“That makes Busstra a special musician who touches the sense and the heart of the music and let it speak for itselves.”
This year the Dutch guitarist Marnix Busstra celebrated his 50th anniversary. Reason for a new CD ‘Firm Fragile Fun‘ and a compilation-double-album ‘Best of Both Worlds‘ of this versatile guitar player. Busstra has played in many bands like Second Vision, Marnix Busstra 4-tet, Buzz Bros Band, Marnix Busstra Band and the band of his wife Karin Bloemen.
‘Firm Fragile Fun‘ is a title that makes sense. The music is energetic, dynamic and full of musical fun. Guitar themes, with a wonderful John Scofield / Philip Catherine sound, whirl through your speakers. Clear compositions written by Busstra, with a fresh structure and lots of space for his fellow musicians. Striking is drummer Pieter Bast‘s polyrhythms and ghost-notes playing. A very propulsive part of the music. Together with bassist Arnold Dooyeweerd (lovely laid-backbluesy solo in the ‘Smoky‘) they are an excellent tandem. Pianist Rembrandt Frerichs solos are beautifully melodic, with a cymbalon imitation in the opening piece ‘Stress’ and ‘Crazy’, with here and there the piano style of Jarrett (‘Joy‘) and Monk (‘Fun’). Marnix Busstra is an inspiring, clear and precise musician who plays besides guitar also bouzouki and electric sitar in the spherical ‘Deep‘. On his new album ‘Fragile Firm Fun‘ he tells a musical story. Every composition has a short title that implifies a mood or feeling, as in the titles ‘Gone’, ‘Deep’ or‘Mild‘. That makes Busstra a special musician who touches the sense and the heart of the music and let it speak for itselves.