Groningen jazz singer Marcela Hendrik ‘discovered’ by Rein de Graaff. Their debut CD is sought after as far afield as Japan

It was two years ago in the music school in Veendam. Rein de Graaff (Groningen, 1942) still comes there regularly to practice on various pianos. “You can be a great Pete on your own grand piano,” he explains at home in his studio, “but every piano is different. For example, one plays heavier and the other a little harder. Every piano has a different sound. I also get new inspiration from that.”

“During one of those visits, I went into the kitchen to get a coffee and a nice young lady was there too. I asked her if she had lessons. It turned out that she taught herself. Singing lessons. And she had also studied jazz at the conservatory. Well, I wanted to hear that, of course.”

Marcela Hendriks had to overcome some trepidation: “It was the great Mr. De Graaff. Of course I recognized him immediately. Did I feel free enough to make music together?” But after just one song, jazz veteran Rein de Graaff heard it immediately: “She has a natural swing. You can’t learn that. It’s either there or it’s not. You will hear it immediately when that swing has been learned. Not only with singers; also with other musicians.” De Graaff was clearly impressed and asked: “Next week again…?”

Good luck with your own singing studio

Marcela Hendriks (1980) – born in Bogota, raised in Groningen – performed a lot during her studies and afterwards, including in the band Mambo Inn with Brazilian music. She also gave singing lessons at various music schools and started her own Zangstudio Noord in the city of Groningen. Teaching became increasingly important when she had a family. “You need stability and it is more difficult to leave in the evening to perform.” Rein de Graaff whispers: “You should also mention that one of your students, Iris Kroes, was the winner of The Voice !”

The in-house singing studio grew into a great success; She resigned from her job at the music school in Veendam. That did not mean that the sessions between pianist and singer stopped. These were continued in De Graaff’s studio. “A friendship was created through the many rehearsals,” says Hendriks. “The big age difference doesn’t matter. Because we speak the same musical language.” De Graaff confirms this: “Then I came to a session in New York and you played with, for example, Japanese, Australians or wherever they came from. But in music you understood each other and found each other.”

The love for singing has flared up again

The pair already performed several times last year. Hendriks recently released a CD with the Rein de Graaff Trio and there are plans for more concerts. Suddenly things are moving quickly for Hendriks, for whom performing was on the back burner for a long time. De Graaff: “I got her singing again. She has so much potential.” Hendriks: “My love for music has always remained. But now I have my self-confidence back. I’m even working on a new Brazilian band again.”

The students at her music school have a preference for pop music. But for Hendriks there is actually no difference: “Pop, jazz or Brazilian – I like all music. Ultimately, they are all melodies, rhythms and stories to sing. Conveying those stories as best as possible, that’s what it’s all about for me.” For example, the CD contains this very beautiful song Throw it away by Abbey Lincoln. “That has such a beautiful story. That touches me, and that’s why I like to sing it.”

Popular in Japan

Rein de Graaff now has 55 albums to his name. Many of these have been re-released in Japan, where there is great interest in his music. This CD with Marcela Hendriks will also be released on the Japanese market. “They are already enthusiastic there,” De Graaff emphasizes. Yet it is striking that this is his first album with a singer.

According to some jazz experts, De Graaff has less interest in singers. “Oh, but I have performed with singers, you know.” He talks about tours with Etta Jones, Deborah Brown and other vocalists. He points to a row of LPs in his record cabinet. “All vocalists. I like playing ballads. They are actually meant to be sung. Then I want to listen to the lyrics in the songs, so that I can also reflect that in my music.”

De Graaff does emphasize that he makes no concessions, which may be one of the reasons why he is less likely to play with vocalists. “A singer is often gently accompanied. But my trio plays hard bop and we accompany a vocalist in the same way as a horn player. We don’t play that clean. Saxophonist Benjamin Herman also plays on the CD with Marcela. He goes the extra mile in terms of fervor.”

“Bam!” – keep going

How about that: Rein de Graaff said goodbye to De Oosterpoort and all his jazz series there with American musicians years ago. And in 2019 was his last tour of the smaller stages in the country. Yet his jazz blood continues to creep. “Oh, you know how it goes. Then North Sea Jazz calls: ‘You still want to play at North Sea…?’ And after my farewell, five more CDs of mine have already been released,” De Graaff admits.

With a mixture of pride and melancholy, he points to the old posters hanging in his studio and reads out the names of the American jazz greats with whom he played: James Moody, Dexter Gordon, Johnny Griffin… That’s a long time past. “Even my peers like Ronnie Cuber and Dave Pike are no longer there. I am now the oldest jazz pianist in the Netherlands,” says the 81-year-old.

The fun in the game is still there. But it’s different than before. “Last month I had three concerts in a row in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Utrecht. Normally you would go into town for a while. But now I have to rest well so that during the performance – bam! – to lead the way,” he says fervently with a sparkle in his eye.