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 | Hein VAN DE GEYNBASSThe Netherlands |
Soon Hein was working with some of the Dixieland bands in the south of Holland, but also formed his first Bebop group. With this group he received the award as "best soloist" at the contest on the 1977 Laren Jazz festival. It was after this that he decided to pick up the double bass, and really pursue his career as a Jazz musician. In the meantime though he finished his classical music studies at the conservatory of Tilburg.
After gaining much experience in all kinds of styles, Hein went to the USA in 1980 to tour with Mark Lewis. He decided to move there and did so after graduating, as the first in the country, from the Jazz-department of the Rotterdam conservatory, where he studied with Koos Serierse.
After living in Seattle for a while and being much inspired by Gary Peacock, he moved to San Francisco in 1981. Here he was in a band with John Abercrombie and Larry Schneider, played with many great musicians, recorded some albums, and generally learned a lot about the reality of being a Jazz musician.
In 1983 Hein returned to Europe and has since been establishing himself as one of the most sought after bass players in Europe. He has been the bass player with Philip Catherine between 1985 and 1992, touring all over Europe and playing in Africa, Israel, Rumania and Thailand with him. In 1987 he toured and recorded in Japan with Chet Baker. In 1988 Hein started to play with, and arrange for Dee Dee Bridgewater, with whom he has been performing at most of the important festivals in Europe (Montreux, Antibes, Vienne, Berlin, Northsea, London ....) as well as in the USA (Carnegie Hall, Village Vanguard, Montreal, Newport Festival ......) and Japan.
Besides these activities, Hein has worked as a free-lance side-man with many great players, has taught clinics from time to time, and has been the bass player on some 70 records. Hein is constantly writing tunes - many of them are recorded - and arranges for bigger ensembles from time to time. He has also played a number of solo-bass performances.
In July 1990 Hein made the first album under his own name, a duo with Lee Konitz. In 1994 he created his group BASELINE with John Abercrombie and Joe LaBarbera. This group recorded several albums and toured all over Europe.
1994 was also the year in which Hein co-founded with Anne de Jong and Joost Leijen the Jazz label CHALLENGE RECORDS, for which he produced a growing number of successful recordings.
In 1996 Hein became the head of the bass section in the Jazz department of the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. In this year he also was awarded the prestigious Prins Bernhard Foundation Music Prize. He received this prize for his importance in the development of European Jazz as well as for his stimulating role as mentor and producer of many of the young musicians in Holland.
In 1997 Hein was nominated for the Bird Award of the Northsea Jazz Festival. In this year also Hein added dancer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa to his group BASELINE.
In the Belgian jazz referendum organized by Belgian radios RTBF and VRT, Hein was elected best European acoustic bass player of the year '98.
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