Jan Huydts

Jan Huydts (born February 25, 1937 in Schiedam ) is a Dutch jazz pianist and composer . He was one of the first European pianists who also turned to the electric piano and the synthesizer and played jazz rock .

Life

Huydts envisaged establishing medical study. During his high school years in Hilversum , he took piano lessons from Pierre Reinard and developed into a technically outstanding pianist. During the holidays between high school and college, bassist Arend Nijenhuis persuaded him to start a jazz trio; in 1957 he started his career as a professional musician. In 1959 he accompanied Jackie McLean and Art Taylor at the Brussels Blue Note . Then he became a member of Herman Schoonderwalt's quartet (which also included Cees See and bassist Eddy Doorenbos). At times he also played with The Millers for Ab de Molenaar. With his own trio he won the Parool Jazz Parade in the Amsterdam Concertgebouw . In 1961 he was (as a bass player) with a German show orchestra in the US clubs of Tripoli . Together with Joe Nay and Peter Trunk , he formed the house band in the Berlin club Blue Note in 1963 and 1964 and accompanied soloists such as Dexter Gordon , Johnny Griffin and Donald Byrd . Until 1966 he played in the backing band of singer Toon Hermans . He was then the musical director of Wim Sonneveld's band until 1970 . He also went on tour with Philly Joe Jones ; he also toured with his own trio, which turned to jazz rock. The trio with Ali Haurand and drummer Leo de Ruiter formed the band Third Eye , which initially included guitarist John Schuursma and guest soloists such as Theo Loevendie , Jon Eardley and Wilton Gaynair ; Huydts belonged to the band, which also performed in Germany with Frank Köllges , until 1976. In the same year he formed the trio The Keyboard Circle with his piano colleague Rob Franken and drummer Henk Zomer . In the following year he toured with Wim Overgaauw and the Nederlands Dans Theater with the ballet Strangers through Italy and England. Between 1978 and 1980 Huydt was musical director of the singer Jasperina de Jong . From 1980 to 1998 he worked as a university professor, at times also as a department director, at the jazz department of the Hilversum Conservatory . In the next few years he organized and presented a series of Sunday concerts in Hilversum; In addition, he performed with various bands in Dutch jazz clubs until 2007 .

Discographic notes

• Trio Conception (Philips 1963, with Peter Trunk and Joe Nay)
• Third Eye (Ring Records 1976, with Ali Haurand, Frank Köllges , Steve Boston)
• The Keyboard Circle (with Rob Franken, Henk Zomer)
• Jazz at the Pinehill (2001)

Web links

• Portrait (Muziekencyclopedie)
• Jan Huydts at Allmusic (English)