„Panhandle Swing” (Holland)
Panhandle Swing, from The Netherlands – you know, just beside Germany – started in 1984 as the first and only large western swing band in Europe. Founder and bandleader is the Dutch country legend Berry Selles. In 1984 Berry was one of very few banjo pickers who also mastered the jazz guitar. Right then he had already recorded four albums with Old Time music. Mixing happy country with jazzy swing, a la Bob Wills, became his next goal. Panhandle Swing plays classic western swing in the Big Sound style of Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys. Country crooning with a heavy swing beat, played by eight experienced jazz musicians. Working out the original two-part harmony riffs on twin fiddle and twin guitar is what they’re aiming at. Vocals and harmony singing mix with jazzy solos, also on the little heard electric mandolin and tenor banjo. Anchor of the band is a solid rhythm section featuring a real boogie pianist. Panhandle Swing - all in western dress - plays its fast repertoire in dancehalls just as in theatre concerts.
Berry Selles bandleader, vocals, fiddle, e-mandolin
Michael Gustorff fiddle
Bertolf Lentink Hawaiian steel gitaar, dobro, gitaar, vocals
Jeroen Sweers piano
Dirk Schreuders tenor banjo
Pieter Althuis double bass
Albert Verbeek e-guitar
Antoon Aukes drums
