The European Jazz Trio has captivated audiences worldwide with their masterful fusion of classical grandeur and smooth jazz innovation.
The European Jazz Trio effortlessly blends jazz, classical, pop, and folk music, creating a distinctive and refreshing sound. Renowned for their dynamic performances and innovative arrangements, the trio has released numerous albums, three of which received the prestigious Swing Journal Gold Disc award in Japan.
Since 2000, they have toured South East Asia annually, collaborating with the Japanese label Pony Canyon/M&I. Their global performances include renowned venues like the Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Suntory Hall in Tokyo, the Seoul Arts Center, and the National Concert Hall in Taipei. Notably, they have performed at the Tokyo Jazz Festival and the Astana Jazz Festival in 2023.
Formed in 1989 with pianist Karel Boehlee, the European Jazz Trio initially gained acclaim for their unique jazz interpretations of popular and classical melodies. Pianist Marc van Roon—who followed Boehlee in 1995— explains:
"A specialty of the trio is to find unusual material—often outside the jazz genre—and give it a fresh, new approach. We reinterpret familiar pop and classical tunes, offering listeners a chance to hear them in a different light."
The trio’s discography is shaped by their diverse musical influences, blending elements of pop, rock, classical, and fusion from the 70s and 80s. Since their debut album Memories of Liverpool in 1995, they have continued to record new material annually, with early albums produced by Makoto Kimata and Hiro Yamashita.
Recent collaborations with the Seoul-based label Audio Guy led to albums featuring jazz arrangements of Korean songs. In partnership with Stomp Music, they also released live albums featuring Disney and Ghibli Studio animation music (2022) and MapleStory game orchestrations (2024), recorded at the Lotte Concert Hall in Seoul.
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Marc van Roon
Pianist
Marc van Roon (born 1967 in The Hague) is a Dutch jazz pianist known for blending music performance with creative facilitation. As a facilitator, he guides leaders and organizations in sustainable change by applying improvisation as a core principle, aiming to “bring the art, heart & vibrancy of living systems back to the center of good work.”
A versatile composer and producer, Van Roon has created music for dance companies and ensembles, producing numerous CDs for both his own projects and other artists. He has collaborated with renowned musicians such as Gregg Osby, Dave Liebman, Clark Terry, Art Farmer, Charlie Mariano, Billy Hart, and many leading Dutch jazz artists, including Ernst Reijseger, Tony Overwater, and Tineke Postma.
Van Roon began classical piano lessons at age ten, inspired by his father, jazz pianist Wouter van Roon. He later studied jazz at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague with Frans Elsen and Rob van Kreeveld, graduating in 1991. Further studies in New York with Barry Harris and Richie Beirach enriched his musical perspective.
Returning to the Netherlands in 1993, he formed his own trio and co-founded the consultancy group Art in Rhythm, offering creative learning experiences worldwide. His discography includes solo and collaborative albums, as well as work with orchestras like the Concertgebouw Orchestra’s 'Ebony Band'. As a composer, he has written for dance, notably for choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa. Since 2007, Van Roon has been a member of the Tineke Postma Quartet, the Michael Moore Quintet, Angelo Verploegen Quintet and Tim Kliphuis Kosmos Trio with Maya Fridman.
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Frans van der Hoeven
Bassist
Frans van der Hoeven is a Dutch Bassplayer, Composer, Arranger, Solo performer, Teacher, and Multi Instrumentalist. He performs with musicians such as Jesse van Ruller Trio, Eef Albers Trio, Fay Claasen Band, Red Yellow & Blue and the Jeroen van Vliet trio In the past he has collaborated with: Clark Terry, Woody Shaw, Barney Wilen, Jack deJohnette, Eivind Aarset, Harry Sweets Edison, Art Farmer, Ronnie Cuber, Tom Harrel, Lee Konitz, Dee Dee Bridgewater,Toots Thielemans, Kurt Rosenwinkel and many more. he has recorded with: The Toon Roos Quartet, Rob Madna,Jesse van Ruller,Han Bennink, Diederik Wissels/David Linx, Art Farmer, Charlie Mariano, Fairouz, Lew Tabackin, the Dutch Jazz Orchestra and others.
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Roy Dackus
Drummer
Roy Dackus (‘64) Roy Dackus started to play drums at a young age following his father who was a professional drummer. In 1987 he graduated cum laude from the Conservatory of Amsterdam. During the years he has performed and recorded with different artists including Toots Thielemans, Randy Brecker, Richard Galliano, Dutch rock band Focus, Jan Akkerman. He played in orchestras as The Metropole Orchestra directed by Vince Mendoza, Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw and Hessischer Rundfunk bigband.
Roy has been a member of the European Jazz Trio) since 1988. With EJT he collaborated with Art Farmer, Charlie Mariano, Jesse van Ruller and Thijs van Leer.