Biography
Lucas van Merwijk

Drummer Lucas van Merwijk has been at the forefront of the European Jazz, Latin and percussion scene for over 25 years.

He was elected 'Best Jazz Drummer' and 'Best Fusion Drummer' in the Benelux countries by the readers of dutch drum magazine De Slagwerkkrant many years running between 1993 and 2013.
After an intensive study of Afro-Cuban drums with drummer Oscarito Valdes (Irakere) in Cuba in the early eighties, Lucas van Merwijk has been active with a variouty of projects.

At the moment Lucas is the initiator and leader of four ensembles: the world-percussion group Drums United, Van Merwijks Music Machine (with a changing line-up every year), Drumix! with master percussionist Aly N'Diaye Rose, and the 20 piece salsa and Latin Jazz ensemble The Cubop City Big Band.

Besides this Lucas is in demand as a drummer with various groups and artists throughout Europe, in particular with the internationally acclaimed group Nueva Manteca.
All of these experiences have made him develop his own special style, a mix of Cuban, Brazilian and North American rhythms, characterized by powerful percussion and splendid technical skills.

Van Merwijk has been staff teacher for drums and percussion at both the World Music department of the Rotterdam Codarts conservatory as well as the Jazz department of the Amsterdam Conservatory since 1986.

In 2010 Lucas wins the Global Act Award 2010, for remaining continuously successful as a leading international Artist in world music, over a long period of time. In 2013 he publishes his drum book World Beat, world rhythms for drum set.



Lucas played with the following artists

JAZZ
Vince Mendoza
Chris Hinze
Joe Pass
Claudio Roditi
Denise Jannah
Future Shock
Rick Margitza
Benjamin Herman
George Mraz
Future Shock
Georgy Fame
Cyrus Chestnut
Metropole Orchestra
European Broadcast Union Big Band
Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw

LATIN/LATIN JAZZ
Nueva Manteca (since 1985)
Sticks and Strings
Edy Martinez
Andy Gonzalez
Alex Acuna
Orestes Vilato
Giovanni Hidalgo
Roberto Vizcaino
Arturo Sandoval
Luis Conte
Dave Valentin
Nicky Marrero
Batida
Bobby Sanabria
Armando Peraza
Alfredo 'Chocolate' Armenteros
Nelson Gonzales
Nicky Marrero
Michel Camilo
Ralph Irizari
Leonardo Amuedo
Paquito De Rivera

AS A LEADER
Cubop City Big Band (since 1995)
Drums United (since 2000)
Drumix! (since 1999)
MUSIC MACHINE 2006
Leonardo Amuedo, Jeroen Vierdag
MUSIC MACHINE 2007
(Roberto Vizcaino, Carlo de Wijs, Konkie Halmeyer)
MUSIC MACHINE 2008
(Theodosii Spassov, Martin Verdonk, Reno Steba)
MUSIC MACHINE 2009
(Roberto Vizcaino, Rik, Mol, Marc Bischoff, Jeroen Vierdag, Gianna Tam)
MUSIC MACHINE 2010/11
(Manou Gallo, Marc Bischoff, Aly NÂ’Diaye Rose, Ed Verhoeff)
MUSIC MACHINE 2012/13
(Ramón Valle, Ilja Reijngoud, Adinda Meertins)

THEATRE
Ramses Shaffy
She Got Game
Female Factory
Leoni Jansen
Liesbeth List
Laura Fygi
Karin Bloemen
Paul de Leeuw
Made in Holland
West Side Story Nueva Manteca Jeroen van Merwijk
Boulevard of Broken Dreams

POP/ROCK
Candy Dulfer
Hans Dulfer
Rory Block
Tavares
the Three Degrees
the Trammps
Boudewijn de Groot
Donovan
Hennie Vrienten
Tuck & Patty
Lois Lane
Bob Fosko
the New Cool Collective
Acda & de Munnick
Trijntje Oosterhuis
Jan Akkerman

WORLD
Glenn Velez
Henri Guedon
Lotz Of Music
Rosenberg Trio
Aly N'Diaye Rose
N'Gueng Le
Theodosii Spassov
Hossam Ramzy
Carmen Linares
Carel Kraayenhof

CLASSICAL/CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL
Jessey Norman
Het Metropole Orchestra
Slagwerkgroep Amsterdam
Nits de La Mediterania
Circle Ensemble

