. Nothing less.

                                                                         Prince - HITnRUN Phase Two

I have a love/hate relation with the purple one. But I think this is his most matured collection (with a few exceptions like Screwdriver) since.......fill me in! A more colourful production, especially the organic feel in the arrangements do the trick, if you like horns and slapping basses.

Books.
What usually happens when I read a biography, is the documenting part of it. I obsessively dig up everything I have in my possession (music to listen to, I listen to it again or movies I've watched, I watch again) or try to find it on www.
For example, The Grateful Dead, all the albums I once  indifferently listened to, I can appreciate and understand them better now, especially after reading a biography. The same happened with Alex Harvey, quite a lad! Another band that I've admired since 1977, Talking heads, I appreciate even more now (Remain In Light is my personal fave) than ever. So I read!

Quoting former post 2014:"And for the sensational background information, here's a few books I've read this year. As usual, mostly sleezy (auto)biographies. Recommended:"

Bobby Whitlock - A Rock'n Roll Biography (a lot of misfortunes, Eric Clapton, Derek & The Dominoes singer/keyboardsman)

David Byrne - How Music Works (this works a lot)

Dennis Mcnally - A Long Strange Trip Grateful Dead (the music man, LSD anyone?)

Donald L Barlett - Howard Hughes, his life & madness (exentric guy, strange times)

Gene Wilder - Kiss Me Like A Stranger My Search for Love and Art (talented guy)

John Neil Munro - The Sensational Alex Harvey (what a life!)

Jonathan Lethem - Talking Heads' Fear of Music (the first album I bought of TH in 1979 that made me an obsessive fan)

Martin Kielty - SAHB Story (the versatile band behind Alex Harvey)

Pamela De Barres - I'm With The Band (narcistic tale of obsessive groupie)

Rod Stewart - The Autobio (Rod does Rod)

David Bowman- Talking Heads This Must Be The Place (one of the best bands in the period 1977-1983 that made the eighties bearable)







 

Clever Review In Wasser-Prawda

Now with his sixth review since The Vanished dutchman [2010], Nathan still knows how to impress me with his couraging words. Well, it is his work, he's a journalist, always busy writing in a generous way. Thanks again, I'm very grateful!

It's in german, but I've put an free, loose english translation underneath it.
Here's the original Link

JoosTVD - Lightning Dutchman

German:


Manche Musiker sind einfach zu clever und gleichzeitig zu humorvoll, um in dieser ach so ernsten - und so erfolgsgierigen Welt - erfolgreich zu sein. Bin ich froh, dass jemand wie JoosTVD davon nicht entmutigen lässt und in jedem Jahr dennoch ein Album voller musikalisch großartiger Lieder zu veröffentlichen.
Es geht um Verschwörungen im Whirlpool, Paranoiker mit Knarren, den Narzissmus der Mediengesellschaft oder arme Schuhputzerjungen. Dabei trifft Rock auf Funk, Jazz, Latin und schamlos poppige Melodien. Und zuweilen holt Joost van Dinter sogar einen Slide heraus, um seine Gitarren zu spielen.
Klar gibt es in den Songs jede Menge Humor – wer aber JoosTVD wie ich über Jahre hinweg mit seiner Musik verfolgt, der lernt ihn darüber hinaus lieben als einen unwahrscheinlich reflektierten und feinfühligen Musiker, der einfach lieber drauflos lacht, als über all das Elend zu heulen.

English:
Some musicians are easy too clever and at the same time too amusing to be successful in these oh so serious - and thus successful-greedy world. If I am glad that not everyone allows to discourage the likes of JoosTVD of it who can publish every year an album more fully musically of great songs.

 It is about conspiracy in the jacuzzi, paranoic with rattles, the narcissism of the media society or poor shoeshine boy's boys. Besides, rock on radio, jazz, Latin and shamelessly poppige melodies hits. And now and again Joost van Dinter gets out even a Slide to play his guitars.

Clear there is in the songs a lot of humor – who pursues, however, JoosTVD like me for years away with his music, that learns him, in addition love as an incredibly reflected and sensitive musician who laughs simply rather, than to howl about all misery.

