Ack van Rooyen

Ack van Rooyen

Ack van Rooyen (born as Arie van Rooijen in The Hague, 1 January 1930) is the Dutch trumpeter with the longest service record. As a youngster he takes up the flugelhorn in a brass band where his father is on the executive committee. In the course of his career ...
Full biography

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Instruments

bugel, trompet

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Biography Ack van Rooyen

Ack van Rooyen (born as Arie van Rooijen in The Hague, 1 January 1930) is the Dutch trumpeter with the longest service record. As a youngster he takes up the flugelhorn in a brass band where his father is on the executive committee. In the course of his career this instrument will, alongside the trumpet, remain his favorite, and in the end his sole instrument of choice. His main source of inspiration is Clifford Brown. Discussing one of his recordings he remarked: 'That's my idol. This is trumpet playing as it should be. This has everything in it. His tone is beautifully round. The choice of notes, his sound, it's all so honest. No tricks or gimmicks there. The first time I heard him, I was completely overwhelmed. And I still am. A course of instruction, an example for everyone. It's all good. The phrasing, all the other tonguing techniques, man...'. He is not a leader, but a sought-after soloist in many orchestras, especially in Germany. British trumpeter Ian Carr, his partner for many years in the United Jazz + Rock Ensemble, has this to say about him: “One of the most lyrical soloists, he plays with extraordinary fluidity and flexibility, producing immensely long lines and bubbling streams of triplets. He is all quicksilver and wit, and his solos seem as natural as birdsong.” (Rough Guide To Jazz, 2004)

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Played in

Skymasters   trompet

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1943 - 1944

From the early forties Ack van Rooijen and his one year and one day older brother Gerard (later Jerry) start their musical education under professional guidance. Their teachers are classical musicians with no interest in jazz. Both brothers do claim to learn a great deal, especially from Belgian born Jan Corbet, who gained some fame as a trumpet soloist in Europe before the war. Since they develop so fast musically, and since there is a shortage of musicians because of the war, they are able to gain professional experience in the orchestra of entertainers Snip & Snap, conducted by Cor Steyn.

Jerry van Rooyen Snip en Snap

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1946

When Ack van Rooijen is sixteen years old he and his brother Gerard leave for the Dutch East Indies (the present day Indonesia) with the Tom van der Stap orchestra to entertain the Dutch troops. They meet trumpeter/pianist Rob Pronk, and acquaint themselves with modern forms of jazz.

Rob Pronk (1)

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1947 - 1949

Back in the Netherlands the time is ripe to go to the Hague conservatory, where he graduates after three years of study (cum laude).

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1949

In the summer Ack and Gerard van Rooijen, Rob Pronk, Hans Tan and Jan Opgenhaeffen board the passenger ship Volendam, as temporary members of the ship's dance band, sailing to New York. In the jazzclubs they see greats like Fats Navarro and Stan Getz at work.

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1950 - 1951

His classical training seems to lead to a career in classical music with the Arnhemse Orkest Vereniging (Arnhem Orchestra Society), where he gains orchestral discipline and precision But the jazz keeps luring. An invitation by Rob Pronk to join his legendary Boptet does the rest. Ernst van 't Hoff integrates the entire Boptet in his orchestra, but after an adventure in Spain both the orchestra and the Boptet disband.

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1951 - 1952

During his military service he is a member of the air force band.

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1952 - 1954

Danish show orchestra leader Boyd Bachman has a good nose for talented musicians, and engages Ack van Rooijen, together with his brother Gerard and Rob Pronk, for a European tour.

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1954

Ack van Rooijen and his brother form the heart of a sextet lead by the latter. They take up an engagement in the Club de L'Etoile in The Hague, but the Jerry van Roy Sextet doesn't last long.

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1955 - 1958

Bandleader Theo Uden Masman takes both brothers into his band The Ramblers, Ack in January and Jerry in September 1955. Within the orchestra a bop group is formed, and is given the opportunity to play one tune in every weekly radio show. An extended form of this group, featuring saxophone playing brothers Tinus and Kees Bruijn is called The Red & Brown Brothers. Radio also entails playing in orchestras lead by Ger van Leeuwen and Klaas van Beeck. Outside the radio world there are sessions in jazzclub Sheherazade in Amsterdam featuring drummer Wessel Ilcken and Swedish baritone saxophonist Lars Gullin.

Ger van Leeuwen Klaas van Beeck The Ramblers Wessel Ilcken

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1958 - 1960

Ack van Rooijen seeks to extend his playing options in joining Aimé Barelli's orchestra in Paris, and this is where he meets Kenny Clarke and Lucky Thompson. But since the band mainly plays in uninspiring surroundings in jet set beach resorts like Monte Carlo he quits on 1 October 1960.

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1960 - 1967

He is employed by Sender Freies Berlin's dance band.

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1967

He joins Erwin Lehn's band in Stuttgart (until 1978).

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1968

As a member of the German All Stars he tours South America, and in 1972 Asia. He gains a regular position in bass trombonist Peter Herbolzheimer's band, with whom he makes many recordings. He is also a sought-after guest soloist in recordings with other bands.

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1975

Together with Wolfgang Dauner and Volker Kriegel he starts a smaller international group, the United Jazz + Rock Ensemble, which gives regular concerts until its demise in 2002. The group records almost annually for Mood Records. He also becomes a member of Bert Kaempfert's entertainment orchestra.

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1979

He is asked by both Clark Terry and Gil Evans for European tours with ad hoc bands consisting of European musicians.

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1980

Ack van Rooijen returns to The Netherlands, but can often be found across the border. He teaches at the Hilversum conservatory and later also in The Hague. As a teacher he had already gained some experience in Mannheim en Stuttgart. During the summer he conducts workshops in Remscheid.

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1980 - 2011

Many Dutch big bands make use of his services: the Skymasters, the Metropole Orkest, The Netherlands Concert Jazz Band, the Dutch Jazz Orchestra. In 2001 he performs with the Hannover Philharmonic, in compositions by Chuck Israels. There is also still a German connection in two smaller groups: a quintet with tenor saxophonist Paul Heller, a duo with pianist Jörg Reiter. In 2007 he receives the Singer Laren Jazz Award.

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Discography Ack van Rooyen

In the discography you will find all recordings that have been released listed chronologically. We restrict ourselves to the title, the type of audio, year of publication or recording, label, list of guest musicians, plus any comments on the issue.

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