Orkest de Volharding - Western Darlings (2021)

After more than twenty years Orkest De Volharding remains a unique ensemble, playing a more active part in the international musical scene than ever before. They continue to sustain an identity quite distinct from all other groups. A number of factors contribute to this. The unchanging line-up of three saxophones, three trumpets, three trombones, flute, French horn, piano and bass is unlike any other. Whatever the circumstances, they refuse to employ stand-ins. The musicians continue to be drawn from both classical and jazz backgrounds, and are put under no pressure to merge into a unified sound (their individual tastes and ideas are precisely what the group exploits). The there is the fact that the musicians do not sit down, but play standing on their feet, part of their legacy of jazz. Much of their music demands such physical commitment that they have very little choice anyway! Finally, there is the policy of collective artistic responsibility, which ensures that they do not lose their edge. All these factors combine to create the wholly original sound of Orkest De Volharding, and to ensure that the group plays a pivotal role on the borders between contemporary composed, improvised and pop music.