Robert Rook Trio

Virtuoos is pianist Robert Rook. Misschien past 'geniaal' ook wel bij deze voormalig wiskundige. Zelden een pianist zo vol overgave zien spelen. (Hans Dijkstal, Financieel Dagblad) 

Robert Rook was born in 1966 in Utrecht, the Netherlands. His first band experience on the piano was when he was 10 years old. At eleven he did his first radio performance where he played  Dave Brubeck's Blue Rondo a la Turk. His first classical music radio performance was at sixteen in the Spiegelzaal of the Concertgebouw for the radio program Für Elise, where he played a Rachmaninov piece next to Crystal Silence from Chick Corea.

After highschool Robert studied Mathematics at the State University of Utrecht. While studying Mathematics he played in 1991 and 1992 in the quartet of Wim Overgaauw (godfather of Dutch jazz guitarplaying), with Frans van der Hoeven on bass and Marcel Serierse on drums. In 1993 he received his Master's degree in Mathematical Logic.

During 1994 and 1995 he played in the band Kova, with a.o. Michael Varekamp and Simon Richter.From 1994 to 1998 he was a steady member of the group of saxophonist Kees Smit with Thomas Winther Andersen on bass and Bart van Helsdingen on drums. Starting in 1995 he regularly collaborated with Ghasem Batamuntu, resulting in the CD 'Life on Uranus ' of The Nova Ghost Sect*Tet (1998). In 1996 Robert worked with the group SFEQ for six months. 

His first CD under his own name was released in 1997: 'Introducing Robert Rook', and rereleased in 2003 at (Japan). On this CD Robert plays with three different trio's: on bass Frans van der Hoeven, Sven Schuster and Thomas Andersen, and on drums Joost van Schaik and Chander Sardjoe. From 1997 till 1999 Robert worked together with alto saxophone player Miguel Martinez, Thomas Andersen en Chander Sardjoe in a group called Sketch, that released a CD with the same name in 1998 and with which he toured Norway in 1999.

From 1999 till 2004 Robert worked as a senior software developer at software company Micros B.V. During this period Robert played with his own trio with Thomas Winther Andersen on bass and Dick Verbeeck on drums and with his own quartet with Rob Armus on the tenor saxophone. For the rest he played a.o. with Miguel Martinez, Henk Zomer, Jasper Blom, Chander Sardjoe, Ghasem Batamuntu, Sven Shuster, Victor de Boo, Ernst Glerum, Han Bennink, Saskio Laroo and many more.

Because Robert was not satisfied with the combination software developer/jazz musician and because he didn't like the influence that the job had on his musical life he decided to resign from his software developing job on the end of May 2004.

Robert played in the finals of the Deloitte Jazz Award 2005 where he played with the Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw (conductor: Henk Meutgeert) and he was awarded with a prize of 2500 euro.

Recently Robert launched his new CD (recorded live) entitled 'Dangerous Cats', on which you can hear both his trio and his quartet. This CD contains both standards as well as compositions of Robert Rook. The CD was released both in the Netherlands as in Japan.

Furthermore the trio Bennink/Glerum/Rook is being started up with Han Bennink en Ernst Glerum.

In February 2006 Robert Rook presented his CD 'Dangerous Cats' at the Bimhuis in Amsterdam and got a great review in the Volkskrant . The concert was also broadcasted on the radio (Concertzender). The CD 'Dangerous Cats' also got a lot of airplay on the radio.

In March 2006 the Robert Rook Trio appeared on a Dutch national television program called 'Vrije Geluiden'

In 2006 Robert played again in the finals of the Deloitte Jazz Award with the Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw (conductor: Henk Meutgeert) and he was awarded with a prize of 2500 euro.

Also his CD 'Dangerous Cats' got raving reviews both in the Netherlands as in Japan.

After the concert of Robert Rook 'Dangerous Cats' at the Northsea Jazz festival in July 2006 the Robert Rook released 2 new CD's:
One CD 'Hymn for Fall' with compositions written by bass player Thomas Winther Andersen and a double CD 'Dangerous Cats 2' recorded live at the Bimhuis with originals and standards.

In October 2008 the Robert Rook trio released a DVD 'Live in Amsterdam' recorded at the Bimhuis in 2007.
The DVD contains standards and originals by Robert Rook and Thomas Winther Andersen.

DVD:
Live in Amsterdam, Ultimate Jazz and TWA Music, UJRR04

CD's:
Dangerous Cats 2, Ultimate Jazz Productions, UJRR03
Hymn for Fall, TWA Music, NORCD0664
Dangerous Cats, Ultimate Jazz Productions, UJRR02
Introducing Robert Rook, Ultimate Jazz Productions, UJRR01
Life on Uranus, A-Records, AL73109
Talking Woods, Sophia Plate, 3022-31807-29
Sfeq utd, DOX003
Sketch, VIA Records, CD9920672

Enkele quotes van de nationale en internationale pers:

Een opwindend en expressief optreden van deze levendige Europese jazzgroep!
(Michiel Borstlap, pianist) 

Hij is een buitengewoon complete pianist, en de mooie vleugel van het Bimhuis heeft zelden zo'n stevige en bevredigende beurt gehad als afgelopen vrijdag.
(Frank van Herk, Volkskrant) 

Virtuoos is pianist Robert Rook. Misschien past 'geniaal' ook wel bij deze voormalig wiskundige. Zelden een pianist zo vol overgave zien spelen.
(Hans Dijkstal, Financieel Dagblad) 

Wat een scheppend vermogen, wat een techniek! Hoe hij luisteraars aan Keith Jarrett (in You and the night and the music) kan laten denken of in het eigen Nothing rhymes on a waterbike aan Ahmad Jamal. Hoe hij Hancocks Dolphin Dance naar eigen hand zet met een opspattende, golvende interpretatie. Geweldig! 
(Klaas Koopman, Pianowereld)

Zijn geniale pianospel neemt ons volledig mee in zijn wereld en we vergeten onszelf volledig.

(Takashi Yamamoto, Japan's Jazz Magazine)

 Een frasering die tot in de kleinste nuances klinkt als de enige juiste op dat moment.

(Frank van Herk, Volkskrant)

Rook doet me denken aan de betere kanten van Herbie Hancock.
(Phillip McNeely, Cadence Magazine, USA)
 

Er is niet veel meer dat men zich kan wensen, behalve dit:
kan iemand het Robert Rook trio zo snel mogelijk naar Noorwegen krijgen.

(Tor Hammerø, Noors Jazz Magazine)