Here are the videos of Jazz legend John Engels his Sandlane Sessions. The 78-year old drummer from The Netherlands has left some incredible footprints in music history. Having recorded and played with giants like Stan Getz, Clifford Brown, Ben Webster and Chet Baker, he is the ever, almost juvenile fellow, and one of the most characteristic, experienced and legendary in the scene. Reason enough for Remo and Sandlane Studios to invite him for a session with his Barnicle Bill Trio, with Miguel Martinez on sax and Mark Haanstra on bass.
John Engels In retrospect, all that John recorded, artists he played with, the numerous sessions he did, the traveling he did, or the prices he received until now, are highlights in Jazz history. The easiest to mention are The Bird-Award he received at the North Sea Jazz Festival in 1985, the six Edison Awards (The Dutch Grammy), but most notably to John is the six-month tour in Japan with legendary trumpet player Chet Baker.
Imagine being the drummer who played with afore mentioned artists, in addition to Cab Kaye, Dizzy Gillespie, Johnny Griffin, Phil Woods, Tommy Flanagan, Monty Alexander, Hank Jones, Wynton Marsalis and many others.
In John's vocabulaire, namedropping is not that what you do, or even lean on in the job: "You just have to play. A lot! It's the only way to learn the songs." From his early childhood, John's background was all about music and inspirational musicianship around the home he grew up. He learned the musical spirit in his early days, together with the essential skills that only a few true musicians are open minded enough for to pick it up. That includes a mindset that is able to hook up with younger Jazz Cats and just start jamming in his basement - all about having fun in playing Jazz.
After getting together with Miguel Martinez and Mark Haanstra and making prime time appearances on Dutch national television, the trio released their debut album 'Barnicle Bill ', coinciding with John’s 75th birthday. However, that was already three years ago. If you know John Engels just a little, you know he is still creating new footprints everywhere. By playing, and by his relentless hunger to watch, listen and learn from others by attending concerts.
So it was not a coincidence we met John at another Sandlane artist, Lucas van Merwijk, his Music Machine concert. (Lucas van Merwijk recorded a Sandlane Session with percussion master Pete Lockett - published here.) John Engels on Lucas van Merwijk: "He is really one of the best, isn't he? I love to see he is having so much fun playing - that is what it is all about, really! People tend to forget to have fun in music nowadays. I can hear what he is doing, but I cannot see what is going on. His technique takes him everywhere in music."
That is John Engels: humble and on a continuous search for inspiration. An open and eager drummer who will only stop playing until he is forced to. He is music, and according to himself, expresses himself best through music: "It is better when you hear me play. That sounds much better."
On the right, you find the videos of the Sandlane Sessions. Below is a small selection of memorable videos of one of the greatest icons in Jazz history.
Chet Baker - You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To From 'Chet Baker in Tokyo' (1987), with Harold Danko on piano en Hein van de Geijn on bass.
Boy Edgar Big Band with Nina Simone
Cees Slinger | Ray Brown | John Engels - Alone Together At the 1996 North Sea Jazz Festival with the Bird Award All Stars.