DANCE
Andrés MarÌn
Nuria Manglano
LuÃŒs de LuÃŒs
Tap Dogs



Bio Lucas van Merwijk

1961 Born in De Bilt, The Netherlands
1970 starts playing drums
1980 till 1982 studies at the Sweelinck Conservatorium in Amsterdam
1980 starts working in the Salsa and Jazz scene in the Netherlands
1982 till 1986 Boulevard of Broken Dreams Orchestra
1984 till 1987 Henri Guedon, Paris
1985 till 1992 Maarten van Nordens Future Shock
1886 Studies in Habana, Cuba with Oscarito Valdez
1986 1989 teaching Latin Percussion at the Hilversums Conservatory
1986 Tour with Chris Hinze Combination

1987 till present Drums with Nueva Manteca
1887 till present Drums at the drumfaculty at CODARTS Insititute
1987 till present Drums & Percussion at the Amsterdams Conservatory

1988 Azie tour with Future Shock
1989 playing with Nicky Marrero, Nueva Manteca
1989 till 1991 TV show Jansen & CO

1990 starts trio Sticks & Strings with Leonardo Amuedo
1991 till 1994 Denise Jannah 4tet
1991 Hans Dulfer Band
1992 Cd URU Sticks and Strings

1992 Studies in Habana Cuba with Oscar Valdez by readers Slagwerkkrant Drummagazine

1994 Chosen best Jazz Drummer of 93/94 by readers Slagwerkkrant Drummagazine
1994 Chosen best Fusion Drummer of 93/94 by readers Slagwerkkrant Drummagazine
1994 Nueva Manteca Leeds International Music Festival
1994 Tour with Sticks and Strings
1994 Clinictour Germany with Martin Verdonk

1995 Nueva Manteca tour with Bobby Sanabria
1995 starts CUBOP CITY BIG BAND
1995 Tour USA Nueva Manteca
1995 Nueva Manteca tour with Claudio Roditi
1995 Chosen best Jazz Drummer of 94/95 by readers Slagwerkkrant Drummagazine
1995 Chosen best Fusion Drummer of 94/95 by readers Slagwerkkrant Drummagazine
1995“Award for outstanding service to jazz education” in Los Angeles
1995 Nueva Manteca tour Danmark
1995 Nueva Manteca tour Germany
1995 CD recording the Machito Project CUBOP CITY BIG BAND

1996 Chosen best Fusion Drummer of 95/96 by readers Slagwerkkrant Drummagazine
1996 USA tour Nueva Manteca
1996 Nueva Manteca on Trinidad & Tobago
1996 Cubop City Big Band tour with Chocolate Armenteros
1996 North Sea Jazz Festival Cubop City
1996 Nueva Manteca Jazzfestival Kouvola Finland
1996 Cubop City Big Band tour with Chocolate Armenteros

1997 Cubop City Big Band recording Moré and More
1997 Concerts Cubop City Big Band with Edy Martinez
1997 Nueva Manteca tour Danmark & Finland
1997 starts record label Tam Tam Records
1997 recording Sticks & Strings CD JAMFEVER
1997 Chosen best Jazz Drummer of 96/97 by readers Slagwerkkrant Drummagazine

1998 Tour Dutch Antilles with the Cubop City Big Band
1998 Nueva Manteca tour with Luis Conte
1998 Clinic Journees de la Percusion Paris
1998 Nueva Manteca at Salsa Festival Turku Finland

1999 Live in the Hague Cubop City Big Band on Tam Tam Records
1999 Tour Female Factory Moskou and Madrid
1999 Tour Bonaire, Sint Maarten, Curaçao & Aruba with the Cubop City Big Band
1999 North Sea Jazz Festival
1999 Chosen best Fusion Drummer of 98/99 by readers Slagwerkkrant Drummagazine
1999 Concerts Cubop City Big Band with percussionist Armando Peraza
1999 Concerts in Colombia with pianist Edy Martinez

