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Stormvogel's Alter Ego

About Me

Stormvogel was born in 1968 in Baarn, The Netherlands. As a child he was skilled in several kinds of arts, music and literature. His was discovered by K.L.Poll († R.I.P.) and Jan Ritsema, who published his works ’Bloed, Wild Vlees & Verboden Vrucht’ and 'Naar de Alhaat' (1991) at Rothschild & Bach, Uitgevers te Amsterdam. At the same time he studied jazzpiano with Carwin Geising and Karel Boehlee in Hilversum. He also took up analog synthesizers, hurdy gurdy (mediaeval music), graphical arts and glass in lead.Inspired by history and theosophy, and being influenced by progressive rock, zeuhl, jazz, freejazz, beebop, avantgarde, minimal music, musique concrete, sufi, raga, pansori, schlager and celtic folklore, Stormvogel created a genre in which these elements organically emerge: jazzbarock. In 1988 he formed his group 'Alter Ego' which consists untill today. On occasion this ensemble is and was accompanied by performing artists, dancers, painters, poets, swordfighters and even scientists and archeologists, which had participated in Stormvogel's historical synergetic mysteryplays.In the early years of this century, Stormvogel was also busy as publicist, editor, journalist, designer, teacher, cultural consultant, story-teller, castle-host, and composer, as well as a student on the subjects of cultural science and history (university) and music theory (conservatory). Stormvogel returned to jazzpiano, inviting special guests from the topscene of Dutch Jazz. He is also a leading member of Ottomania Jazz Quartet (with tenorist Semmy Prinsen), SaraLee, Phaedra, Liberales (with tenorist Peter Lieberom). As a stage programmer Stormvogel is known for presenting unknown young talent, as well as paying tribute to old masters. His initiatives brought him some recognition, leading to the first Amer Award in 2005, presented to him by journalist Hans Mantel. Since 2006 he organizes a yearly 'Festival de Muzen' with jazz, poetry & art. (www.festival-demuzen.nl) Next to this he plays Fender Rhodes and analoge synthesizers in groups led by Onno Witte (Wildcard, 2004), Jeroen Pek (Pitch White Storm, 2006) and Lucas Van Merwijk/Theodossi Spassov (Music Machine, 2008). On the field of ballet he works with Vraja Sundari Keilman (Samadhi Dance Company) from 2007.

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Member Since: 23/12/2006
Band Website: www.stormvogel.org
Band Members: Anno 2008/2009 the new Stormvogel's Alter Ego JazzBarock Consort exists of Stormvogel (piano, analoge synthesizers, poetry), Onno Witte (drums, synthesizer, vocals), Wiro Mahieu (bass), Remko Smid Stalenhoef (tenor & soprano sax, EWI), Arjen de Graaf (violin, vocals) and Wieke Garcia (gaita bagpipes, percussion, vocals). ............................................................ ............................................................ .................. Watch the 6 minute movie made by Esther Bendijk (interview) and Rens Kamphuis (camera/montage) about "Synergie", Stormvogels Alter Ego with Vraja Sundari ............................................................ ............................................................ ..................Besides performing with his Alter Ego Jazz Barock Consort, Stormvogel participates in projects with internationally renowned artists like Lucas van Merwijk & Theodossii Spassov, Jeroen Pek and Martin Verdonk. Here is a snapshot of Stormvogels debut in Verdonk's VSOP, live in De Badcuyp Amsterdam, filmed by Otto Swink. .. .. ....">With Alter Ego he participates in projects with the talented dancer and choreographer Vraja Sundari Keilman and her dance company Samadhi DC. Here are some snapshots from 'Synergie' at 'Festival de Muzen, Speeldoos Baarn' Netherlands, seventh of june 2007. (Vraja: dance / Stormvogel: piano)ALTER EGO HISTORYSince its founding in the early nineties Stormvogels groups ('Orcustra' and 'Barditus') consisted of several gifted players from different musical background, like jazz, rock, classical and worldmusic, performing with different line up on every occasion. Members and special guests in order of appearance are: Stormvogel (1988-2007 piano, analoge synthesizers, hurdy gurdy, poetry), Remi Balvers (1988-1996 / 2000-2001 E-bas, cello), Karsten van Straten (1988-2000 / 2007 drums), Tonny Holsbergen (1992-1994 hurdy gurdy, nyckl harpa, percussion, voice), Inge Siezenga (1992-1994 hurdy gurdy, harp, percussion, voice), Wieke Garcia (1993-1997 / 2001 gaita bagpipes, harp, percussion, voice) and Daphne Balvers (1995 / 2000-2001 soprano sax). After