Jokke Schreurs (°1960, Hasselt, Belgium) speelt gitaar vanaf zijn 12de. Hij groeide op met de Country Blues van Big Bill Broonzy en Robert Johnson, en later met Folk, Pierre Bensusan, Wannes Van De Velde, Rum,... Hij speelt fingerpicking en folk in lokale groepjes.
Zijn interesse voor Jazz groeit pas later. Eerst Coltrane en Charlie Parker, en zo terug naar uiteindelijk Django Reinhardt. Hij volgt les bij o.a. Pierre Van Dormael, en een paar keer bij Philippe Cathérine. Jokke was toen nog student en hij speelde zijn zakgeld bij mekaar in het lokale circuit.
In 1987 besluit hij het er als professioneel op te wagen. Hij speelt bij tal van groepen en groepjes, vooral Swing-Jazz, op kroegentochten en braderijen, op bedrijfsrecepties en feestjes. En Blues, met Big Dave Reniers.
In 1992 wordt hij een eerste keer vader en een ietwat meer ernst en duurzaamheid dringen zich op. Hij richt samen met klarinettist-saxofonist André Donni het quartet “A Drum is a Woman” op en bewerkt muziek van Duke Ellington voor quartet. Een eerste cd in 1994, met de volledige en volledig voor quartet herwerkte “Far East Suite” van Duke. De groep krijgt echter pas de erkenning die ze verdiende in 1999, bij de 100ste verjaardag van Duke, maar dan bestond ze al een paar jaar niet meer.
Jokke had intussen al, samen met Walter Poppeliers (De Nieuwe Snaar)“The Holzbein Brothers” opgericht, waar ook de toen nog piepjonge Gwen Cresens bij speelde. The Holzbein Brothers probeerden het paardansen te doen herleven met hun zelfgeschreven Ballroom-muziek met een scherp kantje. Ze speelden dansfeesten die ze vaak zelf organiseerden, namen de cd “Up and Down Again” op, en deelden het podium met artiesten als Wannes Van De Velde, Jan De Smet en, ja ook!, Tom Barman.
In dezelfde periode speelde Jokke bij Guido Belcanto, werd gevraagd door Maurice Le Gaulois voor diens Musette-project “Le Musette dans tout ses Etats”, en speelde de muziek van Wim De Wilde in voor de televisiereeks “Terug naar Oosterdonk”.
Na het ter ziele gaan van “The Holzbein Brothers”, richt Jokke zijn eigen trio op, met Sam Stuyck op gitaar en Henk de Laat op contrabas. In het begin vooral muziek van Django Reinhardt, maar later veel breder. Want er bestaat wel degelijk zoiets als Belgische Hot Club. Dat is een eclectische muziek, vooral op Django gebaseerd, maar met invloeden van overal en met een soort bescheidenheid van “Wij zijn maar Belgen”. Koen De Cauter, Hans Mortelmans en Les Violons de Bruxelles kunnen we ook tot deze strekking rekenen.
Eerste cd van het Jokke Schreurs-Trio in 2001: “Featuring Rony Verbiest”. Henk verlaat het trio (even goeie vrienden, hoor!) en zijn plaats wordt ingenomen door Ben Faes. Tweede cd “Muziek van voor den Oorlog” in 2002, met gastzanger Guido Naessens. En dan in 2003 een eerst solo-cd, “Mijnen Tijd”. Dat is het begin van een lange reeks solo-concerten, vooral veel in huiskamers.
Ondertussen ontmoet Jokke acteur Warre Borgmans, en ze maken samen het programma “Schone Woorden”, dat letterlijk honderden keren zal spelen in Vlaanderen en Nederland. Verder speelt Jokke bij de groep van Gwen Cresens “Sexteto Tanguedia”, muziek van Astor Piazzolla. Hij neemt mee de eerste twee cd's “Sarà verso il Matino”(2002) en “In Bocca al Lupo”(2005) op.
