Arjen Gorter

Arjen Gorter (2 januari 1948, Amsterdam, The Netherlands) played accordeon at age 8, guitar at 12 and double bass from age 16. He is self-taught, but for a few months of classical bass lessons and some semesters of weekly jazz workshops with Theo Loevendie and Nedly Elstak. He graduated from the Barlaeus Gymnasium and studied political science and sociology at the University of Amsterdam, until becoming a full-time musician in early 1970. In 1966 he participated in the 18-piece orchestra with which Willem Breuker caused upheaval at the Loosdrecht Jazz Festival, together with Ileana Melita, Gilius van Bergeyk, Hans Vonk, Jan Wolff, Hans Dulfer and others. From 1967 through 1971 active in various groups led by Gunter Hampel with a.o. Jeanne Lee, Anthony Braxton, Steve McCall en John McLaughlin, at festivals in Germany, Belgium, France, Italy and Yugoslavia. During the first half of the 1970's free-lance contrabassist, for example in groups led by Chris McGregor (Paradiso, Amsterdam), John Stevens (Spontaneous Music Ensemble, Berliner Jazz Tage), Gato Barbieri (Bilzen Festival, with Han Bennink) en Paul Bley (Chateauvallon, with Steve McCall). Member of the Irene Schweizer/ Rudiger Carl Quartet 1972-1975, with a.o. Louis Moholo. In The Netherlands work with Boy Edgar, Loek Dikker, Hans Dulfer & Ritmo Natural, Herman de Wit and the Instant Composers Pool, ICP. From 1972 through 1985 cooperation with composer/saxophonist Theo Loevendie in his Consort and Quartet; bassist in groups with Nedly Elstak (e.g. Several Singers) between 1978 and 1984. From the founding in 1974 until the move in 2005 involved in the organisation behind the BIMhuis in Amsterdam; for twelve years board member of the Union of Improvising Musicians BIM; six years as member of the Dutch Arts Council (Raad voor de Kunst). Arjen is a member of the Willem Breuker Kollektief from its founding in 1975 on and traveled with this ensemble all over the world, including multiple tours of Russia, China, Japan, India, Indonesia en Australia and some twenty tours through the United States. Besides, through the years he is active internationally as free lance contrabassist/improviser, performing together with musicians ranging from Charles Tyler to Phil Woods, from Sheila Jordan to Suzie Stern and from Rene Thomas to Pere Soto. He was bassist for the Mal Waldron European Quartet, with John Betsch and Sean Bergin, until Waldron’s death in December 2002. Since the millennium he performed with Craig Handy, Alex Coke, Archie Shepp and James Carter and with the Eric Dolphy 2000 Project (with Breuker, John Engels and Eric Vloeimans).

With Toby Delius, Michael Moore and Martin van Duijnhoven he played in the Frank van Bommel Quintet, which toured Canada in 2003. He was part of the Drummers Double Bill and 3DoubleDutch projects led by Rob Verdurmen and Arend Niks, touring in Holland and China. In more recent years Arjen did guest performances with ICP, Bik Bent Braam and with groups led by Eric Boeren, Jorrit Dijkstra and Ramon Valle. Currently he performs with I Compani, the nonet led for 25 years by saxophonist Bo van de Graaf. In July 2011 Arjen co-arranged and organized the project 'Eric Dolphy at the Five Spot Revisited', giving concerts at the BIMhuis in Amsterdam and at the North Sea Jazz Festival, which featured a quintet led by Moppa Elliott and Peter Evans along with Gorter's sextet comprising Tom Arthurs, Rudi Mahall, Alex Coke, Benoit Delbecq and John Betsch. Future presentations of this project are being considered. A selection from his discography: • Willem Breuker - Litany for the 14th of June 1966, Relax, 1966 • Gunter Hampel Group + Jeanne Lee, Wergo Studio-Reihe Neuer Musik, 1968 • Gunter Hampel - The 8th of July 1969, Birth CD 001, with Anthony Braxton, Breuker, Steve McCall, 1969 • Instant Composers Pool - 007/008, ICP, 1969 • Hans Dulfer & Ritmo Natural - Candy Clouds, EMI, 1970 • Theo Loevendie Consort - Chess!, BASF, 1972 • Willem Breuker Kollektief - all (over 50) LP's, CD's en DVD's, mostly on BVHaast (see www.willembreukerkollektief.com ), from 1975 until the present. • Roswell Rudd/Dulfer - Maine, BVHaast, 1976 • Theo Loevendie Quartet - Orlando, Waterland WM 003, 1977 • Leo Cuypers - Zeeland Suite, BVHaast, 1977 • Boy Raaijmakers/Maarten van Norden Quartet - Chicken Song, BVHaast, 1979 • Nedly Elstak - Sad Trumpets, Coreco 03, 1980 • Leo Cuypers - Heavy Days Are Here Again, Atavistic UMS207CD, with Breuker and Han Bennink, 1981 • Misha Mengelberg - Change of Season: the Music of Herbie Nichols, Soul Note 1104, with Steve Lacy, George Lewis en Han Bennink, 1985 • Rüdiger Carl - Virtual Cowws, FMP , with Phil Wachsmann, Irene Schweizer, 1996 • Frank van Bommel - Twardzik, BVHAAST, with Toby Delius, Martin van Duynhoven,1999 • Alex Coke/Rich Harney - Through the Years, with Martin Banks and A.D. Mannion, CreOp Muse 009, 2001 • Alex Coke - New Texas Swing, with Tina Marsh en John Betsch, CreOp Muse 010, 2002 • Frank van Bommel - Ore, with Michael Moore and Tobias Delius, BVHaast, 2004 • Drummers Double Bill - 2Texel, with Jan Wolkers, BVHaast, 2006 • Willem Breuker Kollektief - Live at the Ruta Maya Cafe, Austin Texas, BVHaast, 2006 • Herbert de Jonge - Real People, with Esmee Olthuis and Charles Huffstadt, EWM 75356, 2007 • Willem Breuker Kollektief - Fidget, with Vera Beths, BVHAAST, 2007 • I Compani - Mangiare!, with Bo van de Graaf, Toondist, 2011 Show less