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Nov. 25, 2001

TEN-TAMARRE


During the season 1999-2000 and besides his famous ACT BIG BAND (a unique big band in Belgian history that set on fire the Belgian and European stages for two decades), drummer Félix SIMTAINE launched, with the help of his accomplice, pianist and composer/arranger Michel HERR, a new tentet, with the accent on an immediate listening pleasure, a ludic approach and an incredible team of superb soloists.
The name of the band, TEN-TAMARRE, inspired by the French word "tintamarre" (which stands for din or racket !), garantees some extraverted and swinging moments. Some pieces by MINGUS, some by Duke ELLINGTON, Dizzy GILLESPIE, some originals, arranged by Michel HERR, Phil ABRAHAM, Christoph ERBSTÖSSER, François DECAMPS, Paolo RADONI, Peter HERTMANS, etc...

In 2000, the new band appeared at the Liège Festival and at the Gaume Festival (B), with Gustavo BERGALLI (the Argentinian trumpet player) as a special guest. After a first season with violonist Jean-Pierre CATOUL, who died in a tragic car accident in January 2001, Félix SIMTAINE has invited Ben SLUIJS (alto sax) to join the band.
In November 2001, the new band unanimously made an impressive impact on the public during the JazzLab tour, which brought the tentet to the major cities of the Flemish part of Belgium.

The band has been recorded live by RTBF and VRT radios.

THE PRESS
LA PRESSE
  • Driven at full swing by Félix Simtaine, this tentet plays some swinging jazz with talented soloists such as a.o. Michel Herr, Phil Abraham, Jean-Louis Rassinfosse, Fabrice Alleman and Jean-Pierre Catoul.(Le Soir, Aug. 2000)

  • At full power, Félix Simtaine's Ten-Tamarre ... raises swing to the highest level. (Dominique Simonet, La Libre Belgique, Aug. 2000)

  • Another exciting performance was the concert of Ten-Tamarre, led by drummer Félix Simtaine. Swing and a lot of energy for a jazz that doesn't search for an intellectual approach. Ellington, Mingus and others are revisited with beautiful arrangements, with generous soloists, a.o the spectacular Argentinian trumpet player Gustavo Bergalli.(André Joassin, Le Soir, Aug. 2000)

  • "Fables of Faubus " by Charlie Mingus was a great moment.(Jean-Luc Gillet, La Meuse, Aug. 2000)
  • Emmené plein swing par Félix Simtaine, ce tentet joue du jazz qui déménage avec quelques solistes de talent comme Michel Herr, Phil Abraham, Jean-Louis Rassinfosse, Fabrice Alleman et Jean-Pierre Catoul.(Le Soir, 08/2000)

  • Tout en puissance, le Ten-Tamarre de Félix Simtaine ... élève le swing au plus haut niveau.(Dominique Simonet, La Libre Belgique, 08/2000)

  • Autre prestation à vous mettre les doigts de pieds en bouquet de pâquerettes, celle de Ten-Tamarre menée par le batteur Félix Simtaine. Swing et punch à revendre pour un jazz qui ne se prend pas la tête. Ellington, Mingus et autres revisités sur de beaux arrangements, avec des solistes généreux, dont le spectaculaire trompettiste argentin Gustavo Bergalli.(André Joassin, Le Soir, 08/2000)

  • "Fables of Faubus " de Charlie Mingus fut un grand moment.(Jean-Luc Gillet, La Meuse, 08/2000)
    • De speelse en ongecompliceerde benadering van de composities en het expressieve spel van een batterij schitterende solisten, staan garant voor kwalitatieve swing en een hoge dosis luistergenot. Je ontdekt heel extraverte muziek, muziek vanuit de guts.

    TEN-TAMARRE will be on tour in November 2001.

    Contact :

    Félix SIMTAINE
    rue de la Poste 97, B-1030 Brussels
    Phone : (32 2) 223 12 18 | Fax : (32 2) 219 09 86
    E-mail : felixsimtaine@yahoo.fr

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