Jokke toert met Miel Cools, de vader van de Vlaamse Kleinkunst, met Ivan Smeulders op accordeon. Hun samenwerking is vastgelegd op de cd “D'er was toch nog iets”(2007). En met acteur Bert André en zangeres Ariadne Van Den Brande in “Liefde naar de Letter”. De organisatie van de Nekka-nacht vraagt hem om de groep van Hans Mortelmans te coachen, en dat is een geschenk: Jokke vindt in Hans een geestesgenoot voor het leven.
Er komen nog twee cd's van het Trio, “Force Majeure” (2005), met als gast Warre Borgmans, en “De Strijkster/La Repasseuse”(2007) met Bert Joris en Patrick Riguelle als gasten.
2008 was het jaar van de bankencrisis, en dat hebben we geweten. Niet goed meer wetend van welk hout pijlen te maken, begint Jokke te jukeboxen. Formule: het publiek krijgt een lijst titels in handen en vraagt aan. Zich bewust van zijn beperkingen als zanger, vraagt Jokke zangeres Ariadne Van Den Brande mee, en samen hebben ze er veel gespeeld, in café's, in rusthuizen, op feesten...
Jokke ontmoet Paul Rans en Wiet Van De Leest op een herdenkingsconcert voor hun overleden kompaan Dirk Van Esbroeck, met wie ze in de jaren '70 “Rum” vormden. Het repertoire van Rum herleeft in “Alarum”, met Paul, Wiet, Jokke en Marc Hauman. Jokke speelt Balkan-muziek bij Trio Mallou en Swing, Klezmer en Balkan bij Le Trio Perdu van violist Kevin Van Staeyen.
Ter gelegenheid van het “Plectrum-gitaarfestival”, waarvan hij zich toen “peter” mocht noemen, brengt Jokke zijn tweede solo-cd “Gaan”(2011) uit. Hij ontmoet oed-speler en zanger Abdelkader Zahnoun en ze verdiepen zich samen in Arabische en Berbermuziek. Ze maken het programma “Diwanat” over de lotgevallen van de familie Zahnoun en deMarokkaanse migratie. En hij werkt in opdracht van Plus Producties mee aan de programma's “Toontje hoger”(over Toon Hermans, met Ariadne Van Den Brande en de betreurde Frank Tomme), “Nijgh”(over Lennert Nijgh, zelfde bezetting), en “Oorlogsgeleerden”(Herdenkingsprogramma over de Eerste Wereldoorlog, met Frank Tomme, Vera Coomans en Piet Van Den Heuvel).
Jokke schrijft muziek op gedichten van Charles Ducal, die dan de titel “Dichter des Vaderlands” draagt. Deze samenwerking wordt in 2015 vastgelegd in de uitgave “Bewoond door Iets Groters”, een dichtbundel met bijgevoegde cd. Filip Jordens zingt. Nog in 2015 begint Jokke weer te toeren met Warre Borgmans, met het programma “Blèten”, nu samen met Big Dave Reniers (zang, mondharmonica).
Jokke heeft altijd het diepste respect voor Wannes Van De Velde gekoesterd, en hij wou al lang de naar zijn gevoel onderbelichte muzikale kwaliteiten van diens werk in de verf zetten. Dat idee rijpt tot het project “Wannes in Jazz” door het Jokke Schreurs-quartet, met Sam Vloemans (trompet, bugel en percussie), Henk de Laat (contrabas en scat) en Luc Vanden Bosch (drums). Hun eerste cd “Aquarel” kwam uit in 2017.
Jokke Schreurs, gitarist, componist en plantrekker, hoopt dit alles nog lang te kunnen blijven.
PS: Jokkes favoriete gitaar is gebouwd door Mark Peirelinck.
Jokke Schreurs (Born in 1960 in Hasselt, Belgium) started playing the guitar when he was 12. He grew up with the country Blues of Big Bill Broonzy and Robert Johnson, and later with Folk, Pierre Bensusan, Wannes Van de Velde, Rum,... He plays fingerpicking and folk in small bands.
Only later did he become interested in Jazz. First Coltrane and Charlie Parker, and eventually back to Django Reinhardt. Among his instructors were Pierre Van Dormael and Philippe Catherine. Jokke was still a student back then, and he played for pocket change in the local circuit.
