The recollections of Eric Ineke - Dutch Jazz Master Drummer .....
Hans Koert
Eric Ineke - De ultieme begeleider (Nederlands) | Eric Ineke - The ultimate Sideman (English)
A few month ago, the Pincio Uitgeverij in Zoetermeer ( The Netherlands) published an interesting book, in English, with interviews and recollections by Jazz Master Drummer Eric Ineke, in conversation with Dave Liebman.
Eric Ineke was born in Haarlem ( The Netherlands) at April Fools' day, 1947, mostly self-educated on drums, studied as a kid with Jan De Gelder and John Engels jr.
He started his career with Dutch musicians like Henny Vonk and Ferdinand Povel, the latter still one of his beloved colleagues from the very beginning. He was inspired by the 78rpm records in his parental home and visited the US in 1966 where he heard drummers like Elvin Jones, Roy Haynes, Philly Joe Jones and Mel Lewis, among dozens of other great jazz musicians, who inspired him .......... His debut on record must have been a Cat EP with the Ferdinand Povel Quartet, recorded in April 1969. He could be heard, in those early days, with the Storktown Dixie Kids and Rob Agerbeek, and at a numerous school concerts all along the Netherlands.
In 1971, more then 40 years ago, he joined the Rein De Graaff Trio, a highly respected trio, which accompanied dozens of almost forgotten US musicians, who visited The Netherlands for Rein's great Stoomcursussen Bebop ( = crash courses in Bebop) and other projects...........
Almost ten years ago he started his own band, Eric Ineke's JazzXpress, following Art Blakey's example, with promising musicians like the young trumpet player Rik Mol ( nowadays activ in light music as Ryan Ricks), Sjoerd Dijkhuizen and Rob Van Bavel. Marius Beets, his companion in rhythm at the Rein De Graaff trio, besides him. Eric's career in music spans almost 50 years now and he accompanied numerous known and less-known jazz artists at almost a hundred albums. His 65th birthday was a good point to retrospect it .......
This publication is not the umpteenth biography of a Dutch jazz musician that ends in one of the book discount stores. I don't think so .......
When I have a look over my bookshelfs, I find books like De Pia Beck Story, about the great Dutch jazz pianist, vocalist and entertainer Pia Beck (1925-2009); Belevenissen in Bebop (Recollection about Rein De Graaff); Han Bennink - De wereld als trommel; the Dutch percussionist and artist; It don't mean a thing - Leven met Jazz, written by Dutch piano player and producer Cees Schrama; Willem Breuker (1944-2010) - Maker van Mensenmuziek or the biography of Dutch jazz vocalist Europe's first Lady of Jazz: Rita Reys - Lady Jazz ( written by Bert Vuijsje); all those biographies have one thing in common: they are written in the Dutch language .... In fact there are but few books about Dutch jazz scene (like New Dutch Swing by Kevin Whitehead) published in the English language - The book The ultimate Sideman fills the gap; a recollection of stories about jazzmen accompanied by Eric Ineke during his long career and a lengthy conversation about personal experiences between two skilled jazzmen Eric Ineke and Dave Liebman. Musicians like to talk about musicians, Dave Liebman said at the presentation of the book, at a concert in the Bimhuis in Amsterdam with the Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw a few months ago.
The book has, after an introduction by Eric's good old friend and colleague for more then 40 years, Rein De Graaff, a dozen chapters, each dedicated to a group of instruments, like the tenor players, the altoist up to the composers, arrangers and conductors. Between each chapter Dave Liebman talks about Eric's recollections, in interviews, as is told, recorded between two sets during concerts.
Eric, timekeeper for hundreds of jazz colleagues, talks about their personalities, their special needs, their characters and sometimes even about their bad manners. Eric calls a spade a spade, like for Pepper Adams, who loved to drink a kopstoot, a mix of Dutch gin and beer, a dangerous combination, not the best idea in preparation to a concert ... Or what about Lee Konitz, who could be a rather unpredictable person .... One night he is really blowing and the other night, when he is not inspired, nothing is happening, whatever you try. Sometimes he does not know what he wants, swinging or completely free, and that's hard playing for a rhythm section. (p.64). Eric's boek, The Ultimate Sideman is unique, as it presents the world on stage, the reflections of a musician ...... Eric discusses also elements of music, like the fact that some horn players always play behind the beat; about syncopation, about technique .... They (Charles McPherson, Barry Harris, Dave Liebman and a few other) can generate a looseness which I don't hear too much with the younger generation .... It is so relaxed and really swings! Playing in 4/4 is not that easy ... to get that deep loose swing feel, stretching the bar and phrase over the bar lines, that takes time ... ( p. 73)
Gary Foster ( photo courtesy: Hans Koert)As I joined several concerts in which Eric played the drums, it was a joy of recognition to read about the musicians he accompanied .... Like Ferdinand Povel (p. 30); Sjoerd Dijkhuizen (p. 32); Lee Konitz (p. 64); Herb Geller (p. 69), the Dutch alto saxophone player Marco Kegel (p. 74) (why don't we hear about this talented Dutch saxophonist?) and Gary Foster (p.70). And what about John Clayton (p. 143) Jesper Lundgaard (p. 143), Marius Beets (p. 148), Jesse Van Ruller and Martijn Van Iterson (p. 163)?
Deborah Brown (photo courtesy: Hans Koert)
And to end this selection: Barry Harris (p. 168), Tete Montoliou (p. 173); Rein de Graaff of course (p. 174), Rob van Bavel (p. 181), Peter Beets (p. 185), Frits Landesbergen ( p. 196) and, of course vocalist Deborah Brown (p. 199), who recorded with Eric Ineke's JazzXpress several times.
Frank Morgan ( photo courtesy: Hans Koert)
But don’t forget all those unmentioned recollections, about the legends in jazz, icons of the past, Hank Mobley, Curtis Fuller, Urbie Green, Dizzy Gillespie, René Thomas, Art Farmer, Clark Terry, Wynton Marsalis, Woody Shaw and Anita O’ Day …. They were all accompanied by Eric during his almost 50 years career …
Time to listen to Eric play the drums at a concert by the Rein De Graaff Trio accompaning Charles McPherson at "de Tobbe" in Voorburg (The Netherlands) ( 6th of November, 2009)
The book The ultimate Sideman - Jazz Master Drummer Eric Ineke talks about the artists he has played with since 1968 in conversation with Dave Liebman can be obtained during concerts by Eric Ineke or Dave Liebman or ordered at the editor's Geert Vinke.
This book is a well documented selection of impressions, told by one of the most versatile Dutch drummers in the Dutch jazz scene for the last 50 years ... I gave the book a place close to my Jazz reference books and, thanks to the extensive index, I'm sure it will be well-thumbed soon. Thanks Eric and Dave !
Hans Koert
keepswinging@live.nl
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