Biography
For more than four decades the music of Dutch tenor/soprano saxophonist and composer Toon Roos has been highly acclaimed by colleagues, critics and audiences worldwide. Toon, born in 1964 in Alphen aan den Rijn, started his international career with the performance of his quartet at the North Sea Jazz Festival of 1984, after which an extensive tour followed immediately.
Over the years Toon recorded and performed as a band leader, sideman and guest soloist with many artists and bands from the Netherlands and abroad. He was a steady member of the Dutch Jazz Orchestra, the Netherlands Concert Jazz Band and performed several times as guest soloist with the reputed Metropole Orkest. He performed in most European countries, as well as the United States, the Caribbean, South Africa, Mexico and China.
AWARDS
In 1984 Toon received the Wessel Ilcken Prize, an encouragement prize for young talents. The prize was initiated by pianist Pim Jacobs and singer Rita Reys and presented at the Loosdrecht Jazz Festival.
Toon won the prestigious Bird Award in 2001, an international jazz prize, presented annually during the North Sea Jazz Festival. The lyricism in his playing was especially praised at the presentation of the Bird Award. The jury wrote:
‘Toon Roos belongs to the best tenor sax players of Holland. He’s multi-faceted, plays in the most diverse ensembles, and when it comes to command of the sax, he stands out from all the rest. There is an enormous expressiveness in his performance. His instantly recognizable sound on the tenor sax is round and flexible. Toon Roos disposes of great harmonious insight, fluent melody and robust timing. Although his roots are traditional, Toon Roos is part of the modern generation of jazz musicians who know no stylistic borders, and with that is a worthy exponent of the current state of affairs in jazz music.’
In 2004 Toon was winner of the 2nd prize in the category Jazz of the International Songwriting Competition in the USA with his composition Reach For The Rose. His song Vienna’s Touch, recorded with Toots Thielemans, received a special appreciation.
INTERNATIONAL
Over the years Toon Roos worked with many international jazz and fusion greats such as:
Joe Zawinul, Peter Erskine, Toots Thielemans, John Scofield, Christian McBride, Bill Stewart, Ivan Lins, George Mraz, John Clayton, Art Blakey, Barry Harris, Jack McDuff, Ravi Coltrane, Kenny Werner, Fred Hersch, Bob Brookmeyer, Charlie Byrd, Joanne Brackeen, Vince Mendoza, Pete Christlieb, David ‘Fathead’ Newman, Philippe Catherine, Aldo Romano, Bert Joris, Gerry Brown, Bruno Castellucci and Steely Dan.
FIRST YEARS
Toon Roos (say Tone Rose) was born on 11 April 1964 in Alphen aan den Rijn in The Netherlands. At the age of twelve Toon started to play the alto saxophone at the local music school guided by his teacher Albert Beltman, who encouraged him to go professional. With his teacher, having switched to the tenorsax, in 1979 Toon had his first concerts as a jazz musician in a sax group called Five And More. In 1982 this sax section became part of the big band of pianist Rob Madna. Also in those years Toon played his first funky jazz with the Moluccan groups Trash and Nagasare. In September 1982 Toon finished his secondary school in Alphen aan den Rijn and started his study at the Jazz Department of the Rotterdam Conservatory with saxophone teacher Ferdinand Povel. In January 1984, at the age of 19, Toon had been invited for the first time as guest soloist with the Metropole Orkest conducted by Rogier van Otterloo.
TOON ROOS QUARTET
In July that same year the Toon Roos Quartet made its debut at the North Sea Jazz Festival in The Hague. Toon won the prestigious Wessel Ilcken Prize, an encouragement prize for young jazz talents. That year he recorded his debut album First Impression with his quartet for the Dutch jazz label Timeless Records. Toon played with Robert Jan Vermeulen on piano, Onno Gerritse on double bass and Hans Eijkenaar on drums.
Soon after many concerts followed in jazz clubs, theatres, concert halls and at jazz festivals both in The Netherlands and abroad. In 1986 Toon graduated early after three years of study at the jazz department of Rotterdam Conservatory. In 1987 the Toon Roos Quartet in a new line up was finalist in the European Jazz Contest in Leverkusen, Germany. In 1988 this group released a second well received album for Timeless Records entitled ‘Attitudes’. This album features Toon as a composer and player of the tenor & soprano sax with Karel Boehlee on piano & synth, Frans van der Hoeven on double bass and Roy Dackus on drums.
