LOUIS ARMSTRONG CELEBRATION BAND
Trumpeter & singer Michael Varekamp graduated cum laude as a Teaching & Performing Musician at the Royal Conservatoire and has since traveled all over the world giving concerts. He was part of the Dutch Swing College Band and worked with Scott Hamilton, Louis van Dijk and Branford Marsalis. He is acclaimed abroad. Michael received the Kobe Award in Japan and has performed in Jazz at Lincoln Center and Birdland. During his travels, he regularly gives master classes, including in New York, and gave guest lectures at the University of Durban. He is currently drawing full houses in the Dutch theaters with The Legends and gives online lectures for, among others, jazz collective Shamayim in Israel.
Harry Kanters is a virtuoso pianist in various styles of traditional Jazz. His specialty includes Ragtime, New Orleans, Stride, Swing and Early Bebop. With his extensive repertoire, he is a popular pianist in 'All Star' line-ups and a beloved guest soloist with various bands and internationally recognized. He also organizes concerts with international guests. Harry was a member of the well-known JoJo Swing Band, as well as the popular Swing Cats. You can hear him on sixty+ LPs and CDs, and played in Jazz clubs and festivals from Breda to New Orleans to Tasmania. Harry has performed with Scott Hamilton, Leroy Jones, Lillian Boutté, Tom Baker, Warren Vaché and Jason Marsalis.
Peter Verhas was born and raised in Dendermonde (B). Peter received a classical education on clarinet, flute, piano and later learned the saxophone through self-study. He started playing jazz at the age of 20 with the Lazy City Jazzband and then switched to The Jeggpap Jazzband which he led for many years and turned into a solid swingband. Peter played with jazz greats such as Patrick Artero, Freddy Sunder, Ivan Paduart, Gino Latucca, Tars Lootens, Leroy Jones, Dana Gillespie and many others. Peter can be found regularly on the Belgian Jazz stages in both the traditional and swing style.
Emmery played at festivals in America, Canada, Lapland, Germany, Indonesia and most European countries. He played in 84 concerts during 29 editions of the North Sea Jazz Festival. He shared the stage and made CDs with Ben van den Dungen/Jarmo Hoogendijk 5, Olivia Newton John, Duke Jordan, Louis van Dijk, Blossom Dearie, Chet Baker, Freddie Hubbard, Mark Murphy, Archie Shepp, Eddie Daniels, Candy Dulfer Mel Lewis, Johnnie Griffin, Anne Burton, Dorethy Donegan, Roy Hargrove, Marian MacPartland, Frank Foster, Al Grey, Bob Brookmeyer, Wynton Marsalis.
www.harryemmery.com
Bassist Harry Emmery started his studies of classical double bass at the Rotterdam Conservatory at the age of 12. In the 1970s he was part of various pop groups and later he specialized in Jazz and became a much sought-after studio musician. He worked for seven years as a bass guitarist and double bassist with the Metropole Orkest conducted by Rogier van Otterloo. Emmery can be heard on more than 100 jazz CDs.
Drummer Erik Kooger grew up in Alkmaar and started playing drums when he was eleven. When he was 15, he played professionally for the first time. After his studies at the conservatory in The Hague, he often worked with pianist Michiel Borstlap and toured with Borstlap and the singer Gino Vannelli. He has worked a lot with guitarist Jerôme Hol. He was a member of the group CRY BABY! van Dick de Graaf and was drummer with De Deeldeliers from 2012 to 2017 (with the famous Jules Deelder and Bas van Lier). Erik has performed with Teddy Edwards, Christian Pabst, Ack van Rooyen, Deborah Carter, Don Braden, Hans Dulfer and Edwin Rutten.
www.erikkooger.com
What a Wonderful World!
Photos Roland Kämpfer (CH)