Magazine Wasser-Prawda

Download





Great!
(german)

Je größer die Zahl von Autorinnen und Autoren in unserem Magazin wird, desto mehr Vorschläge kommen, wie man unsere Arbeit verbessern kann. Das ist absolut großartig. Denn mit der Zeit entwickelt man doch eine Art Tunnelblick von Monat zu Monat, versucht lediglich, möglichst viele Artikel und Rezensionen zu bekommen. Und man denkt dabei zu wenig über die Zugänglichkeit der Inhalte und ihre Präsentation nach. Und wenn dann Fragen kommen, wie denn die Entscheidung für das jeweilige Album des Monats getroffen wird, muss man jedes Mal neu erklären. So werde ich ab sofort diejenigen Alben, die in der engeren Wahl zum Album des Monats standen, und die durch die Bank weg sehr empfehlenswert sind, nochmals gesondert präsentieren.

(english)
The greater the number of authors and female authors becomes in our magazine, the more suggestions come as one can improve our work. This it is absolutely great. Since, nevertheless, with the time one develops a kind tunnel look of month by month, tries merely, possibly many to get article and reviews. And, besides, one thinks not enough the accesibility of the contents and her presentation after. And if then questions come, how then the decision for the respective album of month it is dripped, one must explain every time anew. Thus I become from immediately those albums, in the narrower choice to the album of the month stood, and every single away are very recommendable, again
separately present arms.

Recommendations derRedaktion

1. Big Daddy Wilson Trio -
Live in Europe from Bremen
to Paris (S.
2. Dave Moretti Blues Revue
- Th ats Swing
3. JoosTVD - I Mimic Me
4. Mark Harrison - Th e
World Outside
5. Meena Cryle & Th e Chris
Fillmore Band - Tell Me
6. Th e Holmes Brothers -
Brotherhood
7. Th e KutiMangoes - Afro-
Fire
8. Th omas Stelzer - Fuff tsch
9. Tommy Schneller - Cream
of the Crop
10. Tweed Funk - First Name
Lucky

You can download as pdf and read that german review and many other cultural ditties, mine on page 51.

Thanks Nathan (journalist Wasser-Prawda)!

Wow, great review from Nathan (Wasser-Prawda)!

So glad with this. Some feedback! He (Nathan Nörgel) knows his way with words and you have to read carefully to fully understand the german symbolic meanings he gives of various songs. So I'll give you a "not so perfect" translation after. If you understand it, tell me! If you don't, well I can try to explain!

"I Mimic Me" Review in Wasser-Prada

Original:
Auch auf seinem bislang zehnten (wie immer nur rein digital veröffentlichten) Album, bleibt der niederländische Songwriter Joos TVD alias The Vanished Dutchman vor alleim eines: unwahrscheinlich unterhaltsam. Musikalisch erkundet er auf „I Mimic Me“ so ziemlich jedes Territorium zwischen Rock, Fusion-Jazz, Pop und sogar Blues.
Mit Blues hat es der Multiinstrumentalist eigentlich nicht so. Umso überraschter war ich, als ich auf der Tracklist des neuen Albums einen Titel namens Ballroom Blues entdeckte. Doch wer jetzt auf die heiligen zwölf Takte wartet, der kennt Joos TVD schlecht. Denn das Stück über vergebliche Versuche, als jemand anderes wahrgenommen zu werden ist anfangs Rock, zwischendurch bricht es kurz in swingende Jazzgefilde auf. Und insgesamt ist das wieder ein melancholisch-humorvoller Song, wie ihn heutzutage vielleicht auch Zappa hätte schreiben können. Der Anfang von „I Mimic Me“ hatte mich da musikalisch schon mehr überrascht. Denn Stücke wie „Cowboy On The Moon“ oder „Velvet Shoes“ perlen zunächst elegant wie der jazzige Pop von Steely Dan.
Was mir besonders auffällt, ist die Melancholie der Lieder, die oft nur wenig von der Musik verstellt wird. Hier - und damit sind wir beim Titel des Albums - versucht der Künstler, sich selbst als Kind nachzuahmen. Und natürlich ist das zum Scheitern verurteilt. Was unwahrscheinlich schade ist. Denn als Erwachsener ist man bei aller Anstrengung oft nicht mehr als ein „Cowboy On The Moon“, also völlig am falschen Platz, man begeht unablässig sozialen Selbstmord, wenn man sich um die Regeln nicht schert.
Selbst die Beziehungen drohen an solchen Banalitäten zu scheitern, dass man selbst seine Katze liebt, während die Partnerin in ihren Hund vernarrt ist und die beiden Tiere sich vertragen wie Schweine und Frösche. Also wie sprichwörtlich Hund und Katze.
„I Mimic Me“ - ein tolles Album musikalisch und auch von den Texten her. Und auch wenn hier die Musik ganz dem Thema entsprechend Stile der letzten Jahrzehnte nachahmt, heißt dass noch längst nicht, dass die Stücke von Joost van Dinther nicht äußerst orginell wären. (bandcamp)

