According to several polls and statements of connoisseurs René Engel is one of the best fusion and rock drummers in Europe. His musical career pushed forward as the famous percussionist Nippy Noya asked René to join his band. From that moment he got the possibility to expose his explosive and masterly drum style for a larger audience.



In the past few years he occasionally performed his own fusion music with the René Engel Band. One of his main projects at this moment is the brand new melodic rock band Thin Line, where René is acting as a drummer and a songwriter.



Together with a.o. guitarist Mike Stern and drummer Danny Gottlieb he recorded the cd-project Jazz sick. He played with artists like Herman Brood, Hans Dulfer, Chris Becker and Alex Gunia, provides studio sessions for Polygram and won the "Yamaha Best Musician Award". He is endorser/clinician of Noble & Cooley Drums, Ufip Cymbals and Vater Drumsticks.



Next to his conservatory study he took lessons from drummers like Bruno Castellucci, William Kennedy (Yellowjackets) and Gary Chaffee (teacher of Vinnie Colaiuta and Steve Smith). At the moment he's a teacher at the conservatory in Enschede (Holland) himself.



In 1995 René Engel released his first album called Despite opposition, with 11 own instrumental compositions and two songs co-written by Nippy Noya.



The second album Spheres of Samarkand appeared in 1998, with nine Engel instrumentals and one co-written by keyboard player Maik Schott.



At the beginning of the new millennium René released the melodic rock album Finally, together with his musical friends of the new band Thin Line. For this album René Engel co-wrote almost all songs with female vocalist Bettie Patawala.



In 2002 René released his third solo album Nostalgia with almost the same musicians as on the second album Spheres of Samarkand. This time René paid extra attention to the production of the album: more tight and a clearer sound.



In 2006 René Engel will start working on his new (4th) solo album.