NATD – live at CC Van Gogh, Zundert (December 19th, 2003) By simple means the hall of the small theatre has been transformed into a nightclub. A sober spotlight thrown on a centered stage, surrounded by small ashtray-covered tables. The vibes are provided by the quintet Nighthawks at the Diner. (...) With substantial lyrics, clever arrangements and a high dose of playfulness, the group around singer/piano-player Rood creates a ambiance seldom felt in The Netherlands.(...) Rood’s words and beautifully rasping voice impress, thanks to this man’s superior combination of intonation, timing and feel. You don’t have to be born in New Orleans, don’t have to sink up to your neck into a swamp, don’t have to hunt crocodiles in order to be a fascinating storyteller. Rood makes the audience gasp for breath with a note that falls silent; his dynamic band (guitar, sax, double bass and drums) moderates and makes them bang on their chairs. Nighthawks at he Diner looks further than Wait’s bar or Kerouac’s novel: European folk, Kurt Weill, smokey jazz and Balkan influences are part of their entertaining set as well. This company exceeds by virtuosity. First-class!

Another gem from Nighthawks at the Diner. A melancholy, dreamy, Waitsian piece of work, entitled Transit Cellophane. This CD has, again, been produced by the band members themselves and in a marvelous way too. It's varied and full of character. Both the lyrics and the music are interesting, as is the use of certain musical instruments, uncommon in pop music. I hear the theremin and my all-time favourites, the cello in The Waltzes, The Polkas and the Sad Songs and the clarinet in the beautiful sailor´s song If We Get Back Home. I´m A Stranger Here Myself and Junie Needs A New Pair of Shoes remind me of old westerns and Quentin Tarantino movie soundtracks. Every song tells a unique story which can be defined as Sturm und Drang. Bass player Bob Wisselink deserves special mention for his arrangement on the instrumental The Blue Light.MMMMM (masterly)

In the background you can still vaguely detect the sound of Tom Waits. And because the band's name has been taken from a Waits album, the members of Nighthawks at the Diner will never renounce their biggest source of inspiration. Nevertheless, on this third CD, the group showcase their unique style like never before. NATD's music is intense and keeps you in suspense from beginning to end. Music that breathes the air of grubby vaudevilles and junk shops, of early jazz and of Berlin in the thirties. The music is suggestive; you sense that there is a stronger meaning behind the lyrics, but you don't stop to think about them. The beautifully corroded voice of Rood, the arrangements that sound spontaneous but, at the same time, give the impression that every decision concerning the instrumentation has been taken into long and careful consideration. There's anticipation in the air. We'll hear more from Nighthawks at the Diner in the future. Thank God for that...

At year's end, Nighthawks at the Diner have released a CD that belongs in 2002's Top Ten. Transit Cellophane is their third album, recorded over a period of a year and a half. Maybe that's why it sounds so varied: comprising 17 tracks crafted with NATD's distinctive sound. From the cinematic Junie Needs a New Pair of Shoes, which evokes memories of Calexico through the Kurt Weill, the blues style of I'm a Stranger Here Myself and the melancholy piano ballad Shame Rhymes with Pride, to the smoky bar shuffle Observant Spectator. Nighthawks at the Diner's music complements this time of year: slow-pace and full of character, with a touch of Tom Waits and Morphine, meaningful lyrics and titles that intrigue.

As soon as Nighthawks at the Diner start to play, the audience shivers. This is melancholy, romance and yet it's raucous. A characteristic sound provided by outstanding musicians. Piano player / vocalist Rood can't get enough of it even after a concert lasting 150 minutes, he again gets behind the piano: a breathtaking song begins and two saxes join in spontaneously. It seems to be a tribute to the organisers of this festival where everything fell into place and where that spark touched everyone and induced euphoria. In the end, late at night, the band and the audience are inseparable and it's hard to say goodnight.

'(.) This results in songs that encompass some of Kurt Weill, a dose of sultry nightclub sounds, some improvisational rags and that desolated feeling of a bar during after hours. Fool's Tango: sonorous and timeless.'

Nighthawks at the Diner CD Fool's Tango is surprising: an intimate mixture of folk, jazz, classical styles and even a little tango. An acoustic vocabulary in which the notes that can't be heard are maybe even more important than those you hear. Listen to the subtly arranged duet with the remarkable guest appearance by Fay Lovsky. The musicians know their place and give space to their front man in an outstanding disciplined way. His raspy voice, that is reminiscent of Tom Waits and Leonard Cohen, paves the way for the most bizarre encounters. If you think the combination of acoustic instruments and an unpolished voice is extraordinary, wait until you hear Rood's lyrics. Nighthawks at the Diner: beautiful and absorbing.

'These musicians know exactly what they're doing. (.) Vocalist Rood has that sandpaper voice and writes beautiful songs full of melancholy.'

'Nighthawks at the Diner: at their best in a dark, smoky bar. Their music gets you through those lonely nights.'

'It must be said, they create a great atmosphere. The songs King in Yellow and Fool's Tango are beautiful, full of melancholy and street romance. Listen to the marvelous duet featuring Fay Lovsky. Special mention goes to guitar player Frank de Kleer: his love of Django Reinhardt's Hot Club de France style fits in seamlessly with NATD.