WILBERT DE JOODE

Wilbert De Joode

In 1982 self-taught bass guitarist Wilbert de Joode (Amsterdam, 11 May 1955) switches to double bass. He then follows some workshops with bassist Arnold Dooyeweerd at the Amsterdam Bimhuis. His talent doesn't go unnoticed, and he soon starts playing in all kinds of jazz-like groups, like the Ig Henneman Quintet ...
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Instruments

contrabas

Mentioned in the biography of

1987   Hans Hasebos
1988   Ad Peijnenburg
1992   Han Buhrs
1992   Paul Termos
1992   Wiek Hijmans
1994   Klaas Hekman
2000   Tobias Delius
2001   Wolter Wierbos
2007   Joost Buis
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Biography Wilbert De Joode

In 1982 self-taught bass guitarist Wilbert de Joode (Amsterdam, 11 May 1955) switches to double bass. He then follows some workshops with bassist Arnold Dooyeweerd at the Amsterdam Bimhuis. His talent doesn't go unnoticed, and he soon starts playing in all kinds of jazz-like groups, like the Ig Henneman Quintet and the Vera Vingerhoeds Quartet. In Amsterdam De Joode feels more and more at home in (free) improvisation; he becomes one of the most in demand Dutch bass players. Pianist Michiel Braam, reedist Ab Baars, cornetist Eric Boeren and pianist Cor Fuhler are just a few of the musicians who engage in long term musical partnerships with him. But he also frequently plays in Germany and the US, in regular and occasional groups featuring pianist Achim Kaufmann and the reed players Frank Gratkowski and Ken Vandermark.

Played in

Gravitones   contrabas

1984

Together with saxophonist Bart van der Putten (whom he has met in Arnold Dooyeweerd's workshops) and drummer Theo Bodewes Wilbert de Joode forms Trio Nu, which records for VARA radio.

Bart van der Putten Theo Bodewes

1986 - 1988

In 1986 he engages in a long term musical partnership with violist Ig Henneman. She includes De Joode in her quintet, and ten years later in her String Quartet. Saxophonist Vera Vingerhoeds also picks him as the bassist for her quartet, in which he plays with trombonist Joost Buis for the first time.

Ig Henneman Joost Buis Vera Vingerhoeds

1989

Band leader JC Tans asks him to join his JC Tans Orchestra, as a replacement for Ernst Glerum. In the same year he becomes a member of pianist-composer Michiel Braam's bands: Bik Bent Braam and the trio BraamDeJoodeVatcher. When tenor saxophonist Rinus Groeneveld wants to record a free jazz album he picks Wilbert de Joode and drummer Pierre van der Linden as his musical partners. Cornetist Eric Boeren, a colleague from Bik Bent Braam, asks De Joode to join his own group Specs.

Eric Boeren Jan Cees Tans Michiel Braam Rinus Groeneveld

1990

Installation artist Barbara van Loon asks De Joode to compose music for Spring Tide City, a large project at the Scheldekade in the Antwerp harbor, formed with dozens of sea containers, laser lights etcetera. Here he works with samples, quadraphonic affects, tape and live music.

1991

When saxophonist/clarinetist Ab Baars forms his own trio, he takes Wilbert de Joode and drummer Martin van Duynhoven on board. In 1992 the outfit records its debut album, 3900 Carol Court, for the Geestgronden label. Later on the trio takes on projects with guest musicians like soprano saxophonist Steve Lacy, trombonist Roswell Rudd, trombonist Joost Buis (in the Ellington program Kinda Dukish) and saxophonist-clarinetist Ken Vandermark. The Zuid-Nederlands Jazzfestival in Eindhoven hooks up De Joode with the American drummer Dennis Charles (known for his work with Cecil Taylor and Steve Lacy) and the horn players Jemeel Moondoc (alto saxophone) and Nathan Breedlove (trumpet). There is a discernible chemistry between the bassist and the drummer, and eventually (in 1998) the performance is released on CD.

