NEWS

ZOHO Music has released SAMBA TO GO!, Hendrik Meurkens' timely follow-up to SAMBATROPOLIS, the critically acclaimed 2008 release that affirmed his affection for and command of the complex Choro style. Once again, Samba Jazz and Choro are the primary focus of an engaging 10-track session that features Hendrik's Samba Jazz Quartet with Misha Tsiganov, Gustavo Amarante and Adriano Santos plus special guests Rodrigo Ursaia, Luiz Simas and Zé Mauricio.

SAMBA TO GO! has been #1 in Jazzweek's World Music Chart and stayed in the Top 3 for 12 weeks. Recorded by Michael Brorby at Acoustic Recording in New York and mixed and mastered by Grammy-Award winning Jay Dudt at Audible Images in Pittsburgh, SAMBA TO GO! features 7 Meurkens originals as well versions of 'My Foolish Heart', Jobim's classic 'Só Tinha De Ser Com Voçe' and Luiz Simas' 'A Choro For You'.

'Harmonica and vibes master Hendrik Meurkens, a bebopper with an ear for Brazilian music, continues to splendidly mine the rich vein of samba jazz with his seventh CD in this genre. ..Meurkens renders Jobim's endearing, sumptuous "So Tinha De Ser Come Voce" on vibes, the instrument's round, ringing notes a perfect complement to the timeless melody. More ace harmonica inhabits "Choro No. 14" and "Mountain Drive".... ' Zan Stewart - Star Ledger

x) Hendrik is honored to be voted again into the 2008 Down Beat Critics Poll's Miscellaneous Instrument category.

x) In 2008 the Hendrik's Samba Jazz Quartet was busy touring Russia, the Ukraine, Germany and Switzerland, performing at the Vail Jazz Festival, the Central Pennsylvania Jazz Festival and other Festivals in the US, as well as playing regularly in the New York club scene. Hendrik also had the honor of playing a concert with Emil Viklicky at Prague Castle for the President of the Czech Republic.

x) Upcoming appearances include a guest appearance at Birdland with Dori Caymmi and Emilio Santiago, concerts in D.C. with Carlos Barbosa Lima and with the TSJQ in Canada, and performances with Emil Viklicky and Steve Houben.

In January of 2008, Zoho Music released "Sambatropolis."

"In this vibrant collection....Hendrik Meurkens again engrossingly blends a vital jazz core - rooted in the melodic grace of Charlie Parker - with an affinity and affection for beats Brazilian. A one-time Rio resident who employs a cast of top Brazilian and American jazz artists, chromatic harmonica and vibes player Meurkens offers profound authenticity - and musicality - throughout." Zan Stewart - Star Ledger

"Ever since jazz discovered the samba some 50 years ago, many non-Brazilian musicians have flipped over the style and added bossa nova and jazz samba to their repertoire.
Some - including Charlie Byrd, Stan Getz and Herbie Mann - became influential and loyal supporters of the stylistic hybrid. Perhaps no one, however, has so thoroughly assimilated the essence of the 'Brazilian thing' as Hendrik Meurkens." - Mark Holston, Jazziz - May 2008

"Meurkens possesses an advanced and beautiful harmonica technique. He easily belongs in the same company as Toots Thielemans and Stevie Wonder.... His soloing...is sprite with ideas and sharp technique." - All About Jazz

"Leave it to the Germans to get manufacturing done right. Hendrik Meurkens, who has mastered both harmonica and vibraphone, has put together yet another seamless and enticing collection of Brazilian –flavored jazz. It’s hard to figure which instrument fits him best. On Jobim’s “Voce Vai Ver” and “his own “A Summer In San Francisco”, his vibes dance with a tingling beauty. His harmonica, however, is yearning and warm, as he displays on his own title tune and Jobim’s under recorded “Fotografia”..."
George Harris, Jazz Weekly

The album went to #1 on Jazzweeks's Rado Jazz Chart and also #1 in the World Music Chart.

Hendrik Meurkens’ first ZOHO recording, "New York Samba Jazz Quintet," features Helio Alves on piano, Gustavo Amarante on bass, Adriano Santos on drums and Jed Levy on saxophones. In addition to his unique harmonica, the CD also includes several tracks of Hendrik's remarkable vibraphone.

The CD reached #2 on the Jazz Radio Chart. It stayed on for 17 strong weeks.

JazzTimes: "On jazz harmonica there’s Toots Thielemans, but then who? Hendrik Meurkens, of course, and for those who don’t know him, when you hear his extended solo on Djavan’s “Flor de Lis” on this CD, you will be hooked. Displaying flawless technique, high creativity and warm expressiveness, Meurkens is a master of the instrument. "

"Recorded live at Cecil’s Jazz Club near his New Jersey home, Meurkens’ quintet explores various sambas, choros and bossa novas. After leaving Germany, Meurkens immersed himself in Brazilian music during a visit there in the early ’80s, and has recorded this music frequently and authentically ever since, but never better than here."

