Take Five With Ron van Stratum

AAJ Staff

Contributor since 1995

Various staff members.

Recent articles (1,149 total)

Published: October 2, 2010

Meet Ron van Stratum:
Drummer/percussionist from The Netherlands. Has worked with Jim Beard Jim Beard
b.1960
piano , Scott Kinsey Scott Kinsey

keyboard , Mike Stern Mike Stern
b.1953
guitar , John Beasley John Beasley

piano , Mike Mainieri Mike Mainieri
b.1938
vibraphone , Eric Gale Eric Gale
1938 - 1994
guitar, electric and others.

Currently teaching at Conservatory of Maastricht (NL). Has three CDs out as a leader, and is a clinician for Yamaha drums, and Meinl cymbals and percussion.

Instrument(s):
Drums, percussion.

Teachers and/or influences?
Joe Zawinul Joe Zawinul
1932 - 2007
keyboard , Jim Beard, Scott Kinsey, Peter Erskine Peter Erskine
b.1954
drums , Vinnie Colaiuta Vinnie Colaiuta
b.1956
drums , Elvin Jones Elvin Jones
1927 - 2004
drums , Pat Metheny Pat Metheny
b.1954
guitar .

Your sound and approach to music:
I like to play the song not the instrument.

Your teaching approach:
Be open to all kinds of music, and learn from everything and everyone you hear. That will get you to develop your own style.

Road story: Your best or worst experience:
Counting in, and playing, a wrong tune on a live radio show, while the band played another one.

Your favorite recording in your discography and why?
Swingin' in the Swamp, because I finally got the sound from my drums the way I heard them, not through the ears of a mixing engineer; this was because I was the engineer that time.

The first Jazz album I bought was:
Billy Cobham Billy Cobham
b.1944
drums 's Funky Thide Of Sings, with Randy Brecker Randy Brecker
b.1945
trumpet and Michael Brecker Michael Brecker
1949 - 2007
sax, tenor .

What are some of the essential requirements to keep jazz alive and growing?
Venues to play, people supporting the artists by buying their music and not stealing it.

What is in the near future?
Promoting my new CD, Swingin' in the Swamp, and playing some festivals.

By Day:
Teaching three days a week at Maastricht Conservatorium, The Netherlands.

If I weren't a jazz musician, I would be a:
a person missing something.

Photo Credit
Courtesy of Ron van Stratum