Bandmembers
- Kuuk Griep - percussion;
- Jacques Kingma - double bass;
- Jan Gombert - banjo, guitar, piano, trombone;
- Eelco van Velzen - trombone ;
- Hans Verheul - clarinet, all saxes;
- Frans van Wasbeek - trumpet, cornet, bügel, vocals and bandleader.
At twelve years old, Kuuk built a bass, being a tea chest with taut strings, and played with all the records of the Dutch Swing College Band along with his idol Bob van Oven. Meanwhile, the interest in percussion rose. A drum set was torn together by hand.
When the school band already proved to have a bass player, but needed a drummer, was the final transition to the "kettles" soon made. Unnoticed had the "Hague" style concept already mastered the way of drumming.
More modern influences came later, John English and all those wonderful American men on stage at the Amsterdam Concertgebouw during the by Norman Granz, Lou van Rees and Paul Acket organized concerts in the fifties onwards.
In The Dutch All Stars Jazz Band Kuuk feels like a fish in the water and his years of experience and musical interpretation are amply reflected in his excellent way of guidance.
His many requested solos and varied accompaniment conception reveal a proper use of his drums in all its facets. Good job!
His musical talent certainly has to do with the fact that his mother has given him this. She played for years as 1st violinist in the well known “ Koninklijk Concert Gebouw Orkest “ in Amsterdam.
And ... after a tour performance, our "wine connoisseur” Kuuk treated the remaining members of the band to a good glass of wine, which has become tradition. So he may remain a long time member of the band is our sincere wish !!
Kuuk played in the following orchestras:
From: August 1957 to June 1974 | New Orleans Syncopators | |
June 1974 to 1976 | Swing Specials (quintet) | |
1975 to 2014 | Revival Jass Band | |
2013 to 2015 | Jaap Dekker Boogie Woogie Set | |
2015 to present | The Dutch All Stars Jazz Band |
During his studies in Delft at the Technical University, Jacques already chose to play the bass and played a lot with various student orchestras.
His best-known band was undoubtedly Ted Easton's, from 1972 to 1978. During that time he made more than 50 LPs with a host of famous American musicians, including Bobby Hackett, Billy Butterfield, Peanuts Hucko, Jimmy McPartland, Buddy Tate, Bud Freeman, Ralph Sutton, Al Grey, etc.
During that period he was also a regular substitute for Henk Bosch in the Dutch Swing College Band.
He also still plays in the Reunion Jazz Band (former DSC musicians) and made several CDs with them.
For a short time he played in Jazz At The Top, Explosions Jazz, Jazz Steps and finally for 20 years in Jelle van der Zee’s Spiegeltent Jazzband.
You can also look for Jacques Kingma on YouTube for more information about "his musical past and present".
Jacques’ bass playing is characterized by his extensive knowledge of chords, his excellent solo work and his tight, driving bass.
Furthermore, Jacques really enjoys being in the DAS Jazz Band, and regularly asks: "When shall we rehearse?"
Jan Gombert - banjo, guitar, piano, trombone
Jan Gombert already had piano lessons at the age of 6.
After hearing King Oliver's Jazz Band with Louis Armstrong, he wanted to play nothing but jazz anymore. Jazz wasn’t being taught back then, so he figured he would play it by ear, without sheet music.
At 17 years of age, he began playing the piano with the Paralising Papa's. After that, Jan played with several other bands, including the Dixie Disciples. He also plays/played with the Metroplotan Roof Orchestra, the Basin Street Jazz Band, New Dixie Dawn, and the Wonderful World Jazzband, amongst others.
Several years ago he started his own band, The Hot Jazz Company. He has often been a substitute in the New Orleans Seven, Ted Easton's Jazz Band, Down Town Jazzband, Revival jazz band, Joseph Lam Jazz Band and the Stable Roof Jazzband.
Highlights of his career include: a first prize in the Breda Jazz Competition and the tour with Spiegle Wilcox, the trombonist in Bix Beiderbecke’s Jean Goldkette Band.
His favorites include Roy Williams, Louis Armstrong, Alex Welsh, Chris Barber, Fred Hunt and Pim Hoogervorst.
Besides playing the banjo and guitar in the DAS Jazz Band, Jan also excells in playing the piano and trombone. His versatile knowledge of various jazz styles has made Jan an all-round jazz musician with a very tight and swinging banjo and guitar playing style.
He is self-taught on every instrument, with an excellent knowledge of chords.
Together with Jacques and Frits, Jan plays an important role in the rhythm section of the DAS Jazz Band, with unprecedented solid transparent swinging rhythm patterns, supporting the wind section in a completely professional way.
In The Dutch All Stars Jazz Band, Jan feels like a fish in water and contributes professionally to the swinging ability and musical presentation of the band.
