“…his 2017 CD, Old School Band is his best yet.”
One of the finest jazz-rock guitarists in Europe today, Holland-based Marnix Busstra has a number of albums out under his name and his 2017 CD, Old School Band is his best yet. Holland of course was a central country in the 1970s instrumental, jazz-fusion explosion and true to form, Jan Akkerman might be considered one key influence on the guitar sound Marnix brings forth on his 2017 CD, Old School Band. On the 47 minute, ten track CD there are mixes of progressive instrumental rock, ‘old school’ jazz and jazz-fusion that are enhanced by number of sure-fire guitar moods and grooves. The band Marnix recorded Old School Band with includes Eric Van de Bovenkamp (organ), Norbert Sollewijn Gelpke (bass and album producer) and Mark Stoop (drums). Liner notes were actually written by Marnix’s early music instructor, Martijn Breebaart, who graded Marnix in music school back in the late 1970s. In deference to the album title, Old School Band may be just an affectionate name for a band and an album that, while steeped in the classic, instrumental jazz-rock sound, tastefully carries the tradition well into the 21st century. Comparing Old School Band with The Marnix Busstra band, the guitarist explains, “Firm, Fragile, Fun is the last album of my other band, The Marnix Busstra Band. That band is very different from the Old School Band, although we play my compositions in both bands. I think you can call the Marnix Busstra Band my ‘acoustic band’, with upright bass and acoustic piano, and the Old School Band my ‘electric band’, with bass guitar and organ. And the Old School Band is definitely more ‘funk’, the Marnix Busstra Band more ‘jazz’. Through the years I made 14 records with my different bands.” Perhaps the finest album yet from Dutch guitarist Marnix Busstra, Old School Band is never old sounding and, in fact, the album revitalizes the entire European jazz-rock fusion sound.