DICK DE GRAAF
Period
17-11-1954 - current
Genre
fluit, improvised, jazz, sopraansaxofoon, tenorsaxofoon, world
Online
Dick de Graaf
During his conservatory study Dick de Graaf (Nijkerk, 17 November 1954) already makes his entry on the Dutch jazz scene. He can be found both in more mainstream groups and big bands and in progressive formations. He describes his own saxophone sound as 'a warm saxophone tone of someone who ...
Instruments
fluit, sopraansaxofoon, tenorsaxofoon
Mentioned in the biography of
1982
Albert van Veenendaal
1987
Arnold Dooyeweerd
Biography Dick de Graaf
During his conservatory study Dick de Graaf (Nijkerk, 17 November 1954) already makes his entry on the Dutch jazz scene. He can be found both in more mainstream groups and big bands and in progressive formations. He describes his own saxophone sound as 'a warm saxophone tone of someone who wants to get the most out of his instrument. [...] I am a guy who puts incredible passion and great fun into his playing.' (interview with Peter J. Korten). He soon starts forming groups of his own. His broad musical taste develops more and more, and in the course of his career he has undertaken projects featuring crossovers with tango (Trio Nuevo), African music (Les Sofas de Bamako), classical music (Schubert) and rock (Jimi Hendrix project, CRY BABY!). Jazz remains the steady factor in all of this, and he keeps a regular jazz quartet working most of the time. He himself puts it like this: 'I see jazz as a hospitable reception room for visits from music from all over the world. It makes you richer, and it yields more jagged forms.' (interview with Coen de Jonge).
Played in
Clazz Ensemble
fluit, sopraansaxofoon, tenorsaxofoon
Trio Nuevo
Utrechts Improvisatie Laboratorium (uil)
saxofoon
1980 - 1984
During his studies at the Rotterdam Conservatory Dick de Graaf plays in the saxophone quartet Nieuw Rotterdams Peil. Together with pianist Albert van Veenendaal and Greek drummer Nikos Tsilogiannis he starts De Trio in his home town Utrecht, which soon continues as De Duo, without the percussionist. In this line-up they take part in the competition of the 1981 NOS Meervaart Festival, and manage to win the final. A renewed collaboration with Nikos Tsilogiannis takes place in the latter's quintet, which has Arnold Dooyeweerd on bass, Albert van Veenendaal again on piano and Jeff Reynolds on trumpet. De Graaf is also in demand in the saxophone sections of various big bands. Bassist John Clayton and the trumpeters Jeff Reynolds (Maiden Voyage) and Frank Grasso include him in the personnel of their respective orchestras. Trumpeter Edu Ninck Blok, whom he has met in the Frank Grasso Big Band, invites him to join the Amstel Octet.
Albert van Veenendaal Edu Ninck Blok Frank Grasso Nikos Tsilogiannis
1984 - 1986
He starts his own group: a quartet with pianist Willem Kühne, bassist Eric Calmes and drummer Frans van Grinsven. Two years later the band releases its debut album: Hot, Hazy And Humid. In Jazzjaarboek 6 critic Erik van den Berg calls the LP 'one of this year's strongest records [...] a solid, spicy mainstream which can rival with many a better known American example.' With the Amstel Octet De Graaf records two LPs: Amstel Crossing (1984) and Hazy Hugs (1985), the latter with trumpeter Chet Baker as a special guest.
1987
Dick de Graaf introduces a septet with a special line-up. Experienced musicians, like trombonist Hans Sparla and bassist Arnold Dooyeweerd share the stage with young talents like pianist Gé Bijvoet, drummer Pieter Bast and bassist Egon Kracht, who replaces Dooyeweerd in 1991. With an instrumentation of violin, saxophone, trombone, guitar, piano, bass and drums the composer De Graaf has a good sound palette at his disposal. In 1989 the NOS broadcasting company commissions a composition for the NOS Meervaart Festival, which he performs with the septet. In the same year the group's debut CD, November, is released by the Zon en Maan label, to be followed by Polder in 1991. The group plays at festivals in Germany, Finland and Ireland, and extensively tours Canada.