In 1987 he decides to try to make it as a professional artist. He plays with multiple larger and smaller bands, especially Swing-Jazz bands, at pub-crawls and barbeques, at receptions and birthday parties. And Blues, with Big Dave Reniers.
In 1992 he becomes a father for the first time, realising he should become more serious now. Together with clarinet and saxophone player André Donni he establishes the quartet “A Drum is a Woman”, which adapts music of Duke Ellington for quartet. Their first CD is compiled in 1994, with the completely edited version of Duke’s “Far East Suite”. The band only gains recognition however in 1999, Duke’s 100 birthday. Unfortunately, it was dissolved a few years before.
In the meantime, Jokke and Walter Poppeliers (of De Nieuwe Snaar) had founded “The Holzbein Brothers”, joined by the then very young Gwen Cresens. The Holzbein Brothers tried to revitalise paired dancing, with their personal take on Ballroom music with an edge. They played at soirees, which they themselves often organized, recorded the album “Up and Down Again”, and often shared the stage with renowned names such as Wannes Van de Velde, Jan De Smet and (yes, even) Tom Barman.
In that same period Jokke played with Guido Belcanto, was asked by Maurice Le Gaulois to join his Musette-project “Le Musette dans tous ses Etats”, and performed music written by Wim de Wilde for the television series “Terug naar Oosterdonk”.
After the Holzbein Brothers broke up, Jokke erects his own trio, with Sam Stuyck on guitar and Henk de Laat on double bass. In the beginning they focus on music of Django Reinhardt, but later on they expand to other artists and to writing their own music, because there is such a thing as a Belgian Hot Club scene. This is an eclectic type of music, based primarily on Django, but influenced by many others, characterised by a certain modesty that says “we are only Belgians”. Koen De Cauter, Hans Mortelmans and Les Violons de Bruxelles are examples of this trend.
The first CD of the Jokke Schreurs Trio appears in 2001: “featuring Rony Verbiest”. Henk decides to leave the trio (no hard feelings) and is replaced by Ben Faes. The trio’s second cd “Muziek van voor den Oorlog” comes out in 2002, with guest singer Guido Naessens. In 2003, a first solo-CD, “Mijnen Tijd”. This last album marks the beginning of a long run of solo concerts, especially in living rooms.
During this period Jokke encounters actor Warre Borgmans, and together they create a program called “Schone Woorden”, which will be performed hundreds of times in Flanders and the Netherlands. Furthermore Jokke plays with Gwen Cresens’ band “Sexteto Tanguedia”, playing music of Astor Piazzolla. With the band he records their first two CD’s, “Sarà verso il Mattino” (2002) and “In Bocca al Lupo” (2005).
Jokke tours with Miel Cools, godfather of Flemish folklore, with Ivan Smeulders playing the accordion. Their cooperation results in the album “D’er was toch nog iets” (2007), and later “Liefde naar de Letter”, with actor Bert André and singer Ariadne van Den Brande. The organisation of the Nekka-nacht asks him to coach the band of Hans Mortelmans, which turns out to be a blessing: Jokke finds in Hans a lifelong friend.
The Jokke Schreurs Trio produces two more albums, “Force Majeure” (2005), starring Warre Borgmans, and “De Strijkster/La Repasseuse” (2007), with Bert Joris and Patrick Riguelle.
2008 was the year of the global financial crisis, and it was no less so for Jokke. Looking for new ways to support his family, Jokke develops the concept of jukebox. The formula: the audience gets a list of songs that they can request. Knowing that he is limited as a singer, he calls in the support of Ariadne Van Den Brande, and together they have performed scores of times in bars, elderly homes, at parties,...
Jokke encounters Paul Rans and Wiet Van De Leest at a commemoration concert for their departed companion Dirk Van Esbroeck, with whom they formed the iconic group “Rum” in the 70’s. Their repertoire relives in “Alarum”, with Paul, Wiet, Jokke and Marc Hauman. In this period Jokke also plays Balkan-music with Trio Mallou, and Swing, Klezmer and Balkan with Kevin van Staeyen’s “Le Trio Perdu”.