the mysterieplay 'Eemsaga' in 1997 the groups were merged and named Alter Ego JazzBarock Consort, and joined by Marco van Os (1997-2002 / 2007 E-bas, doublebas, synthesizer), Thijs van Otterloo (1998-2002 / 2007 soprano-, alto- & tenorsax), Semmy Prinsen (1998-1999 tenorsax), Remko Smid Stalenhoef (1998-2001, 2009 lyricon, EWI, bariton- & tenorsax), Arjen de Graaf (1999-2001 / 2007, 2008/2009 E-violin, baritonviolin, voice), Job Helmers (1999 baritonsax), Rob van den Broeck (1999 piano, synthesizers, samplers), Chander Sardjoe (2000-2001 drums), Berna Kousemaker (2000 vocals), Onno Witte (2000-2002 / 2006-2007 drums, voice, synthesizers), Sarah Marieke van Lieshout (2001 vocals), David de Marez Oyens (2006, 2008 bass, doublebass), Thomas W. Andersen (2006-2007 double bass), Tineke Postma (2007 alto- & sopranosax), Jeroen Pek (2007, 2008 flutes, educci), Wiro Mahieu (2008/2009 bass), Rasarani Keilman (2007, 2008 vocals, dance) & Krishna Das Bosch (2007 rap, poetry). Alter Ego joined with Samadhi Dance Company (Vraja Sundari Keilman) in the project called 'Synergie', a crossover between jazzbarock, dance, poetry and art.Apart from these musicians several creative minds participated in Stormvogel's Alter Ego: Anne Boree (1993 art, poetry), Oscar Prinsen (1993-1997 / 2001 / 2006 art, performance), Karel v/d Eijck (1995 soundsculpture), Drs Rene van Delft (1994 philosophical devices), Dagmar Holsträter (1995-1999 dance, choreography), Sri Anouk Mintarti Soutardjo (1995-1999 dance), Klaas Kloosterhuis (1995-1997 swords & axes, performance), Leanne Lawalata (1996-1998 / 2007 mystical arts), Rosamint, Allard & Mint Faas (1995-1998 decor, theatre), Jetske Houthuizen (1997 vocals, performance), Drs Hendrik-Jan Bakker (1997-1998 / 2001 snaredrum), Rosa (2001 dance), Emile v/d Griendt (1988-1991 / 1995-1997 studio-technical devices, analoge synthesizers), Drs Martine Hogervorst (1990-2007 archeological devices) and several others, members of The Zoyster Kluft (Artishock Soest).
Influences:Stormvogel suddenly started playing piano after watching a television show of grandmaster Oscar Peterson, at the age of 11. A rather late start for the boy, whose talents untill that day were thought to lie in the field of art and writing. Next to (and in spite of) his following classical piano education, the young pianist was drawn into the direction of improvised music, practising Peterson etudes, blues chops en boogie woogie skills. Other influences in the domain of jazzpiano came from Dave Brubeck, Errol Garner and Dutch pianist Harry Happel (for by coincidence the boy got hold of recordings of "Intrioduction").In the mean time the young student was urging to explore the world of analoge synthesizers, saving money to buy his first machine. At the age of 16 he was touched by the music of Magma. Discovering Magma, was like a spiritual homecoming, ringed in by mystical matters and magical atmosphere, more like a surrealistic regression therapy than just listening to a progressive rockband wih some crazy friends. Suddenly he remembered in retrospective, he knew Magma from his early youth, when the world was still black & white.After Magma, soon followed Chick Corea (Return to Forever) and Mahavishnu Orchestra, and found his way into the world of jazzrock: Herbie Hancock, Jan Hammer, Joe Zawinul, George Duke, Stu Goldberg, David Sancious and -last but not least- Kahal Negumuraaht of Magma. Through the music of John Coltrane and Miles Davis he was very much influenced by McCoy Tyner, Thelonious Monk and Bill Evans. Other examples in the field of accoustic piano were Don Friedman, Mike Nock, Bobo Stenson, Lyle Mays and Keith Jarrett, later followed by Brad Mehldau, Larry Young, Joey Calderazzo, John Taylor, nowadays Hiromi Uehara and Gary Husband. Besides, Dutch and German pianists drew his attention, like Rob van den Broeck, Rob Madna, Joachim Kühn, nowadays Mike del Ferro, Rob van Bavel, Peter Beets, Ferial ai Karamat and -of course- his personal teachers Carwin Geising and Karel Boehlee. In the domain of classical piano he admires besides his teachers Peter Besseling and Jan de Koning, the great masters Glenn Gould, Friedrich Gulda, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Vladimir Horowitz, Sviatoslav Richter, Martha Algerich, Mitsuko Uchida, the young Chinese genius Lang Lang, the German sourceror Severin von Eckardstein and Stormvogel's personal acquaintances Claudine Carmen Roma, Paolo Giacommetti and Klara Würtz. However, biggest influences on Stormvogel as an instrumentalist were not the named pianists and keyboardists, but the highly respected musical