Wim Kegel (8 December 1967) is one of the most prominent drummers of the Netherlands. He has developed a unique style that combines traditional jazz drumming with a progressive, contemporary and personal approach.
Wim started playing drums at the age of six. After studying with his Father Nico Kegel and his first drum teacher, Paul van der Vossen, at age 15 Wim moved on to the Royal Conservatory, in The Hague, where he enrolled in the School for Dance and Music, a special course for young talents. Wim carried on at the conservatory for his Masters in performing jazz. He studied with drum teacher Henk van den Berg, but also with Ack van Rooyen and Frans Elsen. He graduated with honours in 1991.
In 1994 and 1996 Wim was able to go to New York and Boston on a grant from the Dutch Fund for Stage Arts (Fonds voor de Podiumkunsten), where he studied with his idols Joe Morello, Bob Moses and Jamey Haddad. The latter introduced him to the frame drum and its accompanying techniques which have remained important for the rest of his career.
With the group Supreme Headquarters Wim Kegel won the 1st prize at the N.O.S Jazzcontest for the best group in 1989. The CD O.P. on which he played with Tony Overwater, Maarten Ornstein, Ack van Rooyen and Ernst Reijseger won the Edison Award in 2001.
Over the years Wim has recorded over forty CDs with national and international musicians such as David Liebman, Bob and Chuck Findley, Ron Mc Croby, David Schnitter, Jeroen Manders, Willem van Manen's Contraband, Marc van Roon, Hans Mantel, the group Special Delivery, Tilmar Junius, and the Down Town Jazz Band.
Wim has also appeared in concert with Michael Brecker, Pat Metheny (North Sea Jazz Festival 2004), Bob Berg, Sunny Murray, Bob Brookmeyer, Clark Terry, Johnny Griffin, Ferdinand Povel, George Duke (radio show for Radio Netherlands Worldwide) and many more.
Wim Kegel has performed throughout Europe starting in his teens, and later around the world, especially the Middle and Far East, India, the United States, North Africa and Australia.
His latest project is the Wim Kegel – Marc van Roon Duo which plays a wide range of contemporary jazz music. They recorded their first album drumwise
for Challenge Records on their Buzz label, with worldwide distribution. Its release date is April 2015. (www.wimkegel.nl)
Other Projects:
Braskiri, a group with Bert Lochs on the trumpet and flugelhorn, German pianist Dirk Balthaus, Norwegian tuba player Steffen Granley, and Wim Kegel on drums.
This group just recorded its first album for the German record label Berthold Records. Release date: May/June 2015. (www.braskiri.nl)
Ack van Rooyen/Jeroen Manders Quintet with Marc van Roon, Erik Robaard and Wim Kegel. The CD To the Ends of the Earth came out last year for the German Label, Mons Records. Performing at the North Sea Jazz Festival 2015.
Ellington Suites with the Calefax Reed Quintet featuring Tony Overwater on bass and Wim Kegel on drums. Next concerts April/May 2016.
Jungle Boldie, with Maarten Ornstein on tenor saxophone and clarinet, Tony Overwater on bass and Wim Kegel on drums. A trio that has been together for over twenty five years and works on a project base. Their last recording was Jungle Boldie which appeared on the label Turtle Records.
Over the past fourteen years Wim has worked as a drum teacher in Almere and Utrecht. He has been a guest teacher at several conservatories in the Netherlands and runs his own music/drum school Drumwise.
