INTERNATIONAL HEINEKEN BOOGIE & BLUES FESTIVAL HOLLAND 2013

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Artists

The festival offers a varied program with some of the world's very best artists in the Boogie Woogie genre.

Musical styles range from authentic Boogie Woogie to early Barrelhouse and Blues Piano and from Rhythm 'n Blues and Jazz to Gospel and Rock 'n Roll.

Festival band: Martijn Schok Boogie & Blues Band

The band members of the Martijn Schok Boogie & Blues Band will accompany the artists during the festival evening.

Martijn Schok (piano)
Rinus Groeneveld (tenor saxophone)
Greta Holtrop (vocals)
Stephan Jankowski (guitar)
Eduardo Blanco (trumpet)
Maarten Kruijswijk (drums)
Hans Ruigrok (bass)

The Martijn Schok Boogie & Blues Band is the swinging band of Dutch boogie woogie pianist Martijn Schok. The band toured in Denmark, Germany, Belgium, Italy, France, Spain and the USA. Martijn and his band also performed during the famous Jazzfestival in New Orleans, USA, and the North Sea Jazz Festival in Holland.

The band is the 'home band' of the International Heineken Boogie & Blues Festival Holland, accompanying the invited international piano players from around the world.

It wasn't until the early 1990's that Don became interested in the blues. Like many young, black kids, he thought that this music was old, outdated, and just left over from slavery. This thought would soon be changed! In the spring of 1991, Don had a chance to see Buddy Guy perform live at the Penguin Club in Ottawa, Ontario. The performance was so powerful that Don left the show mesmerized. He realized at that moment that his gospel roots gave him the tools he needed to play and sing the blues.

Don presently teaches 7-12 vocal and instrumental music at Colton-Pierrepont Central School and lives with his wife Dawn in Ogdensburg N.Y.

In a few years, Martin had his first performances and nowadays he travels all around the world for more than fifteen years with his swinging piano concerts.

Martin is a brilliant piano player with a unique and powerful piano style. He treats you with a great musical show. Martin has a beautiful deep voice and a great repertoiry that varies from Boogie to Blues and from Harlem Stride to Rhythm & Blues.

We are excited to announce to you: the one and only: Martin Schmitt...!

Fabrice Eulry (piano, France)

Fabrice Eurly from France introduces himself to you:

Numerous and various are the influences I have been under. Ever since my early youth, I have been listening to Ray Charles’ blues and Elvis Presley’s Rock’ n Roll, as well as to baroque, classical or romantic music, be it Russian, German or French, without forgetting of course the music of New Orleans.

I was also brought up with the sounds of oriental monodic music in Tunisia, accordion music and French songs. In short, I am interested in all I hear and all acoustic, instrumental and rhythmic music stir my soul.

Around 1977, as I teenager, I discovered the large variety of American big-band swing, of Ragtime ( especially Scott Joplin) but also James Scott, Tom Turpin, Joseph Lamb, Zez Confrey or Bill Mayerl. Each of these works creates a world of its own for each piano soloist. From then on, Boogie-Woogie started to become an obsession and this has never changed since.

When I initiated my career as a pianist at the age of 18 in the early 1980’s, I needed new horizons, while simultaneously being stimulated by the diversity of sounds and influences.

Today, I do not prefer any one pianist over another, although the influence of about 10 among them can be detected in my playing : George Gershwin, Erroll Garner Earl Hines, Pete Johnson, Jelly Roll Morton, Wilhelm Kempf, Teddy Wilson, Ramsey Lewis, Ray Charles, Yves Nat.

Music’s effect goes far beyond influences, and I find it equally pleasurable to listen to Alfred Cortot or to Michel Camilho, even though my playing is very different from either of theirs.

But music does not end with the piano either! Listening to non pianistic music takes up the main part of the time I spend listening. Here are some works I often listen to these days : Berlioz’s « Symphonie fantastique », Beethoven, Mahler and Tchaikovsky symphonies, Verdi and Bizet operas and songs by Fairouz, Chuck Berry, Au Bonheur des Dames and Guillaume Dufay.

