Bert van den Brink & Hein van de Geyn - Friendship - Live at the Muziekgebouw Aan Het Ij (2021)

At the end of the seventies, I was a student, just started playing the double bass, I was asked to record a few tunes in some studio. Here I bumped into an amazing young pianist: Bert van den Brink. I had never experienced this kind of sensitivity, this kind of listening ability, this kind of wide knowledge and scope into music. What a joy. I could not imagine then that our paths would cross for some many years to come. I left for the United States shortly after this, but some years later we met again as part of the Amstel Octet. With this group we had many opportunities to play together, record some LPs; notably “Hazy Hugs” (released on CD on Challenge Jazz CHR 70058). During these years we grew closer musically and I have some great memories of that period. A few years later vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater asked me to join her group as bassist and musical director/arranger. When an opening came up for a pianist I thought about Bert immediately. For several years we travelled all over the place; so much talking, running on airports, sitting in trains, eating, laughing, listening; never short for words, always interesting conversations and a growing friendship. Afterwards we kept on playing together; the yearly Gouvy Jazz Festival where we accompanied so many wonderful musicains (Nat Adderley, Toots Thielemans, Von Freeman, Johnny Griffin, Red Holloway, Benny Golson), but also some exciting recording projects with the likes of Lee Konitz (Challenge Jazz CHR 70053) and Rick Margitza (Challenge Jazz CHR 70062). Bert recorded some more wonderful CDs for my label: the duo with Enrico Pieranunzi (CHR 70069) and Clare Fisher (Challenge Jazz 70104). There was a lot of trio playing with drummer Hans van Oosterhout (Challenge Jazz SACHR 75130) and then there was the wonderful opportunity to play together at the prestigious Muziekgebouw aan het IJ. Mr. Jazz Impuls: Bob Hagen was responsible for putting this concert together and we were both very excited about it. It was a beautiful evening, it turned out to be a very special one, there was a lot of music, a lot of trust and a lot of friendship.
Enjoy! Hein van de Geyn (liner notes)