For almost my entire life, I resided in Amsterdam, which is my place of birth (1963). At the age of 21, I moved onto a houseboat in Amsterdam, and it provided an incredible sense of freedom! However, in 2018, after living in Amsterdam for 56 years, I left my hometown and moved to a small village above it. Despite this change, I can still see the skyline of my beloved city in the distance, and it feels like I can almost touch it

My initial aspiration was to become a photographer, as I believe that images have a powerful expression that words can’t convey. I enjoy photography, using Photoshop and InDesign, as well as visiting photography exhibitions and museums. Working with my creativity is one of my primary motivations, whether it’s designing, composing, improvising or producing. I am driven to find my own solutions and transform the inspiration I receive into my own language.

My guitar “career” began when I was fourteen years old. I taught myself initially, but I was only able to learn some basic pop songs at that time, as there was no YouTube or internet to access information easily. However, with the help of an excellent young teacher, I was inspired and challenged, which resulted in significant progress during his lessons, and we eventually delved into jazz. I realized immediately that playing and creating were what I needed to do. I prepared myself for an audition and followed a five-year jazz program at the Conservatory of Amsterdam.

My time at the CvA was a hardworking period, and it was challenging to find my personal touch and taste as a musician. I felt like I was growing up again.
Beside school I played a variety of genres, including jazz, world music, theatre productions, the prog-rock band Chime, and old-school funk music. I also played a lot of gigs and festivals both inside and outside the Netherlands.

Jazz serves as the foundation of my playing, but it is not my primary focus. For me, it’s about the atmosphere, sound, and story that a song wants to tell. The challenge in whatever you do is to find your own sound and style, regardless of the music genre you play. As a guitar player, I am not trying to be arrogant, but I do have my unique style and sound that is present in everything I do. I would appreciate it if you could listen to some of my songs on “my music,” and I hope you enjoy them.