Robert Rook - piano
Dick Verbeeck - drums
Thomas Winther Andersen - bass
Robert plays the piano in a way that any musicians hanging at the bar, will forget their beer, turn their heads towards the music and say : who is that incredible piano player?
Robert`s solos are always expressive and he is able to carry away the listeners. He prefers to treat compositions that are simple and strong and then expand them as a selfextracting file. A song should not contain more score information than what will fit on the back of a coaster, he says.
The repertoar consists of funky grooves, swinging jazzstandards, original compositions and some free improvisation.
In the spring of 2007 the band released a double cd Bimhuis Live Dangerous Cats 2, with tenorplayer Rob Armus.
In October 2006 the cd Hymn For Fall with TW Andersen's compositions was released and in 2005 Dangerous Cats
Every musician will be jealous of Roberts's rare talent: Strong rhythmic feeling absolute pitch and great technique. If you ask him to sing on a karaoke show (except they don t have the records) he will scat solos of Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter & John Coltrane without missing a note. It is just a tool he says. While talking with Robert about music he always stress the importance of the band interaction and decisions according to blend, mood and balance. It is all Psychology, he says refereeing to cooking and telling simple things like: Certain spices to certain meals, you don't know why but you taste it.
For the past ten years these musicians have played together in different combination. They know each others playing so well, that musical decisions are made at ease in 1/100 of a second. This combination with drummer Dick Verbeek seem to be as close as you can get to a perfect band.
The Dutch press referred to Robert`s playing as: "respectful to the tradition but with a healthy amount of self-conceit".
Visit Robert Rook , lots of music and some viderecordings from concerts
Robert Rook was born in Utrecht, the Netherlands. While he still was studying mathematics in 1991 en 1992 he joined the quartet of Wim Overgaauw (godfather of Dutch jazzguitarplaying), with Frans van der Hoeven on bass and Marcel Serierse on drums. In 1993 he received his Master's degree in Mathematical Logic from the State University of Utrecht.
Dick Verbeeck (1959) drummer, percussionist. Studied jazz-drumming at the conservatory of Rotterdam. Studied improvisation and instument-making with Manfred Bleffert. Played amongst others with Michiel Borstlap, Dick de Graaf, Ruud Brink, One step seven seas (cd "mephisto"), Hein van de Gaag.. Played in several projects improvised music for new instruments. Teaches improvisation, sound and movement in music.
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