Stormy weather in 1983

After the summer of 1983, a difficult period starts for the band. On Saturday 9 July 1983 they had a wonderful gig at Du Passage in Enkhuizen, but in August leader of the band Leo Haemels lets go of his job as host of the Nieuwe Doelen, and decides to move out of Enkhuizen. As a conseqeunce, the band ends up without a cornet player and without a leader. The remaining band members, also without Jan de Jong on drums, decide to stop doing gigs for the moment, and start looking for another lead player, and another drummer. The drummer is found quickly: Ferry Kouwenhoven was eager to fill in the place he himself had left only a couple of years before. Tenor player Jaap Ham eventually found the solution for the lead player: His good old friend Wim Valentijn from Hoogkarspel( the land of the first potatoe). Their musical relationship dated from before WorldWar II. Thestyle of the band changed to English ballroom mixed with old style jazz.

‘back home’ in Die Drie Haringhe with the new formation on 17 november 1983.