Ruud Jacobs at the International Youth Band - Babel Band - Newport '58

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Ruud Jacobs, Dutch bass player and producer for over fifty-five years, was selected in 1958 to play the double bass at the International Youth Band, better known as Babel's Band, scheduled at the 1958 Newport festival ............ The first contribution in Keep (it) Swinging is entitled Babel Band's Birth, and the opener of a series of blogs which will recollect this event, which was remembered by Ruud in 1958 as: 't was fantastisch ( = it was great).


Babel Band's Birth

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When George Wein and Mr. and Mrs. Marshall Brown took off for Europe in mid-winter (1958) to recruit a band of top young sidemen from 16 countries, they carried with them only a dream of such a band. When they returned to the US in late Msrch, they brought back a reality. The Dutch auditions for the Babel's Band, De Toren van Babelband, were scheduled at the Bellevue Theatre in Amsterdam, March 1958: The Battle of Newport

Part 2 - Newport '58: The Battle of Newport

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brass section.jpg

In spring 1958 George Wein and Marshall Brown hopscotched Europe conducting auditions on a back-breaking schedule ..... They heard hundreds upon hundreds of musicians, amateur, professional, and every stop in between. In a series of blogs Ruud Jacobs, Dutch bass player, remembers his debut at Newport. Today Ruud won't speak, but you can learn more aboutthe brass section, Brown selected for his International Youth Band, aka the Babel's Band.

Newport '58: The brass section of the Babel's Band

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Back in the US Marshall Brown selected, with the help of his extensive notes, he made during the numerous auditions all along Europe, the members for his International Youth Band to play at the 1958 Newport Festival. Ruud Jacobs, a young Dutch bass player was invited to represent Holland - sixteen other young talented European jazz musicians got an invitation too. Today an introduction to the reed section.

The reed section

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Marshall Brown and George Wein joined, spring 1958, within a few weeks span, dozens of auditions .. "they hopscotched Europe conducting auditions on a back-braking schedule." They heard a hundred young talented musicians. "If we were able to take everyone who impressed us, we’d have 13 trumpets, 9 trombones … that kind of band ..." Marshall Brown told the journalists at the airport when they returned from their search for members of their band. It was a pity that a young talented Spanish piano player was not available - the Swiss piano player George Gruntz, who passed away a couple of weeks ago, was invited. The guitar player was found in the States - a political refugee, a talent on his instrument. Dutch bass player Ruud Jacobs represented The Netherlands.

The rhythm section of the Babel's Band

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Finally ..... June 1958 - Brussels Airport Zavetem: The trip to Newport would start for fourteen excited young European musician, including Dutch bass player Ruud Jacobs ... They all hoped to make it in The States, but the start - the first rehearsals - were rather disappointing ... Marshall Brown: A moody, nervous band leader who built a Tower of Babel.
Newport '58: A Tower of Babel
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BTW: Who can help me with additional information about this International Youth Band Newport 1958? Contact me off-list.

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Dutch trombonist Paul Duynhouwer was invited by John Lewis in the summer of 1958 for a scholarship at the famous Lenox School of Jazz. He met Ruud Jacobs by accident in a jazz club, Birdland, at a concert. Ruud was selected to be the bass player in the 1958 Newport International Youth Band. He was familiar with some of the trombonists, who were selected for the orchestra: Albert Mangelsdorff, Kurt Jarnberg and Christian Kellens.
The mutual relations between director Marshall Brown and the members of the band were completely fouled up .. Paul Duynhouwer remembers the trombonist of the International Youth Band-Newport '58 . Durium

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George Wein invited Marshall Brown, bandleader, who impressed at the 1957 Newport Festival with his Farmingdale High School Band, to select young talented European jazz musicians for an International Youth Band to perform at the Newport Festival editon 1958. One of the musicians selected was Ruud Jacobs, Dutch bass player. who remembered this event in a series of blogs .... Today the supreme moment - the concerts at the Newport Festival: Newport '58: The International Youth Band at the festival

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