De Rijk, Jeroen (NL)

Jeroen De Rijk (born 1962) is a freelance professional percussionist. He does extensive studio work and live performances, is also a composer and producer, and gives clinics for Latin Percussion and Zildjian. At the age of sixteen, Jeroen switched from drums to percussion. Together with John Engels – whom he has known since he was thirteen – he bought a pair of congas and took lessons with, among others, Steve Boston. Both Engels and Boston had a lasting influence on him.

Originally from Brabant, he received his true education – for better or worse – in Amsterdam. Through playing in an Amsterdam funk band, he ended up joining the Icelandic group Solant. With them, he performed in England (Ronnie Scott’s, London), Iceland and Japan. That tour remains his most intense: 54 gigs in 60 days, across 7 countries!

De Rijk doesn’t shy away from commercial productions (e.g. with Candy Dulfer and Rob de Nijs); he doesn’t look down on them, since he shares responsibility and knows the level of craftsmanship they require. He once compared a percussionist to the sauce chef in a gourmet restaurant.

He echoes what he calls the “universal quote” by Steve Gadd about the essence of a percussionist’s role: “Getting the most out of the least.” Fellow musicians he deeply admires include Paulinho da Costa, Don Alias and Poncho Sanchez.

For Jeroen, it is very important to “keep a close eye on my mental state and think carefully about where I am and where I want to go.”

www.jeroenderijk.com