" ...one of Meurkens’ “main tunes,” often requested, is the beautiful “Prague in March,” which features Meurkens’ harmonica and Levy’s tenor at their collaborative best. The moving “Bolero Para Paquito” is Meurkens’ original written for Paquito D’Rivera and recorded before by both artists. This is Brazilian jazz at its finest." Scott Albin.

APPEARANCES

• 04/24, Fri - Birdland
  315 W 44th St, New York, NY 10036
  (212) 581-3080, 8:30pm & 11pm
  BOSSABRASIL Festival
  w/ Emilio Santiago & Dori Caymmi, plus Cidinho Texeira, piano; Sergio Brandão, bass; Celso Alberti, drums
• 04/25, Sat - Westmoreland Congregational Church
  Bethesda, MD, info@marlowguitar.org - ph. 301-654-6403
  with Carlos Barbosa-Lima, guitar
• 08/05, Wed - Hudson River PAC
  Lincoln Harbor Park, Weehawken, NJ
  w/ Paquito D'Rivera, Leny Andrade, Cesar Camargo Mariano and Romero Lubambo
• 10/14, Wed - Reduta Jazz Club
  Prague, Czech Republic
  w/ Emil Viklicky, piano and Steve Houben, alto & flute
• 10/15, Thu - Simon & Juda Church
  Dusni Street (Dusni ulice) Prague 1, Czech Republic
  Box Office: +420/222 002 336
  w/ Emil Viklicky, piano and Steve Houben, alto & flute
• 11/07, Sat - Birdland
  315 W 44th St, New York, NY 10036
  (212) 581-3080, 8:30pm & 11pm
  Django Reinhardt NY Festival, w/ Tchavolo Schmitt, Samson Schmitt, Ludovic Beier, Brian Torff a.o.
• 11/16, Mon - The Old Mill
  21 Old Mill Road, Toronto, Canada
  w/ Toronto Samba Jazz Connection feat. Jeremy Price, Attila Fias, Rick Brisco, Paco Luviano
  Broadcast for Jazz FM
• 12/06, Sun - Bar Next Door
  129 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012, (212) 529-5945, Sets at 8PM & 10PM
  w/ Peter Mazza, guitar & Yasushi Nakamura, bass
  
  
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  2010
• 03/03, Wed - Java Jazz Festival
  Jakarta, Indonesia
  w/ Hendrik Meurkens Samba Jazz Quartet
  Hendrik Meurkens-harmonica, vibes/ Misha Tsiganov-piano/ Gustavo Amarante-bass/ Adriano Santos-drums, perc
• 03/05, Fri - Java Jazz Festival
  Jakarta, Indonesia
  
• 03/06, Sat - Java Jazz Festival
  Jakarta, Indonesia
  
• 03/28, Sun - Baltimore Chamber Jazz Society
  10 Art Museum Drive, Baltimore, MD, (410) 385-5888
  w/ Hendrik Meurkens Samba Jazz Quintet
  Hendrik Meurkens-harmonica, vibes/ Jed Levy-tenor, flute/ Misha Tsiganov-piano/ Gustavo Amarante-bass/ Adriano Santos-drums, perc
  
  
  
  Tour Germany/ Switzerland w/ Hendrik Meurkens Samba Jazz Quartet:
  Hendrik Meurkens-harmonica, vibes/ Misha Tsiganov-piano/ Gustavo Amarante-bass/ Adriano Santos-drums, perc
• 04/24, Sat - Kurhaus Bad Hamm
  Ostenallee 87, Hamm, Germany
  
• 04/25, Sun - Kemptener Jazz Frühling
  19:30, Kaminwerk, Anschützstraße 1, Memmingen, Germany, +49 (0) 8331.991199
  
• 04/25, Sun - Kemptener Jazz Frühling
  11:00, Kurhaus, Unterer Buigenweg 2, Bad Hindelang, Germany, tel. 08324/892-710
  
• 04/27, Tue - Jazzkeller Frankfurt
  Kleine Bockenheimerstr. 18a, Frankfurt, Germany, ph. +49 69 28 85 37
  
• 04/28, Wed - Zikkurat
  An der Zikkurat 4, Mechernich, Germany, Atelier Wollny
  
• 04/29, Thu - Kemptener Jazz Frühling
  Stift, Stiftsplatz 1, Kempten, Germany, tel. 0831/ 22388
  
• 04/30, Fri - Stadtbibliothek Reutlingen
  20.30 Uhr, Spendhausstr. 2, Reutlingen, Germany, ph. 0171-3700865
  