1988 - 1992
Bassist Niko Langenhuijsen asks De Graaf to come and play tenor sax in his group Vaalbleek Vokaal. He can be heard on the CD Lonely Hearts, which appears in 1989. In the spring of 1990 the saxophonist forms a special quartet, with pianist Misha Mengelberg, bassist Arnold Dooyeweerd and drummer John Engels. Trumpeter Eric Vloeimans and De Graaf are the co-leaders of a new quintet, called Chazz!, which employs Niko Langenhuijsen on piano, Eric Calmes on bass and Hans Eijkenaar on drums. The group plays an energetic kind of hard-bop, and records only one CD, Passing The Bar. In January 1991 the saxophonist again co-leads a group, a quartet with French guitarist Serge Lazarevitch. The band extensively tours Italy. He can also be heard in pianist Jasper van 't Hof's quartet, with the Canadian trumpeter Kenny Wheeler as a special guest, which does a tour of South Africa. He plays a Glenn Miller program with the Timeless Orchestra (a big band led by Jos Beeren) for two years.
Eric Calmes Eric Vloeimans Jasper van 't Hof John Engels Misha Mengelberg Niko Langenhuijsen
1994 - 1996
De Graaf starts a new quintet with saxophone colleague Tony Lakatos , which finds a home with the new Challenge label. Hein Van de Geyn, founder of this company, awards Dick de Graaf the Challenge Award in 1995. To celebrate this occasion the laureate presents his European Quintet, featuring the English trumpeter Gerard Presencer. With his quartet he tours Burkina Faso, Senegal and Mali in 1996. In the latter country he starts a project at the music department of Institut National des Arts (INA), with financial support of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
1998
With a new version of his septet (featuring Wim Bronnenberg as the new guitarist, Eric Calmes replacing bassist Egon Kracht, and Konkie Halmeyer on steelpans taking pianist Gé Bijvoet's place) Dick de Graaf undertakes a project featuring the music of Jimi Hendrix. The Burning Of The Midnight Lamp is the title of the project, and the CD, eventually released by VIA Records.
1999
Back in Mali Dick de Graaf records the CD Djigui in Salif Keita's studio, featuring a group of young local musicians, Les Sofas de Bamako. In June 2000 the combination plays the Tilburg festival Mundial. In 2005 they are featured again at a festival in the Malian capital Ouagadougou.
2000 - 2003
Dick de Graaf performs as a guest with pianist Peter Martin's trio in New Orleans. They make a recording, which will eventually find its way onto CD under the title Soundroots. To promote the album the saxophonist starts a new European Quartet, featuring the Italian pianist Andrea Pozza. The group displays an eclectic repertoire, featuring reworkings of music by The Who, Stevie Wonder and Ludwig van Beethoven. It gives the Swiss conductor Mario Venzago the idea to ask De Graaf for a contribution to the 2002 Schubert Festival in Basel. De Graaf arranges themes from the Unfinished Symphony, the String Quintet in C and the song Der Tod und das Mädchen for his special European Quartet. The CD made of the recordings (on the Swiss label DiVox), is presented a year later at the North Sea Jazz Festival.
2004
2004
Percussionist Ruben van Rompaey invites De Graaf to participate in the group Istanbul Connection, featuring the Turkish (fretless) guitarist Erkan Ogur. The band does a series of successful concerts in the Netherlands and Turkey. In 2006 the Turkish label Kalan releases a CD by the band.
2005
In order to combine Astor Piazzolla's tango music with jazz arrangements and improvisations De Graaf starts his Trio Nuevo. For this trombonist Hans Sparla picks up his second instrument, the accordion. Violinist Michael Gustorff, another member of the former septet, completes the line-up. With singer Sandra Coelers and bassist Harry Emmery as guests the group does a Dutch theater tour for Jazz Impuls in the 2007-'08 season. In addition Trio Nuevo and Sandra Coelers do a number of tours in Germany and Switzerland.
