click on the sax to hear Gab's tune "Slow Mook" click on Clarence to hear his original "Blue Images" click on Rob to hear his tune "Becton's Boogie" Dirk Balthaus: Dirk was born in 1965 in Oberhausen, Germany, and started to play piano at the age of 6. He played church organ for a while and disovered jazz at the age of 15 in Kuro’s Jazzkeller. There he heared pianist Peter Walter from Essen, whose lessons had a big influence on Dirk. He spend many hours listening to the music of Miles and Monk, John Coltrane and Bill Evans. After finishing school and civil service he moved to the Netherlands. He studied at the Conservatory in Hilversum with Frans Elsen, Henk Elkerbout and Rob Madna. Dirk moved to Amsterdam after finishing the conservatory. In Amsterdam he listened to a lot of good live music and played many gigs. With Bert Lochs, Sven Schuster and Steve Altenberg he formed a quartet and recorded the CD ‘tales of the frog’ in 1994. This band was finalist at the international jazzconcours in Leverkusen. In 1997 the saxofonists Volker Winck and Marc Mommaas joined the quartet. This Sextett recorded the CD ‘The healing’ and played live at “Reiziger in muziek” a well-known dutch tv-programm. His most recent recording is ‘On Children’s Ground’ with bassist Jacko Schoonderwoerd and drummer John Engels. Dirk has performed at the North-Sea-Festival as well as on many other festivals and played a lot of clubs. In Amsterdam he lives with his family. He loves to travel and so far he has performed in Germany, England, France, Spain, Denmark, Romania, Jamaica, the Netherlands, Belgium and Slovenia. Since 1994 he teaches at the conservatory in Osnabrück. Clarence Becton: Born in Mississippi, USA. At the age of 12 moved to buffalo NY. At 20 Clarence joined a Rhythm & Blues band which led to work as the drummer for many world renowned artists such as: Coleman Hawkins, Clark Terry, Pete Johnson, Al Hibbler, Roy Eldridge, Don Ellis and Jon Hendricks. He left Buffaloe with Hendricks to tour the U.S.A and Canada and to relocate in San Fransisco. This move led to musical relationships with Milt Jackson, Thelonious Monk, Woody Shaw, Bobby Hutcherson, Joe Henderson, Kenny Burrell, Ernestine Anderson, Peper adams, Julian Priester, Frank Roselino, Eddie Henderson, Dizzy Gillespie, Chet Baker, Mark Levine, Michael White and many, many more fine musical artists too numerous to mention here. Early in 1979 Clarence was asked to join Earl “Fatha” Hines on a 9 month tour of the U.S.A., Canada and Europe after which he re-located to New York City where he played and toured with, among others; Jon Hendricks, Harold Maybern, Slide Hampton, Joe Albany, Pepper adams, Cecil Payne, Buddy Tate etc… After a few years in New York, Clarence moved to Europe and settled in Amsterdam. This move led to musical engagements in various clubs, café’s, radio and television stations, cultural centers, museums and galleries etc… playing with such artists as : Abdullah Ibrahim (Dollar Brand), Charles Tolliver, Hannabal Peterson, Sal Nistico/Rachel Gould Quintet, Buddy Tate/Al Grey Quintet, Benny Bailey, Horace Parlan, Joe Malinga (Southern Africa force), Pholo Mamba, Wilber Little, Woody Shaw, Lee Konitz and many more artists whos names are not as well known. Rob Armus: Born in (Liverpool, England 1966) grew up and studied music in Vancouver, Canada, and has been performing jazz and original music for 20 years in North and South America, Europe and Israel. Since settling in Amsterdam in 1992, Armus has collaborated with many European musicians such as; Han Bennink, Tristan Honsinger, Wolter Wierbos and Curtis Clark. He has also composed music for dance and film. Gabriel Guelman: Gabriel was born in Montevideo Uruguay in 1969, grew up in Haifa Israel. He started playing professionally in Jerusalem while Studying with Emil Ram. In 1993 Gab moved to Amsterdam were he played with Mark Simmons, George Dickerson (Haji Ahkba). He has recorded with Curtis Clark (piano) and Eugene Gondi (drums) his own original material. In 1996 Gab spent a year in New York City . In 1997 he moved back to Amsterdam feelancing with various musicians. Gab Studied with Ernst Glerum, Jesus Hernandez and Pedro Luis. In 2000 Gab studied with the master bass player Orlando Cachaito Lopez in Havana Cuba. He played with Curtis Clark, Antonio Grippi, Albert Sarko, Burton Greene, Jogi Gilis ,Jose Avila. Gabriel is an active member of the Amsterdam jazz scene and is a member of the string ensemble VioLatina. |
