Napo And The Giant Flute (Jazz Ahead Quartet)

E: Jazz Podium September 2002 Heinz Von Hermann Quartet: NAPO And The Giant Flute Mons Records MR 874-350 from Rdiger Bttger If I were to count some of the top European jazz musicians who have been playing for decades and are still very active today, the saxophonist/flautist Heinz Von Hermann would rank very highly on the list. He has not only been one of the main solo supports of many renowned big bands (he still is today in Peter Peter Herbolzeimer's Rhythm Combination & Brass), he is an indispensable addition to the intercontinental jazz scene with his combos, from duo to quintet. As renewed proof of this Heinz Von Hermann presents this CD, which has been produced with his current quartet comprising Erwin Schmidt, piano; Uli Langthaler, bass; Bruno Castellucci, drums. Appropriate to the album's title, Heinz Von Hermann is to be heard here exclusively on flutes (including the bass flute, alto flute and the Eb flute) in compositions from Thad Jones ('Three In One') and Victor Feldman ('Joshua'), as well as standards from Harald Arlen to Irving Berlin. And there are also Hermann originals to be heard ('You Stepped On My Flute,' 'Crocus' and 'Giant Flute'), which also show the flautist to be a notable composer. It is all presented by the 'straight ahead' quartet at a very high musical level. 'Those who don't find the need to tap their feet to 'Limehouse Blues' are either already dead or avant-garde fans,' maintains Klaus Schulz in his liner notes, of which their informative and entertaining value alone almost justifies the purchase of the CD. But then there is this devilishly swinging music and interpretations, which fully and validly define the 'flute in jazz' as a theme. P.S. NAPO is simply the name of a duck, which is among Hermann's house pets and is apparently madly enthusiastic about 'Giant Flute'. Heinz Von Hermann was born in 1936 in Vienna, Austria. He learned violin at the age of eight, and undertook his first approach to jazz at seventeen. He took a few clarinet lessons with Fatty George, and learned all other instruments autodidactically. He began to play in jazz clubs around Vienna. He won first prize in the Friedrich Gulda Youth Competition as the best young jazz saxophonist of 1958. In the late fifties he went to Germany with the legendary Uzi Frster Band, and was on the road from that time on. When the Uzi Frster Band returned to Vienna, Heinz Von Hermann remained in Germany and played at the few existing jazz clubs and later in the American clubs. 1961 he was already working with the Peter Herbolzheimer Band in an American club in North Africa, and later with the Gerry Hayes Band in the Netherlands, and again in North Africa for two years. He spent half a year in France, and then four years in Spain. He worked there for two years leading the house band in the famous Madrid jazz club 'Whiskey & Jazz' with such guest stars as Tete Montoliu, Lee Konitz, Donald Byrd, Booker Ervin and Billy Brooks. Several radio and movie scores, and other recording sessions were undertaken in Madrid. He also led the band for Donna Hightower on concert tours in Spain. After spending a half year in Italy he returned to Germany in 1968 to work with the Max Greger TV Big Band, simultaneously performing as a member of the Bavarian Radio Jazz Combo, playing with Joe Haider, Benny Bailey, Frank St. Peter, Mal Waldron and Rudi Fuesers. Later in this period he had his own quartet with Joe Harris, Jimmy Woode and Mike Thatcher. He also played in Dusko Goykovich's Munich Big Band and his Quintet, and undertook countless recordings of all kinds in the Munich studios. Paul Kuhn called him to Berlin in 1971 for his Radio Big Band (SFB Big Band) as a permanent soloist and band member. In Berlin he formed a quintet with Carmell Jones, and some other small groups that included Ake Persson and Leo Wright. He played in Berlin with the Slide Hampton Super Band and was a soloist in several other radio big bands and TV shows. Since then he was a permanent member of the Peter Herbolzheimer Big Band. Later in the seventies he formed his trio wit