• 05/05, Wed - Birdland
  Gärtnerstraße 122, Hamburg, Germany, ph. 040 405277
  
• 05/06, Thu - Hemingway Lounge
  Uhlandstraße 26, Karlsruhe, Germany ph. +49 (0) 1718135246
  
• 05/07, Fri - Bird's Eye
  Kohlenberg 20, Basel, Switzerland, ph. +41 61 263 33 41
  
• 05/08, Sat - Bird's Eye
  Kohlenberg 20, Basel, Switzerland, ph. +41 61 263 33 41
  
  
• 05/21, Fri - Schlot
  Chausseestraße 18, Berlin, Germany, ph. 030 4482160
  w/ Hendrik Meurkens Samba Jazz Quartet
  Hendrik Meurkens-harmonica, vibes/ Rolf Zielke-piano/ Guilherme Castro-bass/ Zito Ferreira-drums, perc
• 05/22, Sat - Johanneskirche
  Martin-Luther-Platz 39, Düsseldorf, Germany, 17:00
  w/ Hendrik Meurkens Samba Jazz Quartet
  Hendrik Meurkens-harmonica, vibes/ Rolf Zielke-piano/ Guilherme Castro-bass/ Zito Ferreira-drums, perc
• 06/05, Sat - Klaipeda Jazz Festival
  Klaipeda, Lithuania
  w/ Jean-Pierre Froehly, guitar & Wolfgang Lackerschmid, vibes
• 06/20, Sun - Bar Next Door
  129 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012, (212) 529-5945, Sets at 8PM & 10PM
  w/ Peter Mazza, guitar & Thomson Kneeland, bass
• 07/07, Wed - The Rex
  194 Queen St. West, Toronto, Canada
  w/ Toronto Samba Jazz Connection feat. Jeremy Price, Attila Fias, Rick Brisco, Paco Luviano
• 07/08, Thu - The Rex
  194 Queen St. West, Toronto, Canada
  w/ Toronto Samba Jazz Connection feat. Jeremy Price, Attila Fias, Rick Brisco, Paco Luviano
• 07/10, Sat - Sunfest
  London, Ontario, Canada
  w/ Toronto Samba Jazz Connection feat. Jeremy Price, Attila Fias, Rick Brisco, Paco Luviano
• 07/11, Sun - Sunfest
  London, Ontario, Canada
  w/ Toronto Samba Jazz Connection feat. Jeremy Price, Attila Fias, Rick Brisco, Paco Luviano
• 07/16, Fri - Pierson Park
  Tarrytown, NY, 6:30-8PM
  w/ Hendrik Meurkens Samba Jazz Quartet
  Hendrik Meurkens-harmonica, vibes/ Misha Tsiganov-piano/ Gustavo Amarante-bass/ Mauricio Zottarelli-drums
  plus special guest Mark Morganelli, flugelhorn
• 07/18, Sun - Bar Next Door
  129 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012, (212) 529-5945, Sets at 8PM & 10PM
  w/ Peter Mazza, guitar & Thomson Kneeland, bass
• 07/20, Tue - Zinc Bar
  82 West 3rd Street (btw Thompson & Sullivan), New York, NY 10012 tel. 212-477-9462
  w/ Leonardo Cioglia Band
• 07/23, Fri - Whole Foods
  2245 Springfield Ave, Vauxhall, NJ 07088, 6:30 - 8:30 PM
  w/ Misha Tsiganov-piano
• 07/29, Thu - Bar Next Door
  129 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012, (212) 529-5945, Sets at 8:30 and 10:30
  w/ Misha Tsiganov-piano & Gustavo Amarante-bass
• 09/26, Sun - The Blue Note
  131 W. 3rd St, New York, NY 10012, 212-475-8592
  Jazz Brunch, Sets at 12:30pm & 2:30pm
  w/ Hendrik Meurkens Quartet
  Hendrik Meurkens-harmonica/ N.N.-piano/ Gustavo Amarante-bass/ Adriano Santos-drums, perc
• 10/15, Fri - Yardbird Suite
  11 Tommy Banks Way, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, (780) 432-0428
  w/ Toronto Samba Jazz Connection feat. Jeremy Price, Attila Fias, Rick Brisco, Paco Luviano
• 10/16, Sat - Hermann's Jazz Club
  753 View Street, Victoria, BC, Canada, ph.(250) 388-9166
  w/ Toronto Samba Jazz Connection feat. Jeremy Price, Attila Fias, Rick Brisco, Paco Luviano
• 10/17, Sun - The Cellar
  3611 W. Broadway St., Vancouver, BC, Canada, (604)738-1959
  w/ Toronto Samba Jazz Connection feat. Jeremy Price, Attila Fias, Rick Brisco, Paco Luviano