The record collection of his mother found the 12 year old Eelco more interesting than the hits on the radio. He learned to listen to the American jazz heroes from the 1920s to 1940s and to the top Dutch jazz bands after the Second World War. The Dutch Swing College band, The Down Town Jazzband and The Reunion Jazzband, in particular, spoke to him. Swing with a transparent, free harmonic style and especially a lot of space for improvisation. Now, more than forty years later, we can conclude that Eelco has frequently performed on stages worldwide with the afore mentioned bands (of The Down Town Jazzband and The Reunion Jazzband he was part of many years), with numerous occasional formations composed of the musicians from the top Dutch bands and with many American musicians from the bebop, hardbop and 'Blakey' style, such as Philip Harper and Branford Marsalis. Also in those styles Eelco excels in searching for and finding new melodic lines in his solos that build up in tension, swing and joy.
Hans Verheul - Clarinet and Saxophone
Hans has chosen the clarinet as his main instrument. His inspiration came from the popular Dixieland music of the 50’s and 60’s which could then be frequently heard on the radio and at every school party. After a classical education at the music school of the Utrecht Conservatory, he was completely dedicated to improvised music.
While studying in Delft, Hans was able to spend much time on his hobby and developed into an all-round musician who, not only mastered the clarinet, but also various saxophones. Besides practicing serious jazz music, he has also trained in the entertainment repertoire and thus, has played at many dance parties over the last 40 years.
Hans is internationally known and has played not only with Dutch orchestras in foreign lands from Denmark to Japan, Quatar to Indonesia, Portugal to the U.S., but also in foreign orchestras. He played with many traditional jazz artists in his musical career including Bobby Hackett, Barrett Deems, Wild Bill Davison, Oscar Klein and Warren Vaché. During the 4 years he worked in Chicago as an engineer, he played with the top of the Chicago jazz scene in his spare time.
Hans is also a regular in the Harbour Jazz Band and over the years has played with many Dutch orchestras including the Dixie Dealers, the Dixi-o-naires and the Ted Easton Jazz Band. He is often seen in combination with musicians from the Dutch Swing College Band, Reunion Jazz Band and New Orleans Syncopators. He is a frequent guest player and soloist in big bands playing the music of the King Of Swing: Benny Goodman. With his tenor sax he not only “sings”, but has also accompanied many singers including Rita Hovink, Beryl Bryden, Anneke Grönloh, Joke Bruijs, Milly Scott, Lils Macintosh and Greetje Kauffeld.
His clarinet and saxophone playing testifies to an unprecedented musical quality. As a member of the Dutch All Stars Jazz Band, his greatest contribution to the orchestra is to ensure that the sound of his clarinet is reminiscent of the cheerful and lively jazz music of yesteryear, when Kenny Ball, Chris Barber, Papa Bue and the Dutch Swing College scored top hits on the charts.
Frans van Wasbeek - trumpet, cornet, bügel, vocals and bandleader.
Frans began studying the trumpet at the age of 11.
He became interested in jazz through the Dutch Swing College Band’s weekly performance on the radio in the 50s and through various jazz records.
As a trumpet player he gets his inspiration from Louis Armstrong, Bobby Hackett, Teddy Buckner, Billy Butterfield, Miles Davies, Chet Baker, Rudy Braf, Clifford Brown, Randy Brecker, Eric Vloeimans and the leading jazz musicians, including the legendary Charly Parker.
While studying in Rotterdam he started to play in the "Seaport Jazz Band", his first band, and shortly thereafter in "The Main Street Paraders".
Since 1973 he played in several bands, including the Paradise Jazz Band, his own band "Horseshoe Six", and the Wooltown Jazzband.
During his stay in South Africa for several years, he played in the "New Aces Jazzband", with regular appearances in the Johannesburg Jazz Club in Jeppe Street and in various jazz clubs throughout South Africa.
Upon his return to the Netherlands he played in the Paradise Jazzband again, as well as the Lazy River Jazzband, the Musis Jazzband, the Uralsky All Stars, Dr. Jazz Companie from Lübeck (Germany), the Golden River City Jazz Band from Kortrijk (Belgium), and in many other bands as a substitute and/or as a guest player.
In 2000 he started The Dutch All Stars Jazz Band, formed by regular foreign concert tours.
He made LP and CD recordings with various bands.
In various bands he accompanied and played with musicians such as Benny Waters, Byrel Bryden, Sheila Collier, Chris Barber, Roy Williams, Terry Brunt, Colin Bowden, Al Hirt, Louis Nelson (New Orleans), Joe Murányi (USA), Gene "Mighty Flee" Connors (USA), members of the Dutch Swing College Band, and our very own Hein van de Geyn, the world famous bass player, who as a music school student started playing jazz in Frans’s band, the "Horseshoe Six", in the 70s.
Frans performed at jazz festivals and jazz clubs in almost every European country, and outside Europe in Argentina (Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires Jazz Club), Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and South Africa.
To conclude, here’s a nice review:
After a jam session on May 8, 1994 during the jazz festival in Salgotarjan, Hungary, with Joe Murányi (USA), former clarinetist in Louis Armstrong’s All Stars, Joe Murányi writes the following message in a letter to Frans:
"It was nice playing with you in Salgotarjan, Hungary"
"Great solo on" I can not give you anything but love "
"Watch the high notes"!
Signed: Joe Murányi