DIVERSITY
With his ‘intense power of expression’ (Jazz Freak magazine 1992) Toon Roos has developed into a versatile tenor and soprano saxophonist, feeling at home in various styles of contemporary jazz music. In 1986 Toon and flugelhorn player Ack van Rooijen formed a quintet with pianist Rob Madna, drummer Eric Ineke and bassist Harry Emmery. The group played several concerts in Holland and Germany. In addition to the acoustic jazz of the Toon Roos Quartet, playing jazz standards and originals, Toon over the years played lots of funky jazz & Brazil fusion with Dutch groups such as Top Secret, Face to Face and Batida, led by singer Josee Koning.
Toon also performed and recorded with groups and artists such as the Amsterdam Jazz Quintet of Robert Jan Vermeulen, the Jamesz trio, Peter Ypma plus Eleven with saxophonist Benjamin Herman and in duo with pianist Rob van Kreeveld. Toon also worked with several big bands such as the Skymasters, was a member for several years of the Netherlands Concert Jazz Band directed by Henk Meutgeert, a member of the Dutch Jazz Orchestra directed by Jerry van Rooyen and played several times as guest soloist with the Metropole Orkest.
THE HUMAN FEEL
In 1993 Toon made his third quartet album entitled The Human Feel, released on the Belgian label September Records. Over the three quartet albums Toon’s music gradually evolved from an acoustic hardbop sound into a more funky sound. Basically this was due to the altering style of Toon’s compositions, embracing different rhythms and influences, the change of band members over the years and the use of synthesizer sounds in addition to the traditional acoustic basis. In response to this third CD Paul Etienne wrote in Jazz Freak: ‘The Toon Roos Quartet has captured a special place in the jazz scene, due to their very own style, both live and through the album The Human Feel’. This album has Chris Erbstoesser on piano and synths, Frans van der Hoeven on double bass and Dre Pallemaerts on drums.
TOURING
From an early age Toon Roos played with national and international celebrities both in The Netherlands and abroad. Over the years he has been touring in jazz clubs, theatres and at jazzfestivals through out Germany, Switzerland, France, Belgium, Spain, Denmark, Norway, Italy, Bulgaria, the Caribean, Mexico, the USA, South Africa and China. In 1983 Toon joined the Count Basie Tribute Big Band of bassist John Clayton, accompanying stars such as Sarah Vaughn, Cedar Walton and Harry Sweets Edison. His first performance abroad was in 1984 with the Toon Roos Quartet at the Puglia Jazz Festival in Italy. In 1985, as part of winning the Wessel Ilcken Prize, Toon was invited to play at the Loosdrecht Jazz Festival as a guest for several songs with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers.
In 1987 Toon made recordings for Swiss-German television with a group centered around trumpeter Allen Botchinsky, including drummer Aldo Romano, bassplayer George Mraz, and guitarist Philippe Catherine. As guest soloist with the Rein de Graaf Trio Toon has toured with the American tenors Pete Christlieb and David ‘Fathead’ Newman. Toon toured in France and The Netherlands with Italian pianist Enrico Pieranunzi, trumpeter Fabrizzio Basso, bassist Hein van de Geyn and with pianist Ivan Paduart and drummer Hans van Oosterhout.
NORTH SEA JAZZ FESTIVAL
Over the years Toon has played many times at the North Sea Jazz festival with both his own groups and the Dutch Jazz Orchestra and as guest soloist with several other projects. Toon’s first performance at the festival was in 1984 with his quartet. In 1991 Toon was invited by the festival to play on a tribute to saxophonist Stan Getz. The session featured several Getz sidemen like trombone player Bob Brookmeyer, guitarist Charlie Byrd, pianist Joanne Brackeen and drummer Billy Hart. As winner of the Bird Award, Toon was invited in 2005 to join the North Sea Jazz Bird Session, led by keyboard legend and fellow Bird Award winner Joe Zawinul. The Bird Session was a tribute to the 50th dying day of Charlie ‘Bird’ Parker, and the 30th anniversary of the festival. Toon played with two different line ups that night. The first one was led by Joe Zawinul with Toots Thielemans on harmonica, Barry Harris on piano, John Scofield on guitar, Ravi Coltrane on tenorsax, Christian McBride on double bass and Bill Stewart on drums. The second line-up featured Piet Noordijk on alto saxophone, John Engels on drums, Hein van Geyn on double bass and Greetje Kauffeld on vocals.
