Was born in Möngengladbach (Germany) 29/07/'86Hit my first (snare)drum at age 8, started to take some lessons at local music school, where I became student of Chris Opsteyn and Erwin Thoelen.Joined the local Fanfare "Koninklijke Neanisclub Beverlo" where at first I played in the drumband, but after a year I was asked to also join the orchestra which was led(still is) by Bert Minten.
Bert also took me to other orchestras like "Harmonie Demer en Laak"(settled in Lummen) and symphonic orchestra "Andante Cantabile" (Geel).At age 16, my family moved back to Germany.
Since that moment I went to the music departement of Highschool "Kindsheid Jesu" (Hasselt).
Here i had some great teachers like amongst others:
Andres Liefsoens (drums, vibraphone and marimba, jazz-ensemble) and Arne van Coillie (harmony), who are both members of the "MJQ-project", a tribute band to the famous Modern Jazz Quartet(John Lewis, Milt Jackson, Percy Heath and Connie Kay).After graduating, I went on to Antwerp, where I started studies Jazzdrums at "Het Koninklijk Conservatorium De Singel". Teachers are: Jan De Haas (drums, jazzvibes and ensemble)and Teun Verbruggen (drums), Leon Lhoëst (harmony and piano), Fré Desmyter (solfège and piano), Piet Verbist (ensemble), Chris Mentens (jazzhistory and ensemble), Hendrik Braekman (ensemble), François Descamps (arrangement and ensemble), Erik Vermeulen (ensemble), Kurt Van Herck (ensemble), Chris Joris (percussion and ensemble), Christoph Erbstösser (piano).I used to be a member of the Yentl bigband(Zonhoven), where i had the honour to play with special guests like Raymmond van het Groenewoud, Belle Perez, The Gibson Brothers, Guy Swinnen, Paul Michiel, ...With the bigband Nightshift of Valkenswaard (Netherlands) I played 2 gigs as freelance, and still do some rehearsals if they call. Here i played one gig with the Dutch pianist Bert vanden Brink.Last November, i did get the oppurtunity to play with Jonathan Crossley(South-Afrika), checkout www.myspace.com/theJonathanCrossleyelectricbandSince allmost two years I'm a drumteacher in the Netherlands, and got two students in Antwerp.From September on, i'll stay for one year in Palestine, to teach children of refugee camps to play music, drums of course. So their lives get another goal than to throw stones towards the Israeli army. Checkout my blogs if you like.Because of my good friend Jef Neve, I was able to meet Branford Marsalis, Joey Calderazzo, Eric Revis and Jeff "Tain" Watts. He also took me to recordings of the latest album of Pascal Schumacher Quartet, which was recorded in Fattoria Musica in Osnabrück (Germany).Other drummers i already met: Billy Cobham, Jojo Mayer, Thomas Lang, Tony Royster Jr., Mike Mangini, Marcus Baylor, Isolde Lasoen, Patrick Dorcéan, Eric Bosteels, Sean Dhondt, Jean-Philippe Komac, Jens Düppe, Roel Hermans, Geert Helsen, Michael Schack, .............
Patton Solo Spot (Moonchild) - 03.12.06 - Milano, Italy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaP8EwBJyWA
unbelievable!!!
Naked City - Bone Orchard http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejG4HVuzfAQ
John Zorn, Fred Frith, Bill Frisell, Wayne Horovitz and the mastergroover: Joey BaronCheck this out!!!!
Naked City - A Night In Tunisia (Dizzy Gillespie) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpOK8sIXqMI
espiacially for Teun Verbruggen, my teacher, who asked me on my final drumsexam of Bachelor to play this tune on my own, without band :-)I sucked, but these guys are crazy!!!