All these works belong to a world I love entirely, the world of music.

Frank Muschalle (piano, Germany)

Frank Muschalle, Germany, has been on tour in Europe for more than fifteen years. He has become one of the most popular boogie woogie pianists. Frank was born in 1969. After 11 years studying classical piano he discovered the joys of boogie woogie at the age of 19. Since then he has devoted himself entirely to this music. The boogie woogie trio Ammons, Johnson and Lewis as well as pianists like Axel Zwingenberger, Little Brother Montgomery or Cow Cow Davenport have deeply influenced his development.
Within a short period of time Frank has acquired a fine reputation not only among insiders. Appearances on TV and radio have contributed to Frank´s remarkable success. As early as October 1995 his debut-CD,"Great Boogie Woogie News", was published by the Vienna label Document Records. Afterwards Frank gave performances in jazz clubs and festivals, on a tour of Austria with the Mojo Bluesband and Red Holloway, at concerts in the Jazzland and the Starclub (Vienna), and at concerts with Axel Zwingenberger, Vince Weber and Martin Pyrker. Quite soon Frank Muschalle outgrew his role as a local talent; invitations to concerts such as the "Stars of Boogie Woogie" - Festival in the Vienna Concert Hall speak for themselves. In March 1997 the second CD, "Battin´ The Boogie", came out, also published by Document Records. The production caused a sensation among international experts.

In September 1998 Frank was invited on a two - week tour of South Carolina (USA) with the Mojo Bluesband. In the course of this tour, recordings with Jimmy McCracklin and Nappy Brown were made for Ripete Records (USA). In 2002 the "40 - Years American - Folk - Blues - Festival Jubilee" took place in Germany and Frank played on this Tour with Blues-Stars Hubert Sumlin, Carey Bell, Bob Stroger and Lousiana Red. Two Month later, Frank was invited to the "Jumpin´at the Flagships" - Tour through all parts of Switzerland. He played there with Red Holloway, Jimmy Coe, Carrie Smith and Rusty Zinn. The Swiss TV recorded a one hour TV - Show of this performance.

At this point of time, Frank has recorded 7 different cds and his musical style is well-known for its superb technical fireworks and subtle nuances. Time and again he creates an expectant atmosphere in his audience which is constantly heightened by the skilful changes of musical mood. For all that, Frank Muschalle´s convincing and unaffected performances make dramatic stage effects superfluous - the music speaks for itself.

Chris Conz (piano, Switzerland)

Chris Conz wurde am 22. Oktober 1985 in Uster Zürich geboren. Seit seinem 11. Lebensjahr hat er sich dem speziellen Jazzstil Boogie Woogie gewidmet, den er durch Hamp Ruosch entdeckt hatte. Chris konnte dann bei Hamp Unterricht nehmen und erlernte da die ersten Läufe und Griffe. Dabei wurde er von Künstlern wie Albert Ammons, Pete Johnson, Mead Lux Lewis, Axel Zwingenberger oder Vince Weber beeinflusst.

Mit 16 Jahren lernte er Silvan Zingg, Organisator des Internationalen Boogie Woogie Festivals Lugano, an einem Konzert kennen. Daraufhin konnte er als Überraschungsgast an dessen Festival teilnehmen. Danach wurde er an internationale Festivals in verschiedenen Ländern eingeladen.

Er stand schon mit Boogie Woogie Grössen wie Axel Zwingenberger, Vince Weber, Frank Muschalle und Bob Seeley auf der Bühne. Heute ist Chris nicht nur als Solopianist, sondern auch mit seinem Duo und Trio unterwegs.Chris durfte schon an privaten und öffentlichen Konzerten in den USA, Spanien, Frankreich, Deutschland, England, Österreich, Italien und der Schweiz spielen.