For the occasion of the ‘Plectrum-gitaarfestival”, of which he himself was asked to be the patron, Jokke records his second solo-CD “Gaan” (2011). He meets oud-player and singer Abdelkader Zahnoun, and together they throw themselves at Arabic and Berber music. They develop the show “Diwanat”, that tells the story of the adventures of the Zahnoun family and the Moroccan emigration in general. For Plus Productions he collaborates on the shows “Toontje Hoger” (about Toon Hermans, with Ariadne Van Den Brande and the now passed away Frank Tomme), “Nijgh” (about Lennert Nijgh, with the same colleagues), and “Oorlogsgeleerden” (a show in remembrance of World War I, with Frank Tomme, Vera Coomans and Piet Van Den Heuvel).
Jokke writes music for poetry of Charles Ducal, who at that time carried the prestigious title of “Dichter des Vaderlands” (national poet). This collaboration results in “Bewoond door Iets Groters” (2015), consisting of a work of poetry and a CD, with Filip Jordens doing the vocals. Still in 2015, Jokke goes on tour again with Warre Borgmans, now joined by Big Dave Reniers (vocals, harmonica), with the show “Blèten”.
Jokke has always held Wannes Van de Velde in high regard, and since long he has wished to lay bare the underappreciated musical qualities that characterise Van de Velde. This longing has come to fruition in the project “Wannes in Jazz” performed by the Jokke Schreurs Quartet, with Sam Vloemans (trumpet, flugelhorn and percussion), Henk de Laat (double bass and scat) and Luc Vanden Bosch (drums). Their first album “Aquarel” came out in 2017.
Jokke Schreurs, guitarist, composer and general free spirit, hopes that he can be all of these things for a long time to come.
Jokke Schreurs (Born in 1960 in Hasselt, Belgium) started playing the guitar when he was 12. He grew up with the country Blues of Big Bill Broonzy and Robert Johnson, and later with Folk, Pierre Bensusan, Wannes Van de Velde, Rum,... He plays fingerpicking and folk in small bands.
Only later did he become interested in Jazz. First Coltrane and Charlie Parker, and eventually back to Django Reinhardt. Among his instructors were Pierre Van Dormael and Philippe Catherine. Jokke was still a student back then, and he played for pocket change in the local circuit.
In 1987 he decides to try to make it as a professional artist. He plays with multiple larger and smaller bands, especially Swing-Jazz bands, at pub-crawls and barbeques, at receptions and birthday parties. And Blues, with Big Dave Reniers.
In 1992 he becomes a father for the first time, realising he should become more serious now. Together with clarinet and saxophone player André Donni he establishes the quartet “A Drum is a Woman”, which adapts music of Duke Ellington for quartet. Their first CD is compiled in 1994, with the completely edited version of Duke’s “Far East Suite”. The band only gains recognition however in 1999, Duke’s 100 birthday. Unfortunately, it was dissolved a few years before.
In the meantime, Jokke and Walter Poppeliers (of De Nieuwe Snaar) had founded “The Holzbein Brothers”, joined by the then very young Gwen Cresens. The Holzbein Brothers tried to revitalise paired dancing, with their personal take on Ballroom music with an edge. They played at soirees, which they themselves often organized, recorded the album “Up and Down Again”, and often shared the stage with renowned names such as Wannes Van de Velde, Jan De Smet and (yes, even) Tom Barman.
In that same period Jokke played with Guido Belcanto, was asked by Maurice Le Gaulois to join his Musette-project “Le Musette dans tous ses Etats”, and performed music written by Wim de Wilde for the television series “Terug naar Oosterdonk”.
After the Holzbein Brothers broke up, Jokke erects his own trio, with Sam Stuyck on guitar and Henk de Laat on double bass. In the beginning they focus on music of Django Reinhardt, but later on they expand to other artists and to writing their own music, because there is such a thing as a Belgian Hot Club scene. This is an eclectic type of music, based primarily on Django, but influenced by many others, characterised by a certain modesty that says “we are only Belgians”. Koen De Cauter, Hans Mortelmans and Les Violons de Bruxelles are examples of this trend.
