English: Ever since he was a kid, drummer Lucas van Merwijk, born in 1961, has been under the spell of drums.

He was elected 'Best Jazz drummer' in the Benelux countries by the readers of the Slagwerkkrant" (a professional Dutch Drum magazine) for six years running (1993-1999). Furthermore, he was elected best Fusiondrummer in the Benelux in 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2004 and 2005.

After an intensive study of Afro-Cuban drums with drummer Oscarito Valdes (Irakere) in Cuba, Lucas van Merwijk is now very actively involved with various groups and artists throughout Europe, and in particular with the internationally acclaimed group Nueva Manteca. At the moment Lucas is the bandleader of four groups: His Music Machine (with changing line-up every year), Drumix! with Aly N'Diaye Rose, the world-percussion ensemble Drums United and the 20 piece Cubop City Big Band. Apart from that, he has appeared in a lot of television and radio shows and can be heard on many CDs. As a percussionist he has collaborated with many bands, on recordings and productions.

All of these experiences have made him develop his own special style, a mix of Cuban, Brazilian and North American rhythms, characterized by powerful percussion and splendid technical skills.

Bio Lucas van Merwijk

1961 Born in De Bilt, The Netherlands 1970 starts playing drums 1980 till 1982 studies at the Sweelinck Conservatorium in Amsterdam 1980 starts working in the Salsa and Jazz scene in the Netherlands 1982 till 1986 Boulevard of Broken Dreams Orchestra 1984 till 1987 Henri Guedon, Paris 1985 till 1992 Maarten van Nordens Future Shock 1886 Studies in Habana, Cuba with Oscarito Valdez 1986 1989 teaching Latin Percussion at the Hilversums Conservatory 1986 Tour with Chris Hinze Combination

1987 till present Drums with Nueva Manteca 1887 till present Drums at the drumfaculty at CODARTS Insititute 1987 till present Drums & Percussion at the Amsterdams Conservatory

1988 Azie tour with Future Shock 1989 playing with Nicky Marrero, Nueva Manteca 1989 till 1991 TV show Jansen & CO

1990 starts trio Sticks & Strings with Leonardo Amuedo 1991 till 1994 Denise Jannah 4tet 1991 Hans Dulfer Band 1992 Cd URU Sticks and Strings 1992 Studies in Habana Cuba with Oscar Valdez by readers Slagwerkkrant Drummagazine

1994 Chosen best Jazz Drummer of 93/94 by readers Slagwerkkrant Drummagazine 1994 Chosen best Fusion Drummer of 93/94 by readers Slagwerkkrant Drummagazine 1994 Nueva Manteca Leeds International Music Festival 1994 Tour with Sticks and Strings 1994 Clinictour Germany with Martin Verdonk

1995 Nueva Manteca tour with Bobby Sanabria 1995 starts CUBOP CITY BIG BAND 1995 Tour USA Nueva Manteca 1995 Nueva Manteca tour with Claudio Roditi 1995 Chosen best Jazz Drummer of 94/95 by readers Slagwerkkrant Drummagazine 1995 Chosen best Fusion Drummer of 94/95 by readers Slagwerkkrant Drummagazine 1995“Award for outstanding service to jazz education” in Los Angeles 1995 Nueva Manteca tour Danmark 1995 Nueva Manteca tour Germany 1995 CD recording the Machito Project CUBOP CITY BIG BAND

1996 Chosen best Fusion Drummer of 95/96 by readers Slagwerkkrant Drummagazine 1996 USA tour Nueva Manteca 1996 Nueva Manteca on Trinidad & Tobago 1996 Cubop City Big Band tour with Chocolate Armenteros 1996 North Sea Jazz Festival Cubop City 1996 Nueva Manteca Jazzfestival Kouvola Finland 1996 Cubop City Big Band tour with Chocolate Armenteros

1997 Cubop City Big Band recording Moré and More 1997 Concerts Cubop City Big Band with Edy Martinez 1997 Nueva Manteca tour Danmark & Finland 1997 starts record label Tam Tam Records 1997 recording Sticks & Strings CD JAMFEVER 1997 Chosen best Jazz Drummer of 96/97 by readers Slagwerkkrant Drummagazine

1998 Tour Dutch Antilles with the Cubop City Big Band 1998 Nueva Manteca tour with Luis Conte 1998 Clinic Journees de la Percusion Paris 1998 Nueva Manteca at Salsa Festival Turku Finland

1999 Live in the Hague Cubop City Big Band on Tam Tam Records 1999 Tour Female Factory Moskou and Madrid 1999 Tour Bonaire, Sint Maarten, Curaçao & Aruba with the Cubop City Big Band 1999 North Sea Jazz Festival 1999 Chosen best Fusion Drummer of 98/99 by readers Slagwerkkrant Drummagazine 1999 Concerts Cubop City Big Band with percussionist Armando Peraza 1999 Concerts in Colombia with pianist Edy Martinez