Im Februar 2008 wurde Chris in den USA engagiert und durfte als Überraschungsgast in drei verschiedenen Casinos von Las Vegas auftreten. Im November 2004 verliess Dave Ruosch die Gruppe Terry & The Hot Sox und an seine Stelle trat der 19 Jahre alte Pianist Chris. Terry & The Hot Sox sind weiterhin die populärsten und erfolgreichsten Jive-, Swing- und R&R-Musiker unseres Landes und garantieren für erstklassige Musik und absolute Party-Stimmung! Ihre Bühnenshow ist einmalig, die Musik perfekt und ihre Energie ansteckend!

Im Juni 2009 begleitete Chris zusammen mit Terry & The Hot Sox die amerikanische Sängerin Wanda Jackson, die durch ihren Hit „Let’s Have A Party“ in den 60ern weltbekannt wurde.

Rinus Groeneveld (tenorsaxofoon, NL)

The Amsterdam based Rinus Groeneveld is one of Hollands best tenor saxophone players. With his recognizable sound he blows a unique mix of jazz, blues, boogie woogie and rhythm and blues.

Rinus played all over the world with many jazz and blues musicians, such as Mose Allison, Big Jay McNeeley, Rosa King and Hans Dulfer. Rinus has been part of the Martijn Schok Boogie & Blues Band since 1994 and was the recording engineer of the bands latest CD "Let The Four Winds Blow ", in his own recording studios in Amsterdam.

Stephan Jankowski (gitaar, NL)

Stephan studeerde gitaar aan het GIT in Los Angeles, kwam daarna naar Hilversum waar hij het conservatorium volgde. Hij was gedurende 10 jaar elektrisch gitarist in Upside Down, de begeleidingsband van saxofoniste Rosa King waarmee hij de halve wereld rondtoerde.

Hij werkte verder met: Georgie Fame, Hans Dulfer, Hans Zilver, Fronk, Arthur Umbgrove, Rick de Vito, P.B. & The Nighttrain, Sofie & Sofour, Skymasters, Hot Bolshevik, Double Brown, Sister Sledge, Jack Clement, the Watchman, All The King’s Roses, Aggieland en vele anderen.

Daarnaast is Stephan actief als producer en runt hij zijn eigen NOPO opnamestudio te Amsterdam.

Eduardo Blanco (trompet)

The sound of a lone trumpet rises above the accompanying old school jazz groove of upright piano, double bass and drums. Well-chosen notes, played with impeccable timing by a sharp dressed young musician. Those are the mesmerizing sounds of trumpet player Eduardo Blanco (1976).

Blanco received his musical education all over the world, and each experience throughout the years is reflected in his own style – an intricate, atmospheric, deeply personal interpretation of vintage old jazz. His journeys around the world provided him with ever-changing careers that clearly show his great versatility – from playing gigs every night in the lively music scene in Barcelona, Spain, to studying jazz for two years at the renowned Berklee College of Music in Boston, USA, or jamming with jazz greats at vibrant clubs deep in the heart of Amsterdam.

His versatility is further demonstrated by his sessions with salsa legend Pete ‘El Conde’ Rodriguez and big band DVD recordings in Barcelona’s premier concert hall Palau de la Musica. But his focus remains, as it always has, on his true love: performing early bebop with the best jazz musicians available – as a tribute to his musical heroes and because of a heartfelt passion for the genre.

After teaching at Barcelona’s famous Taller de Musics music school for six years he returned to Holland permanently. Since then he has quickly become an in-demand session player and a respected bandleader with his own quintet.

His widely recognized talent and commitment to bringing classic jazz to new audiences worldwide brought him into contact with two jazz legends: drummer John Engels and bassist Jean Louis Rassinfosse, both of whom worked extensively with the late great Chet Baker. Engels and Rassinfosse recognized in Blanco a shared passion for pure jazz and were thrilled when Blanco brought them together to share the stage again after so many years.