Eric van der Westen

Eric van der Westen
Double-Bass player - Composer
Eric was born on the 29th of August 1963 in a small town in the South-west of The Netherlands, Zierikzee. He was 19 years
when he started to play the Double-bass and that turned out to be a turning point in his life. Having experimented with almost
every form of Rock-music, he turned to Jazz and Improvised Music after hearing records of Charles Mingus, Thelonious Monk
and Miles Davis for the first time.
Having only been playing double-bass for half a year, he enrolled the Sweelinck Conservatory in Amsterdam. He took extra
classes with people like Miroslav Vitous, Hein van de Geijn, Gary Karr and Ray Brown and graduated in 1990. By then he was
already playing professionally with Dutch Jazzgreats as Willem van Manen and Paul van Kemenade.
He was granted a composition assignment for the Groninger Jazzmarathon in 1992 by the Dutch Broadcasting Society N.O.S.
After that he worked for several festivals such as Antwerpen '93 and Festival Mundial 1994. He wrote music for a South-
African ballet, "Speaking With Tongues", which was taken on tour throughout Africa in 1996.
As a sideman he worked with Gary Thomas, Kenny Wheeler, Carlos Ward, Mal Waldron, Bob Malach, Tony Lakatos, Jasper
van 't Hof, Theo Jörgensmann, Norma Winstone, Philippe Catherine, Misha Mengelberg a/o.
As a leader he set up several groups. First his OCTET which resulted in the highly acclaimed album "The Working Dreamer".
Then his Double Orchestra: a 12-piece group in which an extraordinary combination of instruments gave him a chance to
experiment with layers of music. He then took to his workstation QUADRANT which resulted in the composer-showcase
"DIEPKLOOF and other songs from the book", and "NAALA and more songs from the book". In 1999 he initiated a very
successful project called "Me, Myself and I- Looking at the Music of Charles Mingus". Eight Dutch composers wrote a piece
based on a handed out Mingus composition for Quadrant Extended (5+7). The recording, which was released in September
2000 on Challenge Records, received outstanding reviews.
In 1998 Eric had started his own management company EWM, thus bringing his activities as musician, composer and
producer under one roof. Prominent artists like Jasper van 't Hof, Paul van Kemenade, Martin Fondse and Louis Mhlanga
have hooked up with EWM since the beginning.
This also resulted in the foundation of his own record label EWM Records on which he released two albums in 1999: "Song
for Nomsa" (with South African guitarist Louis Mhlanga) and "Naala and more songs from the book". Since the label started
about fifteen releases have been issued.
In the beginning of 2000 Eric also shifted towards another area with the founding of electric group E-Quad. Taking its
influence from Dance, World beat, Acid, Trip-Hop, Rock, World Music and New-Jazz, this band is blending those sounds into
something very fresh and danceable. It also functions as a producer's platform.
His duo with South African guitarist Louis Mhlanga has become really succesful playing at some sold out theaters and
festivals in Europe and Africa. The duo is also part in several cultural exchange programs.
Eric was asked to be the guest programmer for the Jazz International Rotterdam Festival 2004 and performed with a
selection of his activities at the Festival.
A new direction of his creative search involves "Eyeing P.P.", a special multidisciplinary artistic project dealing with the life and
works of Pablo Picasso-like Charles Mingus a major influence- , covering modern ballet, sculpturing arts and music started in
September 2004 and runs throughout 2005.
Regular bands Eric is a member of are: Jasper van 't Hof Quartet, The Groove Troopers, Martin Fondse Octemble, Izabel
(Martin Fondse, DP Koelsch & v.d Westen), Amsterdam Jazz Trio, E-Quad, Quadrant, Quadrant Extended, Duo Mhlanga &
van der Westen & Marnix Busstra Quartet
Projects in the coming years are:
-E-Quad will be part of a large tour backing up a dance performance by dancecompany “De Stilte” in 2006.
-duo with strings: Mhlanga/van der Westen with Zapp! String Quartet(2006)
-B.I.D.S.S. Versus E-Quad (Hip hop, Dance and Jazz). (2005)
-Quadrant Extended featuring Monika Akihari, Kristina Fuchs, E-Quad, Mete Erker, Angelo Verploegen, Hans Sparla, Louis
Mhlanga & Jeroen van Vliet (2005)
-Amsterdam Jazz Trio with strings (playing dutch composers like Mengelberg, Jansen a.o.)
-E-Quad- the African League: techno,d&b, world beat-groove featuring Louis Mhlanga, Sello Montwedi, Marcus Wyatt.
Discography:
as a leader and with Quadrant:
"The Working Dreamer" on BV Haast 1993
"Diepkloof and other songs from the book" on EWM/HLMR 1998
"Naala and more songs from the book" on EWM-Music 1999
"Me, Myself and I- Looking at the Music of Charles Mingus" on Challenge Records. 2000
"It is what it is- featuring Norma Winstone" on EWM-Music 2002
"Rush Hour" on EWM-Music 2002
“The World Over” on EWM-Music 2005
Louis Mhlanga:
"Keeping the Dream on EWM-Music 2003
"Song for Nomsa" on EWM/BMG 1999
E-Quad
“Tone, Tune Tempo” on E-Quad 2005
“I hear you Now” on E-Quad 2002
Amsterdam Jazz Trio (Verploegen, Verhoeff & v/d Westen)
“For The Time Being” on EWM-Music 2005
“The Night And The Daydreamer” on Challenge Records 2002
The Groove Troopers
"Zoom Zoo" on Challenge Records 2003
Martin Fondse Octemble:
"Upperground" on BV Haast Records 1998
"Ere Ibeji" on BV Haast Records 2001
IIQ
"I.I.Q." on Nom Records 1996
Paul van Kemenade:
"Missacity" on Zon en Maan Records 1990
"Mo's Mood" on HLM Records 1994
"Live (except) Just For The Occasion" on HLM Records 1995
"Live in Sweden" on HLM Records 1996
"Zvinoshamisa" on EWM-Music 2000
"To be continued...." on EWM-Music 2000
"A Night in Indonesia" 2001
"Fouta" on Mundial Records 2003
Feya Faku:
"Hommage" on Challenge Records 1999
Ge Bijvoet:
"Dutz" on Challenge Records 1999

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