NEW YORK
With a grant from the Dutch government in 1989 Toon studied for five months in New York City and had lessons with George Coleman, Bob Berg and Bill Evans. Highlights during his stay there were four concerts with organist Jack McDuff at the Showman’s Café in Harlem, and a performance with harmonica virtuoso Toots Thielemans and pianist Fred Hersch in jazz club Fat Tuesdays. Toon has played and recorded with Toots on various occasions.
DUTCH JAZZ ORCHESTRA
Another mainstay of Toon’s musical career was the Dutch Jazz Orchestra, of which Toon was a permanent member and one of the main soloists ever since its formation in 1983 till 2001. The renowned orchestra under the direction of conductor and arranger Jerry van Rooyen has scored many successes in The Netherlands and the USA. These include the performance and recordings of newly discovered works of composer and arranger Billy Strayhorn, in his time the right-hand man of Duke Ellington. In the USA more than 12.000 copies were sold of the corresponding CD ‘Portrait of a Silk Thread’. The American press was unanimous in their enthusiasm for both the music and its execution by the Dutch Jazz Orchestra. The band also gave a successful performance in 1996 in Pittsburgh during the annual ‘Duke Ellington Conference’ with the Strayhorn and Ellington family in the audience. Toon also recorded two albums with the Dutch Jazz Orchestra featuring music of composer / arrangers Jerry van Rooyen and Rob Madna.
IVAN PADUART QUARTET
For several years Toon has toured and recorded with Belgian pianist Ivan Paduart. The repertoire of this acoustic jazz quartet consisted of original compositions by Ivan Paduart and Toon. Their songs match in taste, style and groove and all have a lyrical quality. Over the years the group recorded several albums and toured The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Denmark, Switzerland, Norway and China. They also performed and recorded with singer Fay Claassen and trumpeter Bert Joris as special guest. Toon occasionally still performs with Ivan. Read more on Ivan at www.ivanpaduart.com
FREE AT LAST
The Toon Roos Group plays music that could be described as ‘funky world jazz’. They blend jazz, funk, rock, latin, bossa nova, African, and other influences into a thing of their own. Their first album Free At Last was recorded live in 2003 in the Dutch radio show ‘Tros Sesjun’ and was broadcasted in many countries all over the world via Radio Netherlands. In his need of funky music Toon started this group in the year 2000, being a natural continuation of his 1987 fusion group Face to Face and his 1993 ‘Human Feel’ quartet. The Toon Roos Group combines the crème de la crème of the Dutch music scene in one powerful band. Their album ‘Free At Last’ was released on CD for the label JJ Tracks. With Karel Boehlee on keyboards, Peter Tiehuis on guitar, Boudewijn Lucas and Michel van Schie on bass, Danny Sahupala and Sebastiaan Kaptein on drums, and Martin Verdonk on percussion.
Free At Last is now for the first time online available, website exclusive at the home and music page.
LOVE REVISITED
In 2008 the Toon Roos Quartet recorded an album with mainly jazz standards and two originals songs. The album was called Love Revisited and the band presented their new album at the Bimhuis in Amsterdam. Love Revisited has Karel Boehlee on piano & synths, Hein van de Geyn on double bass and Joost van Schaik on drums.
The album was released on CD, and will be newly released online soon on this website.
Videos of the CD presentation in the Bimhuis you can find on the video page.
STEELY DAN
Short version of the story… Walter Becker and Toon met in June 2001 at a concert of Toon in Amsterdam. Walter commented after Toon’s performance: ‘I love your compositions… in New York there are so many saxophone players who play so many notes that the notes loose their musical meaning… but your playing is so well balanced that every note has a musical meaning… that’s great.’
