The lower cymbal is unusually deep and building a fire in it is one of Bennink's shticks. The high hat's accents on two and four produce smoke rings. The rings rise slowly, the tempo is fast - a subtle visualization of swing. He has played with Webster, Eric Dolphy and Johnny Griffin, among others, and will tour the United States with the Clusone Trio in May, with Ernst Reijseger on cello and Michael Moore on reeds. The ''absurd'' side of New Dutch Swing is criticized by musicians and fans who do not feel comfortable with all the kidding around.
Music is too important to be treated with so much frivolity, they say.
This is one reason humor is otherwise so lacking in jazz. The ''classical music of the 20th century'' and so on. Laughing at or even with it is not really politically correct. Still, laughter helps the audience understand and sympathize with what would otherwise be complex and difficult music. Theo Loevendie, a saxophonist who was closely connected to the BIM House, is now a well-known and successful classical composer.