Hendrik Meurkens (born 1957) is a Dutch harmonica and vibraphone player of the modern jazz.
He has been described as "the obvious leading player" in harmonica and has been compared to Toots Thielemans.
Life and career Hendrik Meurkens was born on August 15, 1957 to Dutch parents and spent his early life in Hamburg. He began playing the vibraphone when he was sixteen and started playing the harmonica three years later after listening to a Toots Thielemans recording. He studied with Wolfgang Schlüter from 1976 to 1977.
Meurkens moved to the United States the same year and attended the Berklee College of Music for three years. He lived in Brazil during the early 1980s, moving back to his hometown of Hamburg after a few years. During his time there, Meurkens met Brazilian musician , who gave him a place to sleep during his first few days in the nation. Back in Hamburg, Meurkens toured throughout Europe with a jazz group and was composing for German television.
In 1989, Meurkens released his debut album, Samba Importado, via Bellaphon Records. He was signed onto Concord Records the next year, releasing six albums for the label before exiting during the late 1990s.
As of 2021, he lives in New York City.
Discography
Samba Importado (1989)https://www.allmusic.com/album/samba-importado-mw0000270676 Sambahia (1990)https://www.allmusic.com/album/sambahia-mw0000270066 Clear of Clouds (1992)https://www.allmusic.com/album/clear-of-clouds-mw0000091615 A View From Manhattan (1993)https://www.allmusic.com/album/a-view-from-manhattan-mw0000108904 October Colors (1994)https://www.allmusic.com/album/october-colors-mw0000646690 Slidin''' (1994)https://www.allmusic.com/album/slidin-mw0000120827 Poema Brasileiro (1996)https://www.allmusic.com/album/poema-brasileiro-mw0000611495 Quiet Moments (1998)https://www.allmusic.com/album/quiet-moments-mw0000040522 Dig This Samba (1999)https://www.allmusic.com/album/dig-this-samba-mw0000798528 In a Sentimental Mood (1999)https://www.allmusic.com/album/in-a-sentimental-mood-mw0000254685 Mundell's Moods (2000)https://www.allmusic.com/album/mundells-moods-mw0000095004 New York Nights (2000)https://www.allmusic.com/album/new-york-nights-mw0000102631 Amazon River (2005)https://www.allmusic.com/album/amazon-river-mw0000214519 New York Samba Jazz Quintet (2007)https://www.allmusic.com/album/new-york-samba-jazz-quintet-mw0000461929 Sambatropolis (2008)https://www.allmusic.com/album/sambatropolis-mw0000781130 Samba to Go! (2009)https://www.allmusic.com/album/samba-to-go%21-mw0000806238 Four in Berlin (2010)https://www.allmusic.com/album/four-in-berlin-mw0002316611 Live at Bird's Eye (2011)https://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-birds-eye-mw0002223274 Celebrando (2012)https://www.allmusic.com/album/celebrando-mw0002315524 Junity (2014) with Misha Tsiganov, pianohttps://www.allmusic.com/album/junity-mw0002703710 Cabin In the Sky (2018)https://www.allmusic.com/album/cabin-in-the-sky-mw0003246053 Cobb's Pocket with Jimmy Cobb (2019)https://www.allmusic.com/album/cobbs-pocket-mw0003301618 Manhattan Samba (2021)https://www.allmusic.com/album/manhattan-samba-mw0003540488 Christmas Vibes (2022)https://www.allmusic.com/album/christmas-vibes-mw0003892445 The Jazz Meurkengers (2024)https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-jazz-meurkengers-mw0004194254 Samba Tonto'' (2026)https://www.allmusic.com/song/samba-tonto-mt0060387640
References
External links Website with discography Biography (German) Besprechung New York Samba Quintet