2006
De Graaf forms a new quartet, with pianist Jeroen van Vliet, bassist Guus Bakker and drummer Pascal Vermeer. Their debut CD, Moving Target, is released in 2007. The band gives concerts in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland. In February 2009 the quartet tours Cuba and Costa Rica.
2007
Together with trumpeter Gerard Kleijn he takes the initiative to found the Clazz Ensemble, to bridge the gap between jazz and (contemporary) composition. The small big band line-up features musicians from both worlds. The ensemble's musical leaders invite composers from both sectors to write material for the group. They release a CD of their first project, Avonturen, in 2009.
2009
De Graaf founds the quartet CRY BABY!, featuring the young guitarist Jerôme Hol, bassist Harry Emmery and drummer Erik Kooger. Their debut CD is presented at the Rotterdam pop venue WATT!, and a series of concerts at Dutch jazzclubs soon follows.
2010 - 2011
De Graaf does improvisations on the cello suites of Bach and initiates the project Out Of The Blues, in which he performs the music of saxofonist/composer Oliver Nelson, along with Arno Krijger (hammond organ) and Pascal Vermeer (drums).
Discography Dick de Graaf
Albums | Singles | Compilations | Other | Guestperformance
Hot, Hazy And Humid
Act | Dick de Graaf |
Type and year | LP, 1986 |
Label | Limetree, 0017 |
muzikant | Willem Kühne |
muzikant | Eric Calmes |
muzikant | Frans van Grinsven |
Dick de Graaf Septet - November
Act | Dick de Graaf |
Type and year | CD, 1989 |
Label | Zon en Maan, CD 890325 |
muzikant | Onno Kelk |
muzikant | Gé Bijvoet |
muzikant | Pieter Bast |
muzikant | Arnold Dooyeweerd |
muzikant | Hans Sparla |
Dick de Graaf Septet - Polder
Act | Dick de Graaf |
Type and year | CD, 1991 |
Label | Timeless, CD SJP 376 |
muzikant | Hans Sparla |
muzikant | Gé Bijvoet |
muzikant | Egon Kracht |
muzikant | Onno Kelk |
muzikant | Pieter Bast |
Chazz! - Passing The Bar
Act | Dick de Graaf |
Type and year | CD, 1992 |
Label | Timeless, CD SJP 381 |
muzikant | Eric Vloeimans |
muzikant | Niko Langenhuijsen |
muzikant | Eric Calmes |
muzikant | Hans Eijkenaar |
Dick de Graaf Septet - Heartbeat
Act | Dick de Graaf |
Type and year | CD, 1994 |
Label | Timeless, CD SJP 420 |
muzikant | Hans Sparla |
muzikant | Onno Kelk |
muzikant | Gé Bijvoet |
muzikant | Egon Kracht |
muzikant | Pieter Bast |
Dick de Graaf / Tony Lakatos Quintet - New York Straight Ahead
Act | Dick de Graaf |
Type and year | CD, 1995 |
Label | Challenge, CHR 70033 |
muzikant | Marc van Roon |
Sailing
Act | Dick de Graaf |
Type and year | CD, 1995 |
Label | Challenge Records, CHR 70024 |
Dick de Graaf Septet - The Burning Of The Midnight Lamp
Act | Dick de Graaf |
Type and year | CD, 1998 |
Label | VIA, 9920552 |
muzikant | Wim Bronnenberg |
muzikant | Hans Sparla |
muzikant | Russel Halmeyer |
muzikant | Eric Calmes |
muzikant | Hans van Oosterhout (2) |
Dick de Graaf Quartet - Soundroots
Act | Dick de Graaf |
