Klein Orkest

Klein Orkest (Small Orchestra) is a Dutch group, founded in 1978. The members of the band were Harrie Jekkers, Niek Nieuwenhuijsen, Chris Prins and Leon Smith. The band was born out of a failed cabaret programme "Groot Orkest" (Large Orchestra). Apart from producing albums about "serious" matters (the popular song "Over de muur", across the wall, is an example of this: it concerns the differences between eastern and western Berlin during the times of the Wall). The bigger picture is that it describes the differences between the 'democratic' west and the 'communist' states in Europe in those days. The pro and cons are set aside against real freedom. The band also produced albums with children's songs which were sometimes performed on the Dutch version of Sesame Street. Harrie Jekkers is also famous for the song "O, o, Den Haag" which was written in 1982, but did not fit well with the repertoire of Klein Orkest. This is why the song was put out under the pseudonym Harrie Klorkestein (an anagram of Klein Orkest). The band split up in 1985. Harrie Jekkers then returned to the theatre, while Nieuwenhuysen started a new band called Smart (sorrow).