Só Danço Samba
Só Danço Samba! Getting my first (and last) samba dancing lesson from Samba Jazz East singer Angelita Li during our performance at Java Jazz, in front of thousands of aghast people. “Okay now, we move the left foot forward…..yeeeeess…….now we put the weight on the left foot…….CAREFUL!!!…….yeeeesss……now we move the left foot……ooooops…….”
Samba Jazz East at the Java Jazz Festival 2015
My new band SAMBA JAZZ EAST just performed in Hong Kong and in Jakarta at the Java Jazz Festival. A great band featuring Angelita Li – vocals, João Marcos Mascarenhas – piano, Scott Dodd – bass and Adriano Santos – drums. Hoping for lots of gigs for this project.
Tucson Jazz Festival 2015
Next festival gig will be on January 22nd at the Tucson Jazz Festival with my Gabriel Espinosa band, this time featuring pianist Miho Nobuzane, drummer Tim Crumley and our singer Alison Wedding. Good idea to trade New York for Arizona in January, even it is just for a couple of days! Bret Primack will be shooting a video so […]
The Day I Was Mistaken For A Priest
The other day I went to see my daughter Carolina perform with the Symphony Orchestra at Catholic University in Washington, DC. Because of my black outfit I was apparently mistaken for a Priest. As I did not have the heart to disappoint the ones in need I administered a few baptisms. Always doing good, one day at a […]
The Fall of the Berlin Wall
25 years ago in was practicing in my room in our apartment in what was then West Berlin, in Berlin Tiergarten, a few hundred meters from the Wall. Mina comes storming into the room……”Eenjdrieki, Eenjdrieki, die Mauer iest oofen!!! (Hendrik, Hendrik, the Wall is open!!!)” I answer: “Sure…….”, and continue practicing. Five minutes later I am […]
Frank, the Count, and me
Frank Sinatra, Count Basie, and myself relaxing backstage at Carnegie Hall. The three of us took turns taking pictures. This is the one I took.
Brazilian International Press Award
I am honored to have won the Brazilian International Press Award together with Antonio Adolfo for our performance with the Antonio Adolfo – Hendrik Meurkens Quartet feat. Jamie Ousley and Carlomagno Araya. Antonio and I will be doing a number of shows in the NYC-area in June and July plus we will be recording a […]
Hamburg 1983
How it all began: Hamburg 1982 or maybe 83. There was a Brazilian restaurant right on the Reeperbahn, ‘Tropical Brasil’ (I hope I remember that right). Run by Emmanoel (Neco), Viviane and Lucia. And Junior, the little brother. Neco played violão and sang,Lucia cooked, and Viviane was the communicator, because she spoke German. That was […]
Limited Space
This Saturday & Sunday the Trio featuring Misha Tsiganov and Gustavo Amarante is playing at Eats on Lexington/75th St. on the Upper East Side. Because of the limited space Misha is introducing his signature ‘New York City Restaurant Piano’. After Art Tatum became the God Of The Eighty-Eight Keys, Misha is showing us that less is […]
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