Quotes

"Which contemporary bass player today, I ask you, plays like Hein Van de Geyn? Who else deserves to be considered as the heir, who else possesses the technique, imagination, creativity, flexibility? Who else lives so in touch with his instrument, sings through it, while the bass in return gives to his body an almost trance-like wave? Hein Van de Geyn is one of the great bass players in the world, period.”

J.P. Schroeder

Jazz In Time

"The bass as an orchestra. Is this possible? When Hein Van de Geyn picks up the instrument it is. His international acclaim didn’t come out of the blue. Hein plays a love game with the strings. Subtle, inventive and with a harmonic richness that takes your breath away."

Hans Invernizzi

Deventer Dagblad

“An ace of the bass ..... he is more and more present on the international scene ..... Clarity of attack, depth of sound, originality of ideas ..... without a doubt, Hein Van de Geyn is a member of the elite of bass players."

Claude Colpaert

Jazz Hot

"Hein Van de Geyn sounded impressive, playful but also serious, with a phrasing that cannot help but remind you of his unforgettable predecessor Scott LaFaro. He created a logic within the harmony with his scrupulous use of notes. His playing came across as a vibrant entity. He is definitely one of the best bass players on the scene today."

Juul Anthonissen

De Standaart

"Hein Van de Geyn is without a doubt a top bass player. His technical abilities are enormous. He also knows how to create a spectrum of emotional atmospheres with his instrument. His solo's show much content and variation."

Arnold Verkouteren

Brabants Nieuwsblad

"Bassist Hein Van de Geyn sounds like a top-notch composer and arranger. His tunes are certainly, the most interesting on the album."

Richard B. Kamis

Cadence

"The Dutchman Hein Van de Geyn treated the double bass appropriately nuanced and intelligent; always reacting and complimenting in a melodic way, far from a stereotype way of plucking the bass."

Hans Kumpf

Jazz Podium

"Hein van de Geyn, a man who becomes one with his instrument, possesses an unearthly technique and is able to color his notes in the shades of all seasons."

Hans Invernizzi

De Stentor

"Oh, I must say; my first teacher was Hein Van de Geyn. I learned more with him than in all the years I studied at the conservatory. He gave me an important push in my life. Inspiring; he really taught me the love for the bass. Hein is a musician at heart."

Marc van Rooy

interview 'Jazzy'

“Hein Van de Geyn proved to be not only a spectacular and virtuoso soloist, he also showed himself to be a stimulating accompanist”

A. de Swaen

De Standaart

"A perfect control of the instrument, together with a creative musicality leads to an unequaled way of playing bass lines ...... a true phenomenon"

Benno Bink

Brabants Nieuwsblad

"The discovery of the evening was Hein Van de Geyn. His musical humor, his sureness and technical abilities brought him some well deserved applause."

Torsten Casimir

Westfalen Nachrichten

“Drummer Peter Erskine, together with bassist Hein Van de Geyn creates a subtle yet funky groove leaving quite a lot of room for the highly inspired playing of pianist Karel Boehlee and the lyrical solos of Toon Roos himself. The latter plays in such an organic way that you immediately know where he wants to go. But he is more than a professional. Every note sounds sincere and heartfelt, a story in itself.”

Misha Andriessen

Telegraaf

“In addition to the close interplay and the many fine Van de Geyn bass solos, it is difficult not to be impressed by Kenny Werner’s chord voicings.”

Scott Yanow

“Hein Van de Geyn is a strong, sinewy performer whose lines snap and roll, he's the ideal foil for Konitz's quizzical, feint-and-weave approach to melody, and the devious camouflaging of a well-known song.”

John Fordham

The Guardian

“A recent arrival from Holland, Hein Van de Geyn is already making waves on the San Francisco jazz scene. He is building a fine reputation on the bass and has the potential to propel himself to the top.”

Souvrain

“On Hank Jones’ side Hein Van de Geyn brought a depth of sound and the thousand nuances that this virtuoso is able to draw from this instrument with which he forms one.”

Pierre-Jean Pyrda

La Dépeche

“The true star of the trio was Hein Van de Geyn. Accompanying as well as a soloist he excelled on his double bass with brilliant lines. His intro to ‘Everybody’s Song But My Own’ was a gem”

Kees Polling

Trouw

“The leader/bassist is a precise technician who solos with an almost poetic sense of melody, via a warm and fortunately well-recorded tone.”

Carl Baughter

Cadence

“Hein Van de Geyn surprises; an enormous and deep sound and a way to impose himself as a soloist .... An inspired and lyrical composer, there is no one like him with a sense of the sounds of this time. BASELINE is a trio giving us high moments and large space; a music that could captivate a large audience”

Philippe Méziat

Bordeaux

“The real star of the evening wasn’t found amongst the horns, but behind the bass. The way in which Hein Van de Geyn was able to leave each soloist in the shadow in their own idiom was truly sublime. ... Hein played a solo which contained an abundance of structure and melodic flexibility. From that moment on he was to dominate the atmosphere of the evening.”

Jan Rensen

Nieuwsblad van het Zuiden

"Once more, Van de Geyn shows his relaxed and highly musical bass function, not the mere keeper of time, but a melodist and a distinguished soloist as well."

RTBF

record review

" ........ at ease with the great bass and drum tandem of Hein van de Geyn and John Engels, who have recorded profusely during their respective successful careers. Both have globe-trotted with Chet Baker and performed with the Who's Who in Jazz, garnering awards as they groovingly went along."

Cees Schrama

Liner Notes: Piet Noordijk: "New Quintet"

”The great thing is that all the producers are really tuned into laying back and letting things happen, only occasionally coming in and making a suggestion. Hein van de Geyn, for example, who produces for Challenge, is himself a wonderful bassist, and he's very knowledgeable. He does basically what all the producers I work with do, but it's interesting that, as a musician, he can make certain kinds of suggestions that other producers don't, and he's still very, very sensitive about laying back. But once in a while, he'll come into the room in between the takes, he'll put his second finger up to his chin and he'll say, 'you know I was thinking…' and that's when I know he's going to say something; and it's good to listen very carefully because, like all these guys, he doesn't say a lot, but when he does, it's usually something good."

Marc Copland

interview

“The thirteen tracks on the album are rendered in a truly masterful way. Hein’s playing remains captivating throughout the whole concert. The exciting voice of Paulien van Schaik fits perfectly, the two musicians carry each other to a higher level.”

Eric de Boer

Hifi.nl

“Toon Roos’ magnificent playing, emphasized in a subtle way by the delicate piano keys of Karel Boehlee, the deep, soulful bass lines of Hein Van de Geyn and the solid strokes of Peter Erskine..… truly the top.”

Bernard Lefèvre

Jazzmozaïk

“With all respect for the sidemen (Abercrombie and Verhoeff playing breathtakingly beautiful in “Akkerman”), the solo pieces for double bass steal the show. ‘My Funny Valentine” - you don’t get more beautiful than that.”

René de Cocq

HVT Magazine

"Toots’ European Quartet will stop existing after this concert. Bassist Hein Van de Geyn, the man that enriched the world during the last decades with his abundant technique and warmth, stops playing the bass and leaves with his family to South Africa. Last night was his last concert. Toots didn’t want to elaborate too much on things, but you could feel that he will say a heartfelt farewell to the man that pushed his European Quartet to great highs. A bassist with the caliber of Van de Geyn will be impossible to find."

Dick Hovenga

www.writteninmusic.com