Today we’d like to introduce you to Kevin van den Elzen.
Hi Kevin, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
I’m originally from a small town in the Netherlands and started playing drums when I was 3 years old. My father was a drummer. He played drums as a hobby and played in a band. I started on an old Sonor drumset of my grand uncle, which my father inherited.
I went on to play in local bands and the local wind ensemble when I was 8 years old. I was always interested in large ensembles. My father showed me a record called “Sinatra At The Sands” and my drum teacher showed me a video of Buddy Rich. I knew from that moment I wanted to play in a big band.
I moved to Amsterdam and started my undergrad studies at the Conservatory of Amsterdam in 2009. I was fortunate to study there with the best players in the Netherlands, but there were a lot of Americans passing by. I connected with musicians such as Dick Oatts, John Clayton, John Riley, Obed Calvaire to name a few. I was a big fan of John Clayton and his music. This was also because he worked with one of my biggest heroes, Jeff Hamilton.
I got in touch with Jeff through John, and we kept in touch over the years.
Fast forward, John and Jeff were on tour with their big band, the Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. They passed through the Netherlands. I was able to meet up with them and watch a soundcheck in Amsterdam. Jeff was kind enough to actually let me play a composition of John with the big band. That was a life-changing moment for me. I knew I had to go to Los Angeles from that moment.
I applied to the Thornton School of Music at USC within two weeks, because my other hero, Peter Erskine, teaches there. The rest is pretty much history.
I did two years of grad studies with Peter, Roy McCurdy, Aaron Serfaty, and the late Ndugu Chancler. Those two years were the two most informative of my life. I was always inspired by my professors and peers.
I’ve been gigging in and around LA since I graduated. I started my own big band while I was at USC and have played with almost every major big band in town. Life has been pretty good out here.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I believe that every musician goes through rough phases. I moved from one country to another which means you have to adapt. Things go different out here than they go back home. I have dealt with doubt about my playing and sometimes I still do, but I’ve learned how to identify things that are challenging for me and work on that I try to work on those things, both musically and personally, every day. I can say that my career is going very well, and I have been very inspired by the performances and projects I have been involved with. It took some time to freelance around, but I have found my steady ground now. It’s really a great feeling to have accomplished that. Hard work pays off if you keep believing in what you want to do.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I started a Facebook/YouTube show in May 2020 with one of my best friends, Josh Nelson. Josh is one of the most incredible piano players and composers I know. Our show, West Coast Jazz Hour, is about the music and the musicians of the West Coast scene. We interview musicians who were a part of the old West Coast days of the 50s and 60s, but also contemporary musicians who played with people from that era. We interviewed people such as Terry Gibbs, Bill Holman, Sue Raney, John Clayton, Wayne Bergeron, Roy McCurdy, Jeff Hamilton, Ernie Watts, etc. We also have done tribute shows to Sammy Nestico, Andre Previn, Frank Capp, Henry Mancini, and John Williams to name a few. We have made 52 episodes so far. It’s been an amazing journey to hear all the stories and recordings that these people have made.
We were able to transform this also in a live concert experience, so we started to play this music with a quintet and with a big band. We comprised a group with the best players in the world and started playing the music of Terry Gibbs, Gerald Wilson, Oliver Nelson, Benny Carter, Johnny Mandel, Bob Florence, and many others. The members of our ensembles are people we have interviewed such as Chuck Berghofer, Alan Kaplan, Sal Lozano, Gene Cipriano to name a few.
We have a played a few times with the quintet and we play regularly with the big band at Vibrato Grill and Jazz in Bel Air. Our shows generally sell out every time we play there.
I lead a big band under my own name as well, the VDE Big Band. This band plays a mixture of original contemporary pieces written by members of the band and hidden gems that haven’t been played in years.
We played a few festivals this year such as the LA Jazz Institute and the Laguna Festival of the Arts.
When I’m not working with my own bands, I play with other big bands led by my peers such as Kyle Myers, Tim McKay, and Joe DiFiore.
I also enjoy playing in small groups. I’m part of a quartet with saxophonist Craig Cammell, play with guitarist Will Brahm and play with a quartet with Sal Lozano and Brian Clancy on saxes.
I started teaching at the Orange County High School of the Arts as part of the jazz faculty. This is an amazing school with very talented students. They inspire me every time when I go in to teach. I also hold a position as a drums and percussion instructor in the Burbank School District, working for the high school and one of the middle schools there.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I feel like the music industry changes from one week to the other. You have to adapt very fast and be able to do multiple things such as performing, teaching, managing, composing, etc. The influence of social media has changed a lot of things.
One of the big shifts that I’m seeing now is that the legends of jazz music are leaving us. A lot of older jazz musicians died during the pandemic. There are few and few and it’s up to the generation after them to carry the torch. People such as John Scofield, Pat Metheny, Jeff Hamilton, John Clayton, Christian McBride, Randy Brecker are becoming the legends of our current day and age.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.kevinvandenelzen.com
- Instagram: @kevinvdedrums
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/KevinvdElz
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/kevinvandenelzen
Image Credits
Donnae Menchaca
NaesFotos
Robert Verhoeve
