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Ron van Stratum

Dutch drummer/percussionist Ron van Stratum has a reputation of being able to play in a wide range of musical styles: from Jazz to Pop, from Latin to Rock. Having studied both classical percussion and jazz/pop drums he can draw from a huge technical and above all musical vocabulary. Ron played and worked with the likes of Jim Beard, Jon Herington, Scott Kinsey, Mike Stern, John Beasley, Mike Mainieri, Randy Brecker, Eric Gale a.o. and leads his own Ron van Stratum band. Besides that he also is the drummer/percussionist for Belgian singer Nadine Nix and performes clinics and workshops for reknown drums-, cymbals- and percussion companies. He holds a chair as drumteacher at the Conservatorium Maastricht Jazz/Pop departement since 1992 "Swingin' In The Swamp" - the story of how this album came into being is as unusual as the name itself! And the best way to hear it is from Ron van Stratum himself: "About five years ago, I felt that it was time to write a new repertoire for my band, go into a great studio, record a CD and get the ball rolling. But as life so often goes, I was constantly busy with other (wonderful) projects for other (wonderful) people on stage and in the studio. Parallel to this I started to build my own recording studio, finally write new songs and record demos. I invited some musician friends to play these pieces with me and - wow! It sounded so good that I decided to make the album completely by myself, as composer, drummer/percussionist, producer, sound designer, engineer...“

Ron van Stratum brings a very precise idea of "his" kind of music: jazz fusion with strong world music influences. He draws inspiration from greats like Joe Zawinul to whom the song "Zawinizm" is dedicated, and who has in Ron’s opinion created his very own style of music; Jim Beard who plays along on some tracks from the album and brings the composition "Ode To The Doo Da Day" along; and also from Scott Kinsey. "Swingin' In The Swamp", a piece characterised by Kinsey's music and the title track of the album, was created from pure improvisation in the recording studio. It has neither a "real" theme or melody yet still holds to a traditional form.

Ron van Stratum thought spontaneously of the wide swamplands in their best sense: unbelievably flexible, incredibly dense, deceptive in appearance, and always bursting full of life!

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Album Review

Ron van Stratum: Swingin' In The Swamp

Read "Swingin' In The Swamp" reviewed by Gina Vodegel


It's a generally accepted misconception that those who earn a living as a teacher in the arts must either not be good enough a performer, or are compelled to satisfy a wretched sense of envy, while clipping the wings of very talented students. Some of the stories out there may be true, but drummer/percussionist Ron van Stratum's Swingin' In The Swamp defies all such horror tales. Van Stratum has been a drum teacher since 1993 at The Netherlands' Maastricht Conservatory--recruited ...

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Take Five With...

Take Five With Ron van Stratum

Read "Take Five With Ron van Stratum" reviewed by AAJ Staff


Meet Ron van Stratum: Drummer/percussionist from The Netherlands. Has worked with Jim Beard, Scott Kinsey, Mike Stern, John Beasley, Mike Mainieri, Eric Gale and others. Currently teaching at Conservatory of Maastricht (NL). Has three CDs out as a leader, and is a clinician for Yamaha drums, and Meinl cymbals and percussion.Instrument(s):Drums, percussion.Teachers and/or influences? Joe Zawinul, Jim Beard, Scott Kinsey, Peter Erskine, Vinnie Colaiuta, Elvin Jones, Pat Metheny.Your sound ...

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Recording

New CD Dutch Drummer Ron Van Stratum

New CD Dutch Drummer Ron Van Stratum

Source: Michael Ricci

"Swingin' In The Swamp"—the story of how this album came into being is as unusual as the name itself! And the best way to hear it is from Ron van Stratum himself: “About five years ago, I felt that it was time to write a new repertoire for my band, go into a great studio, record a CD and get the ball rolling. But as life so often goes, I was constantly busy with other (wonderful) projects for other (wonderful) ...

I got a copy of "Swingin' in the Swamp" the other day and I’m really enjoying it. I can confidently state that listening to this album will bring a smile to Zawinul fans. Ron cites Zawinul, Jim Beard and Scott Kinsey as influences, and that definitely comes through. Lots of funky basslines, tasty keyboard work, and world influences. Ron’s work on the drums and percussion underpins it all. It’s good to learn about a new musician making this kind of music. Keep it up, Ron! (www.zawinulonline.org) …great tunes came out using various line-ups in a fusionjazz style with strong worldmusic influences: it takes the direction of Joe Zawinul's music….

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