English:

On his tenth so far (as always purely digitally published) album, the Dutch songwriter Joos TVD aka The Vanished Dutchman remains: unlikely entertaining. Musically, he explored on 'I Mimic Me' pretty much every territory between rock, fusion jazz, pop and even blues. 

With blues, this multi-instrumentalist has actually not so. The more surprised I was when I discovered a title called Ballroom Blues on the tracklist of the new album. But who is now waiting for the holy twelve bars knows Joos TVD bad. Because the piece on futile attempts to be perceived as someone else's first rock, between it breaks up briefly in swinging Jazzgefilde. And overall, this is again a melancholic and humorous song, like him nowadays perhaps Zappa could have written. The beginning of 'I Mimic Me' had me as musically surprised even more. For songs like 'Cowboy On The Moon' or 'Velvet Shoes' pearls initially elegant as the jazzy pop of Steely Dan.

What I notice is the melancholy of the songs that is often adjusted only slightly from the music. Here - and brings us to the title of the album - the artist tries to imitate himself as a child. And of course, this is doomed to failure. What is unlikely shame. Because as an adult you are with all the effort often no more than a 'Cowboy On The Moon', so completely the wrong place, one commits suicide relentlessly social, if you do not care about the rules.

Even the relationships threaten to fail in such banalities that even he loves his cat, while the partner is fond of her dog and the two animals get along like pigs and frogs. So like the proverbial dog and cat.
'I Mimic Me' - a great album musically and also from the lyrics here. And even if mimicking the music here all the topic according to the style of the last few decades, that is, by no means, that the pieces of Joost van Dinther would not be extremely orginal. (Bandcamp) 

Dutch:

Op zijn tiende tot dusver (zoals altijd puur digitaal gepubliceerd) album, de Nederlandse songwriter Joos TVD aka The Vanished Nederlander blijft vooral: onwaarschijnlijk onderhoudend. Muzikaal verkende hij op 'Ik Mimic Me' vrijwel elk gebied tussen rock, fusion jazz, pop en zelfs blues.

 

Met blues, heeft het multi-instrumentalist eigenlijk niet zo. Des te meer verbaasde mij toen ik ontdekte een titel genaamd Ballroom Blues op de tracklist van het nieuwe album. Maar wie zit nu te wachten op de heilige twaalf bars dan kent die Joos TVD slecht. Omdat het stuk op vergeefse pogingen worden gezien als iemand anders eerste rock, tussen het breekt kort in swingende Jazzgefilde. En over het algemeen, dit is weer een melancholisch en humoristische lied, zoals hij tegenwoordig misschien Zappa had kunnen schrijven. Het begin van 'I Mimic Me' had mij als muzikaal verrast zelfs meer. Voor nummers als 'Cowboy On The Moon' of parels 'Velvet Shoes' aanvankelijk elegant als de jazzy pop van Steely Dan.

Wat ik merk is de melancholie van de nummers die vaak slechts in geringe mate wordt aangepast van de muziek. Hier - en brengt ons naar de titel van het album - de kunstenaar probeert zichzelf te imiteren als een kind. En natuurlijk, dit is gedoemd te mislukken. Wat is onwaarschijnlijk schande. Omdat als een volwassene je bent met al de moeite vaak niet meer dan een 'Cowboy On The Moon', zo helemaal de verkeerde plaats, een zelfmoord pleegt meedogenloos sociale, als je niet de zorg over de regels.

