© Roger Laute.
Teun (April ’75) first picked up the drums by age of 8. After two summercourses with drummer Dre Pallemaerts he went to the concervatory of Brussels were he took lessons with Hans Van Oosterhout. Since graduating from this school in 1999 he became fast one of the most in demand sideman in lots of different bands and musical Styles. His searching for a personal touch and wanting to explore all possibilities of playing music and drums, his lack of boundaries and styles and trying to find fresh sounds and freedom in collectif improvisation made him work (as sideman)with:
Alexi Tuomarila 4tet and Trio (signed WARNER MUSIC)
Jef Neve Trio (signed: UNIVERSAL)
FES (IPECAC ; CRAMMED)Fes did the first part of Mike patton’s Fantomâs during 10 europe dates.
VVG trio
Karanova (featuring Hilmar Jensson, Johann Johannssonn from Iceland and Mauro Pawlowski), Molo Trio, Jambangle, Rackham, Pascal Schumacher 4tet, “4”, JojoBa, Streams, Silent Song, Jozef Dumoulin Trio,...
He worked as a sideman and leader with people as Paolo Fresu (with Jef Neve trio), Uri Cain (With FES), Erwin Vann, Jean Phillippe Viret, Hilmar Jennson, Ernst Reyseger, Jimi Tenor, Toots Tielemans (with FES), Fred Vanhove, Trevor Dunn, Magic Malik, Shelley Burgon, Andrew d’Angelo, Fred Vanhove, Marc Helias, Giovanni Mirrabassi, Edouard Ferlet, Erick Vloeimans, Benny Lackner, Anton Goudsmidt, Harmen Fraanje, John Watts (Fischer Z), Matts Eilertsen, Michel Hatzi (aka moon),Louis Clavis (with FES),Peter Hertmans, Natalie Lorriers, Diederik Wissels, David Lynx, Bart Defoort, Kris Defoort, Arif Durvesh (knitting Shawney), Kevin Armstrong (Iggy Pop), Pierre Vervloesem, Bart De Nolf, Manu Hermia, Sal La Rocca, Erik Vermeulen, Antton Walgraeve, Tom Wolf, Monsoon, Pieter Embrechts, Point Zéro, Cesarius Gadzina, Marco Locurcio,jacques Pirroton, Steve Houben, Melanie de Biasio, Toine Thys, Nic Thys, Erik Vloeimans, Hein Van de Gein ...
Teun tours a lot with some of these bands. Played on Festivals in Scandinavia, Australia, Mexico, Spain, Italy, South Africa, Portugal, Iceland, Canada, Japan, Austria, Bermuda’s, England, Tunesia, Marocco, France, Venice, Bermuda Islands, Holland, United Kingdom, Greece, Cyprus, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Germany, Russia, Poland, ...
He was playing on the EuroJazzfestival in Greece with Alexi Tuomarila, Jef Neve, “4” and Pascal Schumacher and played on the same festival in Mexico City with Jef Neve.
He played a lot at big festivals such as North Sea, Vancouver, Blue Note, Jazz Middelheim, April Jazz, Gexcto Jazz, Kaamos Jazz, Montreal, Dour,...
Teun was also invited by Jazz Middelheim to open their 25 Jubileum Festival with the program called “Around a Drummer” and he also got a “carte blanche” at the 2005 Time festival, Gand.
Did supportacts for bands as :
Elvin Jones Jazzmachine, Brad Mehldau Trio, John Zorn’s Moonchild, Paul Bley, Brandford Marsalis 4tet, Joey Baron’s Killer Joe, Mike Patton’s Fantomâs, John Zorn’s Electric Masada, Charley Haden Band, John Abercrombie 4tet, Andrew d’Angelo Trio,...
PRICES:
Some of the bands won several Prices like The *Jazz Hoeilaert first Prize with Alexi Tuomarila (2000)
*Tremplin jazz 1st Prize with Alexi Tuomarila (2003)
*Nominated with the Harmen Fraanje Trio in Dutch Jazz competition. (2003)
*Tremplin jazz 1st Prize with Pascal Schumacher (2004)
*the Klara Muziekprijs with Jef Neve for their record” it’s gone”
*Teun was nominated in categorie best musician for the national belgian “Zamu-awards” (2006)
*First Prize of the Granada Jazz competition with the Alexi Tuomarila 4tet (2006)
*Tremplin Jazz first Price with The Christian Mendoza Band (2010)
PRESSQUOTES:
“Alexi Tuomarila has a strong rhytmical sence. You can hear sentences with a beginning and an end, punctuated by rhythmic accents that pull on Teun Verbruggen’s great groove”
Brad Mehldau liner notes on the 02 album of Alexi Tuomarila
“Teun Verbruggen deserves special mention for his wide ranging abilities, even if he does cop mercilessly from New York Drummer Jim Black on Uri Caine’s Snaggletooth”
John Corbett – Downbeat Magazine
“Neve's originals are like musical journeys; you start off here and end up half a mile away over there. His trio (comprising Piet Verbist on bass and Teun Verbruggen on drums) shape and shade the music with powerful rhythms.”
The Observer )- Stuart Nicholson
“You could call him the “Jim Black” of Belgium, since he’s as active as the american drummer. Teun Verbruggen , with “v” from versatile. Most bounderies mean nothing to him, he’s constantly in search of new or different ways to approach the drums and as a child of his times, he’s wide open for a wide range of styles.”
Jazz middelheim 25th Jubileum edition
“Psychoscout is a great album : “hard boiled cool meets Texas Avery”. A lot of great solo’s but especially: a Virtuoso Teun Verbruggen, who proves in less than 7 minutes that he’s able to do anything.”
www.goddeau.com - Guy Peeters
“Teun Verbruggen has long been a member of many local groups of which are among my very favourate: PSQ 4tet, Jef Neve trio, VVG trio, Alexi Tuomarila 4tet, FES and more recently Rackham. When I learned that Teun was starting of his own groups, my hopes were immediately very high. I was sure it would be anything but run of the mill. Othin Spake’s Beurs Café show exceeded my expectations.”
Mwanji Ezena
“The Jef Neve trio has a extraordinary high level of interaction and playing. Teun Verbruggen has a very big role in this interaction,plays in a very inviting way and has a very high level approach to the drums”
kwadratuur
“Flanders selfmade Chris Corsano (drummer Bjork, known for his very innovative style. RED) is named Teun Verbruggen. He keeps on surprising with his very fresh and innovating drumming” kraak
RECORD LABEL
Teun has also an own record label called RAT Records.
They release very innovative music.
You can find more info on www.ratrecords.biz
