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| Cees Slinger Is Dead  Famous Dutch jazz pianist Cees Slinger has died yesterday of heart problems at the age of 77. Cees has played with innumerable American and European jazz greats, such as: trumpet players: Dizzy Gillespie, Freddie Hubbard, Clark Terry, Dusko Goykovich and Benny Bailey; trombonists: Slide Hampton, Al Grey, Bob Brookmeyer, Curtis Fuller, Bart van Lier, Bert Boeren, and Jimmy Knepper; tenorists: Ben Webster, Dexter Gordon, Zoot Sims, Johnny Griffin, Sal Nistico, Sonny Stitt, Jimmy Heath, James Moody, Scott Hamilton, George Coleman, Archie Shepp, Teddy Edwards, Arnett Cobb and Ferdinand Povel; singers: Dee Dee Bridgewater, Betty Carter, Anita O'Day, Deborah Brown, Adrienne West, Dee Daniels.In 1976 and 1985 Cees made two extensive European tours with the legendary drummer Philly Joe Jones, the second one including tenorist Clifford Jordan and resulting in the album 'Sling Shot!' (Timeless). In 1987 an other European tour followed, this time with the Mingus Dynasty band. Among the many recordings Cees has made are those with Ben Webster ('At Work in Europe' is one of them), the already legendary album with Dexter Gordon 'Live at the Amsterdam Paradiso' and 'Live at the North Sea Jazz Festival' with his own Cees Slinger Octet, which in 1983 played a series of very successful concerts in California. All above recordings are now also available on CD. During 1979-1989 Cees was teaching piano and conducting ensemble classes at the Rotterdam Conservatory of Music. His current activities include being musical director for singer Silvia Droste, writing for and leading the Cees Slinger Octet and being pianist/arranger for 'Bart's Bones', a 4-trombone group led by Bart van Lier. In 1996 Cees was invested with the prestigious “BIRD” award, presented each year at the North Sea Jazz Festival in The Hague, The Netherlands. In 1997 Cees together started a new quintet, the Buddies in Soul, with Ruud Breuls on trumpet, Stefan Lievestro on bass and Joost Patocka on drums. The group plays after the good old trumpet/tenor tradition, compositions of Monk, Silver, Mingus, Dameron, but also compositions by the band members themselves. write your comments about the article :: © 2007 Jazz News :: home page |