Michiel Scheen

Michiel Scheen

Pianist Michiel Scheen (Amsterdam, 23 July 1963) likes to move in between genres. As a member of Kenvermogen, the Maarten Altena Ensemble and the Paul Termos Tentet he plays music that explores the borders between composition and improvisation. In his own groups, such as Filiaal, the sextet, the duo with ...
Full biography

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Instruments

piano

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Biography Michiel Scheen

Pianist Michiel Scheen (Amsterdam, 23 July 1963) likes to move in between genres. As a member of Kenvermogen, the Maarten Altena Ensemble and the Paul Termos Tentet he plays music that explores the borders between composition and improvisation. In his own groups, such as Filiaal, the sextet, the duo with reedist Tobias Delius and his recent quartet he also dives into this type of music. With Palinckx, his own band Triklinion and Seafood he maps out the territory between improvised music, electronics and avant rock.

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Played in

Kenvermogen  

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1986 - 1991

Together with guitarist Wiek Hijmans and vibraphonist Hans Hasebos he is one of the initiators of the large ensemble Kenvermogen. With an unusual line-up (including recorder, piano, marimba and electric guitar) it bridges the gap between composed and improvised music. Guitarist Jacques Palinckx includes Scheen in his new nine piece band, which releases the LP Grrrrroeten in 1987. Bassist Jan Nijdam invites Scheen for his group Gaviaal (with saxophonist Bart van der Putten and drummer Wim Janssen). Michiel Scheen also starts his own group: Filiaal, of which Nijdam is also a member, as well as vocal performer Jaap Blonk and percussionist Michael Vatcher.

Hans Hasebos Jacques Palinckx Jan Nijdam Wiek Hijmans

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1988

Michiel Scheen joins the Maarten Altena Ensemble as Guus Janssen's replacement; he makes his recording debut with the group on Quotl. He remains the group's pianist until 1997 and starts composing for the ensemble, too. In this period there are projects with special guests, like poet Remco Campert, the saxophonists John Zorn, Roscoe Mitchell and Anthony Braxton, and conductor Butch Morris.

Maarten Altena Ensemble

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1989

Alto saxophonist-composer Paul Termos asks Michiel Scheen as pianist for his newly formed Tentet. The ensemble records the CD Shakes & Sounds in 1990, released by the Geestgronden label. Scheen returns in a later version of the group, the Termos Dubbel Expres (1995), which releases the album Death Dance Of Principles in 1997.

Paul Termos

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1990

Pianist-composer Cor Fuhler invites Scheen to play synthesizer in his new group Canabina Canabina, which is later rechristened Carduelis Carduelis to avoid the hash associations.

Cor Fuhler

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1991

The NOS radio gives Michiel Scheen a composition assignment, to be performed at the Groningen Jazzmarathon by an ensemble including vocal performer Jaap Blonk, cellist Tristan Honsinger and percussionist Paul Koek under the title of Rijs. The Amsterdam Bimhuis's artistic director, Huub van Riel, invites Scheen for the second October Meeting, an international event for improvisers.

Jaap Blonk Tristan Honsinger

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1993

Michiel Scheen releases a first solo piano album, Contrapposto, on his own Filiaal label. He also launches his own sextet. Reedist Peter van Bergen includes him in the latest version of his group Loos (of which cellist Tristan Honsinger, bassist Ernst Glerum and drummer Han Bennink are the other members).

Peter van Bergen

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1994

Kenvermogen reconvenes to record a CD. The ensemble has by now grown into a fifteen piece band, divided into five instrumental groups (clarinet, recorder, piano, electric guitar, mallet instruments), all manned with three musicians. The release of the eponymous CD is accompanied by a Dutch tour in 1995.

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1996 - 1998

Together with bassist Frank van Berkel and percussionist Hans van der Meer Scheen forms the group Triklinion, in which he plays synthesizer. The group explores the no man's land between improvised music, composition, electronics and avant rock. In the same period saxophonist Alan Laurillard invites him to play synthesizer in his band Seafood, which uses a similar musical idiom.

Alan Laurillard

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1999

For his second solo album Michiel Scheen ventures into the works of Thelonious Monk. Sphere's Works is released on his own label.

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2003

Michiel Scheen forms a new quartet featuring three experienced musical partners: saxophonist-clarinetist Ab Baars, bassist Ernst Glerum and drummer Han Bennink. A year later the DATA label releases their debut CD Dance, My Dear? Scheen also releases a third solo album: Goodbye!

Ab Baars Ernst Glerum Han Bennink

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2004 - 2009

A duo with saxophonist-clarinetist Tobias Delius performs compositions by both, as well as pieces by Fats Waller, Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk and others.

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2011

In 2011 Scheen initiates Boucalé!, which performs the music of alto saxophonist/composer Paul Termos (1952-2003). Wolter Wierbos (trombone), Raoul van der Weide (bass/cracke box/sound objects) and Michael Vatcher (drums) are also part of the group.

Michael Vatcher Paul Termos Raoul van der Weide Wolter Wierbos

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Discography Michiel Scheen

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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Photos Michiel Scheen

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