Eric Boeren

Eric Boeren

Eric Boeren (Ulicoten, 22 August 1959) distinguishes himself initially as a cornetist, and having made his debut in Amsterdam he soon becomes an in-demand member of various groups and ensembles. As a leader and composer of the Eric Boeren 4tet and other bands of his own, like Specs ...
Full biography

Biography Eric Boeren

Eric Boeren (Ulicoten, 22 August 1959) distinguishes himself initially as a cornetist, and having made his debut in Amsterdam he soon becomes an in-demand member of various groups and ensembles. As a leader and composer of the Eric Boeren 4tet and other bands of his own, like Specs and HO&I! he is inspired by Ornette Coleman's (early) work, and by collective improvisation. He takes the initiative for a series of improvisation concerts at the Amsterdam venue Zaal 100 (since 1994), for the Available Jelly Festivals (1992-'97) and for the musicians' collective Stichting dOeK (de Oefening de Kunst; Practice & Art).

Played in

Available Jelly   cornet, melodica
Contraband   trompet
Gravitones   cornet

1980 - 1982

After his early training in the brass band of his home town Ulicoten in the province of Brabant (first on euphonium, later on E-flat tuba) at the age of eighteen Eric Boeren switches to cornet. He moves to Amsterdam, and starts following workshops with bassist Arnold Dooijeweerd at the Bimhuis. There he co-founds the Amsterdams Creatief Ensemble (ACE), with which Boeren wins the competition of the NOS/Meervaart Festival in 1982.

1983

Band leader Michael Moore asks Boeren to join Available Jelly, as a replacement for trumpeter Jimmy Sernesky. He soon starts composing for the band, too.

1984 - 1986

More and more band leaders recognize his qualities. He becomes a member of the Maarten Altena Octet (1984'-85), Willem van Manen's Contraband (1985), the Ig Henneman Quintet (1985-'88) and Sean Bergin's MOB (1986 - present).

1989 - 1990

Pianist Michiel Braam asks Eric Boeren for his Bik Bent Braam, an orchestra in which he remains a member to the present day. A year later Boeren forms a first band of his own, Specs (with violinist Maartje ten Hoorn, bassist Wilbert de Joode, and drummer Wim Janssen). A second version of this group, with pianist Alex Maguire and percussionist Thebe Lipere instead of Ten Hoorn, continues until 1994.

1991 - 1993

Boeren becomes a member of guitarist Franky Douglas's Sunchild, a group which still performs (albeit irregularly) to the present day. From 1992 to 1995 the cornetist plays in the Martin van Duynhoven Percussion Ensemble, and from 1993 to 1996 in pianist Guus Janssen's septet. In 1992 Boeren is one of the initiators of the Available Jelly Festival, an annual event, where the band presents itself in various smaller and larger formations with like-minded musicians and groups.

1995 - 1997

1995 - 1997
In the Amsterdam venue PH 31 he organizes a series of concerts entitled 'Confrontations with... the music of Ornette Coleman'. For this he expands his own trio (with bassist Wilbert de Joode and drummer Michael Vatcher) with a different saxophonist every time, interpreting Ornette Coleman's music. The Amsterdam Bimhuis presents a summary of the series during its annual Summer Sessions entitled Go Dutch With Ornette. Recordings of these sessions eventually find their way on to the CD Cross Breeding, released by the Bimhuis label. Two years later this project also spawns the Eric Boeren 4tet (with reed player Michael Moore, bassist Wilbert de Joode and drummer Han Bennink). In 1999 and 2001 the group produces two CDs. In 1996 the series of improvisation concerts which started in PH 31, is continued in Zaal 100, in the Amsterdam Wittenstraat (at number 100) and is still running.

2000

Together with pianist Cor Fuhler, Wilbert de Joode, reed player Tobias Delius and trombonist Wolter Wierbos he starts the musicians' collective Stichting dOeK (de Oefening de Kunst; Practice & Art). Besides promoting improvised music the foundation aims at organizing an annual festival in which dOeK members present their own groups and ad hoc collaborations with international improvisers.

2006 - 2007

Boeren makes a name for himself with the international quartet NEWS (featuring pianist Cor Fuhler, plus bassist Nate McBride and drummer Mike Reed from Chicago). In 2007 he also starts a new quintet, HO&I! (HOt & Improvised), with two seasoned musicians (the guitarists Franky Douglas and Paul Pallesen) and two young Turks (bass guitarist Julius Peter Nitsch and drummer Tijn Jans).

Discography Eric Boeren

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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