When impro-nestor Misha Mengelberg recorded his composition Remember Herbie in 1966, he was way ahead of his time. Hardly anybody was familiar with the music of American jazz pianist Herbie Nichols. When Nichols died of leukemia in 1963 at age 43 it is true he had made three records for the Blue Note label, but still he was barely known. The far too soon deceased pianist is now seen as an essential link in the development of modern jazz. His music intrigues by both its willfulness as the refinement of the compositions, where harmonious movement is central. Only after his death the originality of his playing is seen. It is said now that Nichols unjustly stood in the shadow of great leaders like Thelonious Monk. The music of Nichols is central at the concert of the Juan Martinez/Nils van Haften kwintet, a new group with a remarkable strength: a jazz quintet with to baritone saxophones playing a leading part. Van Haften and Martinez, who both earned their fame playing the baritone sax (Van Haften with the Dutch Jazz Orchestra and Peter Ypma plus eleven and Martinez with the Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw, Saxion V and the Cees Slinger Octet) share the stage with rhythm section Rob van Bavel (piano), Frans van Geest (bass), John Engels (drums) and Holland's greatest Herbie Nichols-fan: pianist Misha Mengelberg. During the eighties Mengelberg explored the works of Nichols, Monk and Ellington thoroughly with his ICP-orchestra, which resulted in the albums Two Programs - ICP Orchestra Performs Nichols-Monk and Bospaadje Konijnehol I. He also brought odes to Nichols with his quintets, with Han Bennink and sax player Steve Lacy, like the albums Regeneration (with enthusiast trombone player Roswell Rudd - just like Mengelberg determined to bring the music of Nichols to the attention) and Change of Season.