Type and year | CD, 2000 |
Label | A-Records, AL 73222 |
Four Winds
Act | Dick de Graaf |
Type and year | CD, 2003 |
Label | Turtle Records, TRSA 0012 |
muzikant | Russel Halmeyer |
Dick de Graaf Quartet feat. Daniel Pezzotti - Schubert Impressions For Jazzquintet
Act | Dick de Graaf |
Type and year | CD, 2003 |
Label | DiVox, CDX-45247-2 |
Trio Nuevo - Jazz Meets Tango
Act | Dick de Graaf |
Type and year | CD, 2006 |
Label | Soundroots, SR 01 |
muzikant | Hans Sparla |
muzikant | Sandra Coelers |
The Istanbul Connection - The Istanbul Connection
Act | Dick de Graaf |
Type and year | CD, 2006 |
Label | Kalan, 2006 |
muzikant | Ruben van Rompaey |
muzikant | Joost Kroon |
Dick de Graaf Quartet - Moving Target
Act | Dick de Graaf |
Type and year | CD, 2007 |
Label | Soundroots, SR 02 |
muzikant | Jeroen van Vliet |
muzikant | Guus Bakker |
muzikant | Pascal Vermeer |
CRY BABY! - CRY BABY!
Act | Dick de Graaf |
Type and year | CD, 2009 |
Label | Soundroots, SR 03 |
muzikant | Jerôme Hol |
muzikant | Erik Kooger |
The Amstel Octet - Amstel Crossing
Act | Dick de Graaf |
Type and year | LP, 1985 |
Label | Limetree, MLP 198509 |
muzikant | Evert Hekkema |
muzikant | Hein van de Geyn |
muzikant | John Engels |
muzikant | Jenne Meinema |
muzikant | Dick de Graaf |
engineer | Max Bolleman |
muzikant | Arnoud Gerritse |
muzikant | Kees van Lier |
Frank Grasso Big Band - Frank Grasso Big Band
Act | Dick de Graaf |
Type and year | LP, 1985 |
Label | Timeless Records, SJP 226 |
muzikant | Angelo Verploegen |
muzikant | Frank Grasso |
muzikant | Gary Fienberg |
muzikant | David George |
muzikant | Edu Ninck Blok |
muzikant | Paul van Egmond |
muzikant | Coen Gerritse |
muzikant | Siurd Bartstra |
muzikant | Rolf Delfos |
muzikant | Barry Block |
muzikant | Jan Vennik |
muzikant | Dick de Graaf |
muzikant | Maarten Stuurman |
muzikant | Albert Sarko |
muzikant | Bram Wijland |
Details | Also featuring Guy Winchester (trombone); re-released on CD in 1992 |
The Amstel Octet and Chet Baker - Hazy Hugs
Act | Dick de Graaf |
Type and year | LP, 1986 |
Label | Limetree, MLP 198601 |
muzikant | Jan Vennik |
muzikant | Evert Hekkema |
muzikant | Kees van Lier |
muzikant | Bert van den Brink |
muzikant | Dick de Graaf |
muzikant | John Engels |
engineer | Jan Kranendonk |
muzikant | Hein van de Geyn |
Eric Vloeimans Quartet - No Realistics
Act | Dick de Graaf |
Type and year | CD, 1992 |
Label | Art In Jazz, 991 004-2 |
muzikant | Anton Goudsmit |
muzikant | Arnold Dooyeweerd |
muzikant | Pieter Bast |
gastmuzikant | Dick de Graaf |
producer | Max Bolleman |
Loet van der Lee Quartet - Going Walkbout
Act | Dick de Graaf |
Type and year | CD, 1996 |
Label | A-Records, AL73035 |
muzikant | Michiel Borstlap |
muzikant | Johan Plomp |
muzikant | Joost Kesselaar |
gastmuzikant | Dick de Graaf |
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.
Audio/Video Dick de Graaf
No audio- or video material is yet available.
Add audio or video