Keyboardist Nico Brandsen died on Wednesday at the age of 63. His family announced this on Friday. Six months ago the musician announced that he had a malignant brain tumor had. Brandsen was known as one of the best organists in the Netherlands. His specialty was the Hammond organ.
Brandsen played in countless bands during his life. He musically accompanied Ilse DeLange, Kane, Bob Fosko, Jan Akkerman, Van Dik Hout, Maarten van Roozendaal, Golden Earring and Marco Borsato, among others. As a producer and composer, Brandsen has contributed to numerous CDs.
The musician also worked extensively with Angela Groothuizen, with whom he made several theater performances. Brandsen and Groothuizen won the Annie MG Schmidt Prize in 2012, the award for the most impressive theater song of the year, for the song Vinkeveen.
Over the past ten years, the keyboardist has mainly developed his own projects, such as In De Steen, Ro & Paradise Funk and in recent years the formation Mell & Vintage Future. He has toured the country with this in recent seasons. The group announced on Thursday that it was canceling a number of performances, but did not give a reason.
Brandsen also taught for many years in the pop department of the Conservatory of Amsterdam. The cremation will take place privately, his family said.
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