Marnix Busstra – guitar
Bart Defoort – tenor and soprano sax
Eric van der Westen – double bass
Pieter Bast – drums
The Marnix Busstra 4-tet performed for a little under ten years, from 1995 to 2005, recording two albums, ‘On The Face Of It’ and ‘The Naïve World’. One of the main characteristics of the band was their use of seemingly straightforward compositions, sometimes even childlike melodies.
The first line-up, featuring renowned saxophonist Yuri Honing, mostly played the Netherlands. Great reviews allowed the second edition of the band, now with Bart Defoort on saxes, to play abroad as well. The rhythm section, with drummer Pieter Bast and bassist Eric van der Westen, remained the same over the years. The same duo also provides the foundation for the current Mike Mainieri/Marnix Busstra Quartet.
Basically, the Marnix Busstra 4-tet was the acoustic counterpart of Marnix’s fusion band, Second Vision. Their second album, ‘The Naïve World’, marked the quartet’s musical breakthrough.
As many reviews have testified, Marnix Busstra and his quartet indeed created a new and unique style of music. Starting from relatively simple compositions, the music develops into “music of fragile and modest beauty” (NRC), in which “simplicity and outlook are the point, rather than clever notes” (de Volkskrant).
Jazz Nu described the band’s compositions as “initially very simple themes, that are polished to create 18-carat jewels”. “Music that ranges from light, swinging reggae to relaxed blues in a lyrical/romantic idiom”, said the Zwolsche Courant. The IJmuider Courant wrote that the 4-tet’s music “or once doesn’t enrage people who hate jazz”, and The Brabants Dagblad described the band’s performance as “music in which one can hear how musicians reach the essence of music”.
The Naïve World – 1999
On The Face Of It – 1996