Chris Hinze Combination - 1970 - Stoned Flute

Chris Hinze Combination

1970

Stoned Flute

01. Stoned Flute - Suite (22:20)
02. Ann (12:24)
03. Bamboo Dick (9:24)

Ruud Jacobs / producer
Jorge Souto / tambourine
Andre V.d. Water / engineer
Henk Alkema / piano
Harry Van Zijl / design, cover
Chris Hinze / composition, arrangements, flute, alto flute
Roger Cooke / bass
Louis Debij / drums
Wim VanderBeek / guiro, cowbell, castanets

Recorded in Nederhorst den Berg, Holland, September 13 & 14, 1970.

Chris Hinze plays a silver Muramatsu flute.

CHRIS HINZE COMBINATION is an jazz ensemble led by Dutch jazz and new age flautist Chris HINZE. At the start of his musical career, HINZE was working as a pianist until 1967 when he first started playing the flute profesionally. First solo records soon followed and in 1970 he also won the Best Sloist award at Montreux Jazz Festival. His COMBINATION ensemble first performed in the Casino at Lake Geneva at the Montreaux Jazz Festival in 1971 and from then on continued touring and recording under its name for decades, with line-ups and genres changing as time went on. The group line-up has included many European and American musicians throughout it's years of activity, like Gerry BROWN (RETURN TO FOREVER), Philip CATHERINE (FOCUS, PORK PIE, SUNBIRDS), John LEE (PORK PIE) and many others.

CHRIS HINZE COMBINATION followed HINZE's studies into music of Tibet and South Asia in the 80's so eventually they also incorporated electronic and new age elements in their records but there is plenty of music made under the COMBINATION moniker also for fans of avantgarde jazz, funk, as well as progressive jazz rock and fusion.

A terrific free jazz album, a true must have. It's baffling to me why this gem was never reissued, 'cause it sure as hell deserves to be. As stated in another bit of comment that I once wrote, I'm not a real free jazz connoisseur, but every now and then there's an album that just knocks my socks off. This is one of them. I can only describe the album as a 40 minute trip that spirals around you as the music progresses. Profound, moving, at times wild and, as is the case with the absolutely fantastic bass/drum break in "Bamboo Dick", incredibly funky. Roger Cook's bass playing is magnificent, rubbery almost, Louis Debij's drumming keeps you on the edge of your seat, Henk Alkema's work on the keys rolls on like a strong undercurrent and of course Chris Hinze's flute playing kicks ass. What stands out, is the sheer enthusiasm and craftsmanship of the musicians that is really audible. The exchanges between them, the anticipation, the tension they build up, it just doesn't get any better. What's even more fun when you listen to this one, is that you keep discovering new details with every spin. Especially with track times this long -the title cut already clocks in at over 20 minutes- you just can't ingest it all at once; there's so much exciting stuff going that you can't blame yourself for missing certain bits. But, nil desperandum, you'll hear 'em the next time. And the next. Never reissued, not even in Japan, so the only version we're left with so far, is this pressing from 1970. Get it, enjoy it, cherish it.