2000 Concerts with spanish percussiongroup Nits de la Mediterania
2000 Nueva Manteca tour Israel
2000 Bomba Moderna festival Torres y Salsa France
2000 starts duo DRUMIX! with senegalese percussionist Aly N'Diaye Rose.
2000 Chosen Jazz Drummer of 99/00 by readers Slagwerkkrant Drummagazine
2000 starts percussiongroup DRUMS UNITED
2000 starts Tam Tam Productions foundation
2000 CD Drumix! on TAM TAM Records
2000 Theatre tour She Got Game

2001 STICKS & STRINGS becomes 'Trio Amuedo, van Merwijk, Vierdag'
2001 Teaching at Manhattan School Of Music Summercamp
2001 Theatre tour She Got Game
2001 Live cd Trio Amuedo, van Merwijk Vierdag, 'Live in Amsterdam on Tam Tam Records
2001 Cubop City Big Band concerts with trésplayer Nelson Gonzales
2001 Cubop City Big Band Torres y Salsa France
2001 Euro Radio Big Band Jazz Meeting for EBU
2001 Concert for Nelson Mandela, Carré, Amsterdam
2001 Concerts with Percussion group Amsterdam

2002 Theatre tour Drums United program HIT
2002 Teaching at Manhattan School Of Music Summercamp
2002 Nueva Manteca tour with Ralph Irrizarry
2002 Theatre tour She Got Game
2002 Theatre tour Made in Holland
2002 Cubop City Big Band cd 'Arsenio' on Tam Tam Records

2003 Concerts with Slagwerkgroup Amsterdam
2003 tour Puerto Rico Heineken Jazz with Nueva Manteca
2003 Nueva Manteca tour "The Westside Story" with Jeroen van Merwijk
2003 Teaching at Manhattan School Of Music Summercamp
2003 Theatre tour She Got Game
2003 Theatre tour Made in Holland
2003 Cubop City Big Band Tour 'The Mambo Kings'

2004 Manhattan School Of Music Summercamp
2004 Nueva Manteca tour with Orestes Vilató
2004 Theatre tour She Got Game too
2004 Theatre tour Drums United 'World of Rhythm'

2005 Nueva Manteca tour "My Fair Lady"
2005 Theatre tour Drums United 'World of Rhythm'
2005 Theatre tour Amuedo van Merwijk Vierdag trio
2005 Theatre tour Cubop City Big Band ‘Tribute to Afro Cuba’ 10 year anniversary!
2005 Theatre tour van Merwijk Corsen Vierdag trio
2005 Theatre tour Cubop City Big Band ‘Latin Guitar Explosion’10 year anniversay!
2005 Theatre tour Amuedo van Merwijk Vierdag trio
2005 2006 Nueva Manteca

2006 Theatre tour Cubop City Big Band ‘Latin Vocal Explosion’ 10 year anniversay!
2006 Theatre tour Drums United 'World of Rhythm' (reprise)
2006 DVD recording Drums United 'World of Rhythm'
2006 Caribbean tour Cubop City Big Band to Bonaire & Curaçao
2006 Tour Colombia with Nueva Manteca
2006 Theatre tour Drums United ‘Ritmo Inferno’
2006 Clinic Tromp Percussion Biennale

2007 Theatre tour Cubop City Big Band ‘Latin Diva’s
2007 Van MerwijkÂ’s Music Machine with Konkie Halmeyer, Carlo de Wijs and Roberto Vizcaino
2007 Clinic tour in Germany for Pearl Drums
2007 Drums United tour to Bulgaria and Serbia
2007 Cubop City Big Band with Drums United Grachtenfestival Amsterdam
2007 Theatre tour Drums United ‘Ritmo Inferno’ (reprise)
2007 Chosen to ‘Hall of Fame’ by readers Slagwerkkrant Drummagazine
2007 Drumix! Theatre Tour ‘The World of Drumix!
2007 Nueva Manteca Motown Mambo! concerts

2008 Van MerwijkÂ’s Music Machine with Theodosii Spassov, Martin Verdonk, Reno Steba, Stormvogel.
2008 Drums United tour to Cyprus and Germany
2008 Cubop City Big Band with Drums United Tilburg
2008 Dutch Theatre tour Drums United Slaat Door!
2008 SA Tour Cubop City Big Band Colombia, Surinam, Aruba, Curacao
2008 CD Cubop City Big Band ‘Que Sensacion!’
2008 Cubop City Big Band Tribute to Tito Puente with special guest Andy Gonzales on Bass