The first CD of the Jokke Schreurs Trio appears in 2001: “featuring Rony Verbiest”. Henk decides to leave the trio (no hard feelings) and is replaced by Ben Faes. The trio’s second cd “Muziek van voor den Oorlog” comes out in 2002, with guest singer Guido Naessens. In 2003, a first solo-CD, “Mijnen Tijd”. This last album marks the beginning of a long run of solo concerts, especially in living rooms.
During this period Jokke encounters actor Warre Borgmans, and together they create a program called “Schone Woorden”, which will be performed hundreds of times in Flanders and the Netherlands. Furthermore Jokke plays with Gwen Cresens’ band “Sexteto Tanguedia”, playing music of Astor Piazzolla. With the band he records their first two CD’s, “Sarà verso il Mattino” (2002) and “In Bocca al Lupo” (2005).
Jokke tours with Miel Cools, godfather of Flemish folklore, with Ivan Smeulders playing the accordion. Their cooperation results in the album “D’er was toch nog iets” (2007), and later “Liefde naar de Letter”, with actor Bert André and singer Ariadne van Den Brande. The organisation of the Nekka-nacht asks him to coach the band of Hans Mortelmans, which turns out to be a blessing: Jokke finds in Hans a lifelong friend.
The Jokke Schreurs Trio produces two more albums, “Force Majeure” (2005), starring Warre Borgmans, and “De Strijkster/La Repasseuse” (2007), with Bert Joris and Patrick Riguelle.
2008 was the year of the global financial crisis, and it was no less so for Jokke. Looking for new ways to support his family, Jokke develops the concept of jukebox. The formula: the audience gets a list of songs that they can request. Knowing that he is limited as a singer, he calls in the support of Ariadne Van Den Brande, and together they have performed scores of times in bars, elderly homes, at parties,...
Jokke encounters Paul Rans and Wiet Van De Leest at a commemoration concert for their departed companion Dirk Van Esbroeck, with whom they formed the iconic group “Rum” in the 70’s. Their repertoire relives in “Alarum”, with Paul, Wiet, Jokke and Marc Hauman. In this period Jokke also plays Balkan-music with Trio Mallou, and Swing, Klezmer and Balkan with Kevin van Staeyen’s “Le Trio Perdu”.
For the occasion of the ‘Plectrum-gitaarfestival”, of which he himself was asked to be the patron, Jokke records his second solo-CD “Gaan” (2011). He meets oud-player and singer Abdelkader Zahnoun, and together they throw themselves at Arabic and Berber music. They develop the show “Diwanat”, that tells the story of the adventures of the Zahnoun family and the Moroccan emigration in general. For Plus Productions he collaborates on the shows “Toontje Hoger” (about Toon Hermans, with Ariadne Van Den Brande and the now passed away Frank Tomme), “Nijgh” (about Lennert Nijgh, with the same colleagues), and “Oorlogsgeleerden” (a show in remembrance of World War I, with Frank Tomme, Vera Coomans and Piet Van Den Heuvel).
Jokke writes music for poetry of Charles Ducal, who at that time carried the prestigious title of “Dichter des Vaderlands” (national poet). This collaboration results in “Bewoond door Iets Groters” (2015), consisting of a work of poetry and a CD, with Filip Jordens doing the vocals. Still in 2015, Jokke goes on tour again with Warre Borgmans, now joined by Big Dave Reniers (vocals, harmonica), with the show “Blèten”.
Jokke has always held Wannes Van de Velde in high regard, and since long he has wished to lay bare the underappreciated musical qualities that characterise Van de Velde. This longing has come to fruition in the project “Wannes in Jazz” performed by the Jokke Schreurs Quartet, with Sam Vloemans (trumpet, flugelhorn and percussion), Henk de Laat (double bass and scat) and Luc Vanden Bosch (drums). Their first album “Aquarel” came out in 2017.
Jokke Schreurs, guitarist, composer and general free spirit, hopes that he can be all of these things for a long time to come.