Over the years Walter and Toon stayed in touch. In 2009 Walter invited Toon to open the shows of Steely Dan on their European ‘Left Bank Holiday’ tour. The Toon Roos Quartet played nine venues among which the Heineken Music Hall in Amsterdam, the Hammersmith Apollo in London and the Olympia in Paris. Walter commented at the end of the tour: ‘the opening shows were excellent all the way.’
ANGEL DANCE
Toon’s sixth album Angel Dance is the second album of the Toon Roos Group and was released in 2011 on the label Challenge Jazz. It was praised by the national and international media as a “work of perfection and sheer beauty.” Jazzism wrote: “an impressive and artistic masterpiece”. Angel Dance features the legendary drummer Peter Erskine known for his playing with Weather Report and Steps Ahead. The all original songs are composed by Toon Roos, Karel Boehlee and Peter Erskine and are a refined mix of lyrical funky jazz. The Toon Roos Group on Angel Dance has Karel Boehlee on piano & synths, Hein van de Geyn on double bass, Peter Erskine on drums, Alex Acuna and Eddie Conard on percussion. Listen to Angel Dance on the music page.
METROPOLE ORKEST
Since the beginning of his career Toon did several performances and recordings as guest soloist with the international reputed Metropole Orkest directed by Vince Mendoza. His first performance was a radio recording in 1984 for KRO’s Nine O Clock Jazz with Rogier van Otterloo leading the orchestra. Toon, then 19 years old, was invited as guest soloist together with singer Georgie Fame. Over the years more recordings followed with Toon’s originals and jazz classics, arranged for the orchestra by Rob Pronk, Jerry van Rooyen and others. Also Toon recorded several songs with the Metropole Orkest directed by Vince Mendoza with Kenny Werner on the piano.
JOYS FROM BRAZIL
Recently Toon has been performing with a new project called Joys From Brazil, where his love for Brazilian music is expressed. The repertoire has both original songs and classics from composers like Ivan Lins, Tom Jobim, Djavan and Milton Nascimento. The group has performed with Juraj Stanik on keys, Jan Dumee on guitar, Boris Oud on double bass, Enrique Firpi on drums and Martin Gort on percussion.
TEACHING
Toon currently teaches at the Jazz departments of the Royal Conservatoire The Hague and
of the Utrechts Conservatorium in the Netherlands.
From 1992-2001 Toon was teaching at the Maastricht Conservatorium.
For more information visit
https://www.koncon.nl/en
& https://www.hku.nl/en/study-at-hku/utrechts-conservatorium
MUSICIANS
As band leader and co-leader Toon has played with many top talents from the Netherlands and abroad, such as:
KEYBOARDS
- Rob Madna
- Karel Boehlee
- Robert Jan Vermeulen
- Joe Heinemann
- Berthil Busstra
- Chris Erbstoesser
- Ivan Paduart
- Juraj Stanik
GUITAR
- Peter Tiehuis
- Lou Guldemond
- Jan Dumee
- Martijn van Iterson
- Rogerio Bicudo
- Erik Rutjes
- Tim Langedijk
BASS
- Frans van der Hoeven
- Onno Gerritse
- Harry Emmery
- Essiet Okon Essiet
- Michel van Schie
- Frans van Geest
- Ruud Ouwehand
- Theo de Jong
- Hein van de Geyn
- Boris Oud
- Rene Dissel
- Boudewijn Lucas
DRUMS
- Roy Dackus
- Eric Ineke
- Hans Eikenaar
- John Engels
- Don Mumford
- Dré Pallemaerts
- Hans van Oosterhout
- Danny Sahupala
- Franc auf dem Brinke
- Sebastiaan Kaptein
- Joost van Schaik
- Enrique Firpi
- Bruno Castellucci
- Peter Erskine
PERCUSSION
- Nippy Noya
- Eddy Conard
- Bart Fermie
- Martin Gort
- Martin Verdonk
- Alex Acuna
FLUGELHORN
- Ack van Rooijen
- Bert Joris
VOCALS
- Humphrey Campbell
- Lilian Vieira
- Andrea van Otterloo
- Fay Claassen