magicians John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Jimi Hendrix, Mahavishnu, Jan Hammer, Allan Holdsworth, Jan Garbarek, Nusrat Fateh Ali Kahn and above all Christian Vander, founder of Magma, with his partners in crime from the planet Kobaïa and -le roi d'ork- Jannick Top.As a composer Stormvogel looks for a synergy of jazz with progressive rock, combined with elements of contemporary, electronic, symphonic, classical, barok, middle-evil, german folklore, celtic music and Gregorian chant, Raga, Qawali and Pansori... Main influence are the synphonic and progressive rockgroups and rockopera's of the seventies like Jesus Christ Superstar, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Jan Hammer Group, Return to Forever, King Crimson, Gentle Giant, Alan Stivell, Zappa and above all... Magma (Christian Vander, Stella Vander, Jannick Top, Klaus Blasquiz, Didier Lockwood, Benoît Widemann, Bernard Paganotti and all the other Kobaïans). Other sources of inspiration: Richard Wagner, Miles Davis, Elvin Jones, McCoy Tyner, Gayle Moran, Thelonious Monk, Sly & Robbie, George Duke, Maria Callas' Wagnerian chant, Billy Cobham, Stu Goldberg, Shakti, Narada, Nusrat Fateh Ali Kahn, Fela Kuti, Oestvolskaja, Hildegard von Bingen, early Genesis, Pink Floyd (Wish you were here), Emerson Lake & Palmer, Allan Holdsworth (Against The Clock: Naomi Star), AC/DC & Bon Scott, Carl Orff, Anton Brückner, Richard Strauss, Nelly, KC & The Sunshine Band, Aphex Twins, Square Pusher, Anita Baker, Nat King Cole, Frank Zappa (+ band!), Jack DeJohnette, Maurice Ravel, Claude Debussy, Michael Brecker, Klaus Schulz, Terry Riley, John Abercrombie ("Nights" & "Timeless"), Caldera, Mary J. Blige, Oregon, Medusa, Ten Years After, Brand X, Mark King, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Richter's Bach-cantate "Ich habe genug"...), Lenny Tristano, Bud Powell, Art Tatum, Erroll Garner, Oscar Peterson, Dave Brubeck, Herbie Hancock, Pergolesi, Chick Corea & Return to Forever, Jimi Hendrix, Chuck Berry, Igor Strawinsky, Maurice White, Theodosii Spassov, Riverdance, Edgar Varese, Astor Piazolla, Elis Regina, Django Reinhardt, Willam Dufay, J.S.Bach, Glenn Gould, Monteverdi, Guiseppe Verdi: La Traviata (Anna Netrebko!!!), Ruggiero Leoncavallo: Il Pagliacci, Savall & Hesperion, Friedrich Gulda, Bee Gees, Charly Mariano, The Police, Gentle Giant, AKA Moon, Gong, Raymond Scott & Bob Moog, (read http://www.raymondscott.com/moog.html !!!), The Sparks, Harrie Bannink, Thelonious Monk, Arnold Schönberg, Messiaen, Pink Floyd (Wish you were here), David Sancious' True Stories, Offering, Alan Stivell, Dan Ar Bras, Brad Mehldau, Billy Joel, Tears for Fears, Talk Talk, Prefab Sprout, Danielle de Niese, Neil Diamond, Ramses Shaffy, Gary Burton, Gary Husband (also piano!), Klaus Schulze, Billie Holliday, Chet Baker, Bulgarian Voices, Bruford (+ Jeff Berlin, Stewart & Annette Peacock), Jules de Corte, Donna Summer, Yazoo, Reinbert de Leeuw, Rob de Nijs, Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, Jason Becker, Willi Alberti, Bobo Stenson & Anders Yormin, Jan Garbarek also with: Agnes Buen Vargas, Eberhard Weber, Hilliard Ensemble, Zakir Hussain, Hariprasad, Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, ABBA (Agneetha), Steps Ahead, Joe Zawinul, Weather Report, Wayne Shorter (Tom Brechtlein, Gary Willis & Mitchel Forman), Focus, Carl Orff, Carlos Santana (early works), Meat Loaf, Kraftwerk, Rick James, Alberto Iglesias: Banda Sonora Originals de "Hable con ella", Kate Bush, Buxtehude, Rameaux, Frank Sinatra (also with Carole King), Otis Redding, Blue Nile, Katchaturian, Sibelius, Arvo Parth, Prokofjev, Shostakovitch, Eric Satie, Penderecki, Moussorgsky, Beethoven, Thomas Dolby, Henry Purcell, Lucia Micarelli, Gary Husband, Earth Wind & Fire (Maurice White), Paco de Lucia & Carlos Benavente, Steve Reich, Univers Zero, John Adams, Kiss, Meat Loaf, Gino Vannelli, Karl-Heinz Stockhausen, Andrew Lloyd Webber & Tim Rice (JC Superstar the Film soundtrack: Andre Previn, Carl Anderson, Ted Neely), Carl Anderson with Zawinul, the soundtrack of The Wickerman by Paul Giovanni (1973), Commodores, Doobie Brothers, Cecilia le Poer Power, Ravi Shankar, Mari Boine Persen, Steely Dan, Johnny Guitar Watson, Bob Marley, Madness, the Specials, Björk, Defunkt, George Clinton, Fenton Robinson and Hound Dog Taylor, the tunes of The Persuaders and I Claudius...
Sounds Like: Stormvogel's Alter Ego Jazz Barock Consort itself of course, with a touch of Magma, Mahavishnu, Coltrane and Varese.
Record Label: Unknown Indie
Type of Label: Indie

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