Ab Baars Martin van Duynhoven

1992

Singer Han Buhrs includes De Joode in his group The Schismatics, which engages in vocal and instrumental improvisation based on concise composed elements, with a strong rhythmic component. Buhrs, pianist Cor Fuhler, drummer Michael Vatcher and De Joode also form the new collective band Diftong, which appears at the award ceremony at the Amsterdam Bimhuis for the Podiumprijs (an award for talent deserving wider recognition) Buhrs has been awarded. For the occasion the singer invites the American trombonist George Lewis as a guest with the quartet. Together with guitarist Wiek Hijmans and saxophonist Paul Termos De Joode starts the trio De Drie Koningen, devoted to free improvisation. De Joode writes a composition for tape and live music for the project Archimago at the Beurs van Berlage at the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the BNA (Dutch Architects' Association). The Flight of the Blue Birds is a composition he performs at the start of the nature restoration project De Blauwe Kamer.

Cor Fuhler Han Buhrs Michael Vatcher Paul Termos Wiek Hijmans

1994

De Joode performs with the American tenor saxophonist Charles Gayle and the legendary drummer Sunny Murray. Another tour with the same trio is to follow in 1996.

1995

At the small Amsterdam venue PH '31 Wilbert de Joode takes part in the series 'Confrontaties met... de muziek van Ornette Coleman'. (Confrontations with the music of OC) In this instigator Eric Boeren invites a different guest every night with his regular trio (featuring Michael Vatcher on drums). In 1997 this project yields Boeren's 4tet, featuring De Joode, reedist Michael Moore and drummer Han Bennink. Pianist Cor Fuhler forms a new trio, also featuring De Joode and Bennink.

Han Bennink

1996

Intermission is the name of a group led by bass saxophonist Klaas Hekman. The name derives from the jocular introduction to the bass solos by Duke Ellington. The unusual quartet includes three double bassists: the American William Parker, the Japanese Hideji Taninaka, and Wilbert de Joode. The first CD, Song of Low Songs, is released in 1996, followed three years later by a second album, featuring guitarist Derek Bailey and pianist Chris Burn as guests (Unanswered Questions). De Joode can also be heard on the debut album Dance Of The Penguins by trombonist Chris Abelen's quintet. He will go on to record two more CD's with the same leader.

Chris Abelen Klaas Hekman

1998

Thanks to the German reedist Jan Klare De Joode makes his international recording debut with the album Die Entfesselte Droste, in which his Braam partner Michael Vatcher and trombonist Joost Buis can also be heard. Klare keeps asking the bassist regularly for new projects, like the 1000 Quartet, featuring Vatcher and the Belgian trumpeter Bart Maris.

2000

Together with Cor Fuhler, Eric Boeren, Tobias Delius and Wolter Wierbos De Joode starts the musicians' collective Stichting dOeK (de Oefening de Kunst). Besides promoting improvised music the initiators have set themselves the goal of organizing an annual festival where the dOeK members present their own groups as well as (occasional) collaborations with international improvisers.

Wolter Wierbos

2002

Ig Henneman's Wig-label releases Wilbert de Joode's first solo album Olo, on which he can be heard in sound explorations of his instrument. With trombonist Hilary Jeffery, reedist Tobias Delius and the Senegalese percussionist Serigne Gueye he forms Apa Ini (Indonesian for 'What is that?'), a collective improvisation group. When pianist Michiel Braam and saxophonist Frans Vermeerssen start their sextet All Ears, they pick the familiar Bik Bent Braam duo De Joode and Vatcher as their rhythm section. The bassist also starts to work with the Magpie Music and Dance Company, under artistic direction of dancer Katie Duck and violinist Mary Oliver, which combines improvised music and improvised dance. In a similar vein De Joode, Cor Fuhler and Han Bennink engage in a project with dancer Michael Schumacher.

Frans Vermeerssen Mary Oliver Tobias Delius

2004

Together with the German improvisers Achim Kaufmann (piano) and Frank Gratkowski (alto saxophone, clarinets) De Joode starts a collective trio, which releases two CDs (Kwast and Unearth). Gratkowski also invites him for his double quartet, which performs in Cologne's Loft in a stellar line-up.

Photos Wilbert De Joode

Audio/Video Wilbert De Joode