Rein de Graaff belongs to the generation of jazz musicians who, in the 60's, joined in with their American examples. As a bopper pur sang the pianist performed with a large number of big names, like Hank Mobley - in whose band he played for a while in New York - Dexter Gordon, Johnny Griffin, Clifford Jordan and Sonny Stitt. He also often accompanied American guest soloists in his bebop formation with bass player Koos Serierse, tenor sax player Dick Vennik and drummer Eric Ineke. With his rhythm tandem made up of bass player Marius Beets and drummer Eric Ineke he has been playing with various prominent guests at North Sea the last couple of years. Baritone sax player Nick Brignola, guitarist Peter Leitch and the sax players Sonny Fortune and Gary Bartz have had this pleasure before. This year De Graaff will be playing with 'Bird'-adept alt sax player Charles McPherson, who played under Charles Mingus' wing for a long period and the staunch American vibraphone player Dave Pike, who, apart from his own recordings, has shared the stage with Dexter Gordon, Harold Land and Paul Bley.
