Hendrik Meurkens

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Hendrik Meurkens

Hendrik Thomas Meurkens (born August 6, 1957 in Hamburg ) is a Dutch modern jazz harmonica and vibraphone player .

Live and act

Meurkens started playing the vibraphone at the age of 16 and had lessons from Wolfgang Schlueter in 1976 and 1977 . Under the impression of Toots Thielemans , he also dealt autodidactically with the chromatic harmonica. Between 1977 and 1988 he studied at Berklee College of Music . He then lived in Brazil for some time. Back in Hamburg he first worked as a vibraphonist with Torsten Zwingenberger , worked as a guest soloist with the “Danish Radio Orchestra”, but also with Buddy Tate and Sweets Edison and as leader of his own bands. He recorded his record "Samba Importado" (1989) with Brazilian musicians, and "Sambahia" (1991) with Claudio Roditi and Paquito D'Rivera . In 1992 he moved to New York, from where he toured internationally - for example with the trio of Ray Brown . Meurkens worked with Toots Thielemans, Dick Oatts , Harvie Swartz , Herb Ellis , Charlie Byrd , James Moody , Herbie Mann , Monty Alexander and Mundell Lowe and, in addition to his quartet, also founded the "New York Samba All Stars". He also worked as a film composer (including "Dolores Claiborne").

Meurkens is the most important harmonica player in jazz since Toots Thielemans and was engaged as a soloist in 2000 by the International Harmonica Summit in Minneapolis and in 2001 by the World Harmonica Festival in Trossingen .

Discographic notes

  • Samba Importado ( L + R Records , 1990), with David Friedman
  • Herb Ellis Trio with Hendrik Meurkens - Burnin ' (Acoustic Music, 1998)
  • Mundell Lowe & Hendrik Meurkens - When Lights Are Low (Acoustic Music, 1999)
  • Charlie Byrd - Homage to Jobim (Concord, 2005)
  • Samba to Go (Zoho, 2009)
  • Hendrik Meurkens / Gabriel Espinosa: Celebrando (Zoho, 2012)

Lexigraphic articles

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Meurkens, Hendrik
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Meurkens, Hendrik Thomas (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Dutch jazz musician
DATE OF BIRTH August 6, 1957
PLACE OF BIRTH Hamburg