Zelfs de verhoudingen dreigen te mislukken in zulke banaliteiten dat zelfs hij van zijn kat houdt, terwijl de partner is dol op haar hond en de twee dieren opschieten zoals varkens en kikkers. Dus als de spreekwoordelijke hond en kat.
'Ik Mimic Me' - een goed album muzikaal en ook uit de teksten hier. En zelfs als het nabootsen van de muziek hier al het onderwerp volgens de stijl van de laatste decennia, dat wil zeggen, geenszins, dat de stukken van Joost van Dinther zou niet extreem orgineel zijn. (Bandcamp)
 

Next: I Mimic Me, the songguide

Yes I love this review

So glad with these colourful words!

In german:

„Don‘t mind the blues“ meint Joos The Vanished Dutchman in einem Titel seines neuen Albums. Hardcore-Bluesfans sollten das als ernste Warnung auffassen und mit Lesen der Rezension und dem Anhören der Scheibe äußerste Vorsicht walten lassen. Ansonsten gilt: Mit „The Ballooning Brouhaha“ hat die niederländische One-Man-Band Musik so richtig passend zum beginnenden Sommer mit Jazz, Funkgrooves, Rock und einer gehörigen Dosis Humor.

Ein Aufruht beim Ballonfahren? Aufrührerische Ballons? Oder die Empörung über die Ballonsportler? Mit dem Albumtitel kommer ich schnell an die Grenzen meiner Englischkenntnisse. Aber der Titelsong und Opener des aktuellen Albums von Joost Van Dinther erzählt rein musikalisch (wenn man von den paar „Haha“-Rufen absieht) eine Geschichte, die all das sein könnte - oder was ganz anderes. Und schon sind wir bei dem Problem, was man unwillkürlich hat, wenn man sich Songs dieses Niederländers anhört: Man muss ich das Lachen verkneifen. Und man erwischt sich immer wieder dabei, das Wort „zappaesk“ verwenden zu wollen.

 

Dabei könnte man ebenso auch Verwandschaft zur Musik etwa von Steely Dan, der mittleren Schaffensperiode von Stevie Wonder und anderen finden. Nur eben waren die niemals so voller Humor, Sarkasmus - und Selbstironie. Wer nennt einen Titel schon freiwillig „Stupid song(s)“, der dann auch völlig albern daherkommt wie für die Welttournee von Ralf Sögel direkt am Casio geschrieben und dann noch mit Bläsern aufgemotzt? Das ist einfach zappaesk. Und natürlich großartig. Dann folgt noch ein „Disco Scream From The Sinking Loveboat“, eine Tour mit dem „Sunday Train“ oder ein Trip durch einen schweigenden Dschungel. Meist humorvoll, oft auch plötzlich von einer Melancholie eingetrübt, dass man gleich nochmal aufmerksamer hinhört, um festzustellen: Joost ist ein verdammt guter Songschreiber und keine wandelnde Comedy-Attraktion. Und auch das hat er mit dem verstorbenen Gitarren- und Kompositionsmeister mit dem berühmten Klofoto gemein. Wer mir das nicht glaubt, sollte auf diversen Online-Plattformen wie Jamendo nach dem kostenlosen Download von „The Ballooning Brouhaha“ suchen und mir erst danach widersprechen.

In English (google-translator):

