Hein van de Geyn


Hein Van de Geyn is a jazz double bassist, composer and band leader from the Netherlands. Van de Geyn also teaches double bass and music.

Early life

Van de Geyn was born in Schijndel, Netherlands on 18 July 1956. He studied classical violin for 15 years and started on electric bass guitar when a teenager. He studied classical music at a Tilburg conservatory from 1974 to 1979, and then jazz double bass at a Rotterdam conservatory until 1980.

Career

Van de Geyn lived and worked in Seattle in 1980 and San Francisco from the following year. He returned to Europe in 1983. He began playing with Philip Catherine in 1985. Van de Geyn toured with Chet Baker between 1985 and 1988, including Japan in 1987. Another multi-year association was with Dee Dee Bridgewater. In 1990 he recorded with Lee Konitz; the two also played as a duo during the following two years. In 1994 he formed the band Baseline with John Abercrombie and Joe LaBarbera.
Also in 1994, Van de Geyn co-founded the jazz label Challenge Records, for which he was in charge of artists and repertoire. "Challenge Jazz was spun out from the parent and has been owned since 2005 by Hein van de Geyn. Challenge also offers a booking arm, New Arts Agency, which focuses on bringing label artists to venues and festivals in the Benelux region of Europe."
In 1996 he became head of the bass section in the jazz department of the Royal Conservatory of The Hague.

Awards and honors

As leader

With Chet Baker
With Dee Dee Bridgewater
With Deborah Brown
With Philip Catherine
With Tete Montoliu
  • Catalonian Rhapsody
  • Music for Ana
With Enrico Pieranunzi
  • Seaward
  • Don't Forget the Poet
  • Music of Wayne Shorter
  • Improvised Forms
  • Alone Together with Philip Catherine
  • Live in Paris
With Toots Thielemans
  • Chez Toots
  • Live
With others'
With John Abercrombie
With Nat Adderley
With Bob Brookmeyer
With Philip Catherine
With Harmen Fraanje
With Denise Jannah
With Rick Margitza
With Enrico Pieranunzi
With Clark Terry
With Jasper van 't Hof
With Eric Vloeimans