2000 Concerts with spanish percussiongroup Nits de la Mediterania 2000 Nueva Manteca tour Israel 2000 Bomba Moderna festival Torres y Salsa France 2000 starts duo DRUMIX! with senegalese percussionist Aly N'Diaye Rose. 2000 Chosen Jazz Drummer of 99/00 by readers Slagwerkkrant Drummagazine 2000 starts percussiongroup DRUMS UNITED 2000 starts Tam Tam Productions foundation 2000 CD Drumix! on TAM TAM Records 2000 Theatre tour She Got Game

2001 STICKS & STRINGS becomes 'Trio Amuedo, van Merwijk, Vierdag' 2001 Manhattan School Of Music Summercamp 2001 Theatre tour She Got Game 2001 Live cd Trio Amuedo, van Merwijk Vierdag, 'Live in Amsterdam on Tam Tam Records 2001 Cubop City Big Band concerts with tresséro Nelson Gonzales 2001 Cubop City Big Band Torres y Salsa France 2001 Euro Radio Big Band JazzMeeting for EBU 2001 Concert for Nelson Mandela, Carré, Amsterdam 2001 Concerts with Percussion group Amsterdam

2002 Theatre tour Drums United program HIT 2002 Manhattan School Of Music Summercamp 2002 Nueva Manteca tour with Ralph Irrizarry 2002 Theatre tour She Got Game 2002 Theatre tour Made in Holland 2002 Cubop City Big Band cd 'Arsenio' on Tam Tam Records

2003 Concerts with Slagwerkgroup Amsterdam 2003 tour Puerto Rico Heineken Jazz with Nueva Manteca 2003 Nueva Manteca tour "The Westside Story" with Jeroen van Merwijk 2003 Manhattan School Of Music Summercamp 2003 Theatre tour She Got Game 2003 Theatre tour Made in Holland 2003 Cubop City Big Band Tour 'The Mambo Kings'

2004 Manhattan School Of Music Summercamp 2004 Nueva Manteca tour with Orestes Vilató 2004 Theatre tour She Got Game too 2004 Theatre tour Drums United 'World of Rhythm'

2005 Nueva Manteca tour "My Fair Lady" 2005 Theatre tour Drums United 'World of Rhythm' 2005 Theatre tour Amuedo van Merwijk Vierdag trio 2005 Theatre tour Cubop City Big Band ‘Tribute to Afro Cuba’ 10 year anniversary! 2005 Theatre tour van Merwijk Corsen Vierdag trio 2005 Theatre tour Cubop City Big Band ‘Latin Guitar Explosion’10 year anniversay! 2005 Theatre tour Amuedo van Merwijk Vierdag trio 2005 2006 Nueva Manteca

2006 Theatre tour Cubop City Big Band ‘Latin Vocal Explosion’ 10 year anniversay! 2006 Theatre tour Drums United 'World of Rhythm' (reprise) 2006 DVD recording Drums United 'World of Rhythm' 2006 Caribbean tour Cubop City Big Band to Bonaire & Curaçao 2006 Tour Colombia with Nueva Manteca 2006 Theatre tour Drums United ‘Ritmo Inferno’ 2006 Clinic Tromp Percussion Biennale

2007 Theatre tour Cubop City Big Band ‘Latin Diva’s’ 2007 Van Merwijk’s Music Machine with Konkie Halmeyer, Carlo de Wijs and Roberto Vizcaino 2007 Clinic tour in Germany for Pearl Drums 2007 Drums United tour to Bulgaria and Serbia 2007 Cubop City Big Band with Drums United Grachtenfestival Amsterdam 2007 Theatre tour Drums United ‘Ritmo Inferno’ (reprise) 2007 Chosen to ‘Hall of Fame’ by readers Slagwerkkrant Drummagazine 2007 Drumix! Theatre Tour ‘The World of Drumix! 2007 Nueva Manteca Motown Mambo! concerts

2008 Van Merwijk’s Music Machine with Theodosii Spassov, Martin Verdonk, Reno Steba, Stormvogel. 2008 Drums United tour to Cyprus and Germany 2008 Nueva Manteca Requiem 2008 Cubop City Big Band with Drums United Tilburg 2008 Dutch Theatre tour Drums United Slaat Door! 2008 SA Tour Cubop City Big Band Colombia, Surinam, Aruba, Curacao 2008 CD Cubop City Big Band ‘Que Sensacion!’

2008 Cubop City Big Band Tribute to Tito Puente with Andy Gonzalez on Bass