2009 Van Merwijk’s Music Machine ‘Latin Soul & Boogaloo’
2009 Drums United tour to Mexico
2009 Drums United tour to Norway
2009 Drums United tour to Germany
2009 Drums United Theatre Tour ‘Slaat door!’
2009 Drumix! Theatre Tour ‘Amsterdam Dakar’
2009 dvd Music Machine & Theodosii Spassov
2009 dvd Music Machine & Konkie Halmeyer
2009 dvd Drums United Ritmo Inferno

2010 Van MerwijkÂ’s Music Machine & Manou Gallo
2010 Cubop City Big Band Otro Mundo ‘Venezuela’ met Roberto Quintero
2010 cd Drums United Heartbeat
2010 Drums United Canada concerts (London) Algoma)
2010 Van MerwijkÂ’s Music Machine & Manou Gallo (Cyprus)
2010 Lucas wins the Global Act Award 2010. Prestigeous Dutch World Music Award

2011 Nueva Manteca Tango con Clave Theatre tour
2011 Nueva Manteca Requiem Tour Israel
2011 Cubop City Big Band Otro Mundo ‘Colombia’ with Edmar Castañeda
2011 Drums United Germany
2011 Van MerwijkÂ’s Music Machine & Manou Gallo Canada tour
2011 Drums United Canada concerts (Montreal, Fredericton, Sherbrooke)
2011 Drums United European Heartbeat (Ireland) with Eamon Murray, Bohdran drum
2011 Nueva Manteca Chicano Rock Theatre Tour


2012 Cubop City Big Band Otro Mundo ‘Uruguay’ met Beatriz Aguiar, José Lopretti, José Perez
2012 Drums United European Heartbeat (Turkey) with Misirli Ahmet, Darbuka
2012 Drums United Heartbeat tour Netherlands, Germany, Usa, Canada, Norway, Turkey, Luxembourg
2012 Tour Van MerwijkÂ’s Music Machine & Manou Gallo (reprise)
2012 Music Machine ‘Cuban Golden Classics’ Cyprus
2013 Marcao Toro Ensamble Salsafestival Toros y Salsa Dax, France

2013 Drums United Heartbeat tour Netherlands, Thailand, Germany, Usa, Canada, Mexico
2013 Music Machine ‘Cuban Golden Classics’ (Sunfest) Canada
2013 Voted Best World/Fusion Drummer of ‘12/’13 by readers Slagwerkkrant Drummagazine
2013 Los Misticos Salsafestival Dax, France
2013 Los Misticos concerts with Jimmy Bosch, Franky Vasquez and Herman Olivera

2014 4Beat tour China
2014 Drums United Colombia
2014 Drums United China tour

Ever since he was a kid, Lucas van Merwijk, born in 1961, has been under the spell of drums.

He was elected 'Best Jazz drummer' in the Benelux countries by the readers of "De Slagwerkkrant" (a professional Dutch Drum magazine) for six years running (1993-1999). Furthermore, he was elected best Fusiondrummer in the Benelux in 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1999.

After an intensive study of Afro-Cuban drums with drummer Oscarito Valdes (Irakere) in Cuba, Lucas van Merwijk is now very actively involved with various groups and artists throughout Europe, and, in particular, with the internationally acclaimed group Nueva Manteca.

At the moment Lucas is the bandleader of four groups: His own trio with Randal Corsen and Jeroen Vierdag, Drumix! with Ali N'DiayeRose, the world-percussion ensemble Drums United and the 20 piece Cubop City Big Band
Apart from that, he has also appeared in a lot of television and radio shows and can be heard on many CDs. As a percussionist he has collaborated with many bands, on recordings and productions.

All of these experiences have made him develop his own special style,a mix of Cuban, Brazilian and North American rhythms, characterized by powerful percussion and splendid technical skills.

His passion for the Latin big band sound made him put together his CuBop City Big Band. The CD Moré & More came third place on Max Salazar's top-ten of the Greatest Latin CDs of 1998 in the New York magazine Latin Beat.
Lucas runs his own record label called Tam Tam Records. Van Merwijk teaches regularly at the Worldmusic Department of the Rotterdam Academy of Music and the Sweelinck Conservatory in Amsterdam.

He has often been invited to teach masterclasses in percussion and drums at many renowned international, European and American music institutes.