BIG is New Cool Collective’s third and latest recording for A-Records. The inspiration behind this recording was conceived after a gig for the eight-piece band while pondering about the future. Although they'd been on the scene for about a year and a half, they all agreed they needed to do things a LITTLE differently this time. They got on to the subject of BIG bands and started spacing out, imagining how the band would sound if there were twenty of Them instead of eight. The launch was 6 January 1997. Scorching saxes, humungus horns, blistering bones, colossal chords, thumping themes: their unique mix of old and new dance rhythms played totally acoustic, topped with a thirteen-piece horn section proved a MAJOR hit. Meanwhile, they were still recording and writing for the small band. By spring of 98 they had released three vinyls and two cds. By now, well into our second year at Café Meander, New Cool Collective BIG band had turned into a pretty slick machine and audiences were raving. Composer and arranger Willem Friede had joined the collective and Razor M, the VJ, mixed live footage of the band with his crazy video images as Amsterdam's best DJs spun their finest. At the door they had the beautiful Zubrowka filtering the audience, letting only the hippest of the hip into the club. Clearly, the time was ripe for a third album. And this time they'd make it BIG. For the new cd, following on from the excellent vocal track on the second album, we asked a few more Friends if they'd like to join in on some of our tunes. First off was Georgie Fame. They'd already released their version of his hit YEH YEH on cd and vinyl. Trijntje Oosterhuis, of Total Touch fame was then invited to redefine the old Carpenters hit. And remember, as they head into a yet another new season of BIG Mondays, if you're ever in Amsterdam on a Monday night, looking for cool people, great DJs and music with that extra dimension, think BIG, think very BIG.