"Do not mind the blues," said Joos The Vanished Dutchman in a title of his new album. Hardcore blues fans should take that as a serious warning and exercise with reading the review and listening to the disc extreme caution. Otherwise: With "The Ballooning Brouhaha" the Dutch one-man band music really match the beginning of the summer with jazz, funk grooves, rock and a good dose of humor.
One rests in ballooning? Riotous balloons? Or the outrage over the balloon athlete? With the album title, I commer to the limits of my knowledge of English. But the title track and opener of the new album by Joost Van Dinther told musically (apart from the few "haha"-Call) is a story that could be all that - or something completely different. And already we are in the problem, which he automatically when you listen to this song Dutchman: Man I need help laughing. And you get caught again and again going to want to use the word "zappaesk".
It could also find some affinity to the music of Steely Dan, the middle period of Stevie Wonder and others. Only just were never so full of humor, sarcasm - and self-irony. Who calls a title already voluntarily "Stupid song (s)", which then comes as quite silly for the world tour by Ralf Soegel written directly on the Casio and then beefed up even with horns? This is simply zappaesk. And of course, great. .
 Then follows a "disco Scream From The Sinking Loveboat", a tour with the "Sunday Train" or a trip through a silent jungle. Most humorous, often suddenly clouded by a melancholy that is the same again attentively listens to determine: Joost is a damn good song writer and not changing comedy attraction. And also that he has in common with the late guitar master and composition with the famous Klofoto (Zappa). If you do not believe me, should look at various online platforms such as Jamendo for the free download of "The Ballooning Brouhaha" and disagree with me afterwards.

Review in German Wasser Prawda Magazine

 Wasser Prawda

By Nathan Norgel, Bluespfaffe
Joos TVD aus den Niederlanden ist für die „Wasser-Prawda“ ein würdiger Nachfolger des Musikgenies Frank Zappa. Auch auf seinem aktuellen Album „Art Decoy The Bluebeard Boy“ liefert die Ein-Mann-Band wieder eine Mixtur aus Jazz-Funk, Pop-Rock und Humor.

Irgendwo gab es mal in einer Kolumne die nicht ganz unernst gemeinte Bemerkung, dass das Leben ohne ein neues Buch von Robert Gernhard wesentlich schwerer zu ertragen ist. Ähnliches könnte man auch über wirklich humorvolle und gleichzeitig intelligente Pop- und Rockmusik schreiben. Und seit Frank Zappa nicht mehr zur Verfügung steht für musikalisch anspruchsvolle und gleichzeitig humorvolle Alben, muss man hier immer aufmerksam Ausschau halten. Joos The Vanished Dutchman hat mich in den letzten Jahren immer wieder überzeugen können. Und wenn „Art Decoy The Bluebeard Boy“ mit „Drool All Over You“ loslegt, dann ist klar: Hier ist wieder ein perfektes Party-Album entstanden im heimischen Studio: Funk-Jazz-Grooves, ab und zu ein paar prägnante Gitarrenlinien und Songs, die nicht nur davon singen, Frösche unter Drogen zu setzen sondern auch die ganze Hysterie um Facebook und Konsorten auf die Schippe nehmen oder Balladen um sämtliche Liebesschnulzen zu toppen. Auch die „Occupy“-Bewegung, nervige Freundinnen und andere Themen werden durch den Funk-Mixer gedreht und auf die Tanzfläche geworfen, wo sie sich prächtig machen. Fazit: Unbedingt runterladen und die nächste Tanzparty damit aufmischen! Auch als kostenfreihes Weihnachtsgeschenk ist das Album eine Empfehlung wert.

English

Joos TVD from the Netherlands is the "water-Pravda" a worthy successor to the musical genius Frank Zappa. On his latest album, "The Art Decoy Blue Beard Boy" the one-man band delivers again a mixture of jazz-funk, pop-rock and humor.
Somewhere there was once, in a column that is not entirely flippant remark meant that life without a new book by Robert Gernhard is much harder to bear. The same could also write about really humorous and at the same time intelligent pop and rock music. And since Frank Zappa no longer available for musically satisfying and humorous at the same albums, one must always keep attention on the lookout here. Joos The Vanished Dutchman has in recent years to convince me again and again. And if "type Decoy The Blue Beard Boy" with "Drool All Over You" gets going, it's clear: Here again a perfect party album was created in the home studio: funk-jazz grooves, and occasionally a few incisive guitar lines and songs who sing not only on frogs to drug taking but also all the hysteria, Facebook and the likes to make fun or love ballads to beat at all schmaltzy. The "Occupy" movement, annoying friends and other topics will be rotated by the radio mixer and thrown onto the floor, where they do splendidly. Conclusion: Be sure to download and shake up the next dance party with it! Even as kostenfreihes Christmas album is worth a recommendation.