Biography

New: the latest piano-solo CD of Michiel Scheen - 'Clouds and sunny chunks'!
Digital download album on his Bandcamp site.













"Chunks and shadows, keys – black and white, sonic fiction articulated, conceptual codes shifting, focus on fluffy statements, temporal dynamics - harshmellow, reaching for hope, answers to be questioned."


In 2012 pianist and composer Michiel Scheen (1963, Amsterdam) joined Raoul van der Weide (bass, cracklebox, sound objects) and George Hadow (drums) in the Blue Lines Trio, a initiative by Van der Weide.
In 2016 the trio invited Ada Rave (tenorsaxophone), Bart Maris (trumpets) and Wolter Wierbos (trombone) to form the Blue Lines Sextet.

Besides that, Scheen regularly plays a duo with saxophonist and clarinetist Tobias Delius and with the Jan Nijdam Quartet.

After a retreat from 2000 untill 2004, he formed a new quartet with Ab Baars, Han Bennink and Ernst Glerum. They recorded the well received CD "Dance, my dear?".
From 1986 untill 1999 Scheen worked with many musicians, amongst others with Ab Baars, Conrad Bauer, Johannes Bauer, Han Bennink, Jaap Blonk, Anthony Braxton, Tobias Delius, Cor Fuhler, Hans Hasebos, Gerry Hemingway, Wiek Hijmans, Guus Janssen, George Lewis, Misha Mengelberg, Roscoe Mitchell, Butch Morris, Jacques Palinckx, Evan Parker, Hans Reichl, Vladimir Tolkachev, Tang Xu and John Zorn.
He also worked with the international ensemble Ohrkiste, led by Radu Malfatti (a.o. with Evan Parker), the Paul Termos Tentet and Dubbel Express, the electro-acoustic trio YPON (with Michael Barker and Wiek Hijmans), Structures, led by Peter van Bergen, Cardueles Cardueles (leader: Cor Fuhler), the Dickinson Projekt by Ig Henneman, Kenvermogen (with a.o. Wiek Hijmans and Hans Hasebos), the Maarten Altena Ensemble (collaborations with a.o. Remco Campert, Mark Terstroet, Anthony Braxton, Roscoe Mitchell, Lawrence Butch Morris, John Zorn and theatergroup Discordia; tours through Europe, USA, Canada and USSR), the theaterproduction "Elektra and Orestes" by director Erik-Ward Geerlings and composer Arthur Sauer (theatergroup FACT Rotterdam), Seafood (led by Alan Laurillard) and the Object Theatre Orchestra (a duo with Augusto Forti).

In 1991 Michiel Scheen was commisioned by NOS-radio and Jazzmarathon Groningen to compose a live-set, which resulted in the project "Rijs", with a.o. Jaap Blonk, Tristan Honsinger and Paul Koek. He initiated projects and ensembles (Filiaal, the Michiel Scheen Sextet and -Quartet and TRIKLINION), with a.o. Ab Baars, Jaap Blonk, Michael Vatcher, Frank van Berkel and Hans van der Meer. Since 1990 Scheen recieved commisions and stipendia for his work as a composer from the "Fonds voor de Scheppende Toonkunst" (the Dutch fund for composers).

Scheen also joined the Dutch jazz-musicians union: the BIM (Beroepsvereniging van Improviserende Musici). During 1994-1996 he was a member of the board, and during 1996-1998 he was the chairman of this union. As a chairman Scheen engaged in contacts with the Ministery of Education, Culture and Science, several funds for artists and other unions. He also was involved in the "Stichting de Centrale", a service-unit for freelance musicians.

On Discogs you will find an overview of Michiel Scheens' releases.


October 24, 2014 - Michiel Scheen Piano Solo - Maarten Luther Kerk, Dintelstraat 134, Amsterdam - 20:30 hrs.
May 14, 2018 - Michiel Scheen Piano Solo - Pintotonics - Huis de Pinto, Amsterdam - 20:30 hrs.

Solo at the Maarten Luther Kerk: (the audio and grandpiano are not perfect, but, - I must say - the pieces and my playing are OK.)
Improvisation & "Idols".


"The apprentice" & "Gratitude"



Listen to an interview on Concertzender- radio station here.







Michiel Scheen Quartet

Ab Baars - saxophones, clarinet
Han Bennink - drums
Ernst Glerum - bass
Michiel Scheen - piano, compositions

2004: Dance My dear?
In 2003 Michiel Scheen invited three prominent Dutch musicians: Ab Baars (reeds), Ernst Glerum (bass) and Han Bennink (drums), to join him in a Quartet. After a few years of musical in-activity, Scheen is back with his highly individual and recognizable style. With this Quartet, he strives to combine his very personal interpretation of jazz with the playful and adventurous nature of improvised music.

"For this group I composed pieces that feature individual freedom for the players. And it’s wonderful to see what such great musicians as Ab, Ernst and Han do with the material: their intuition and imagination is enormous! Melodic phrases are carefully cut into pieces and catapulted into space, lumps of harmonies hanging on the side. And their conception of tempo is mesmerizing: sometimes we play in four different pulses; it's not the beat that generates 'swing', but the more freely phrased pulses. There is no monotonous beat, but a kind of polyphonic, multi-subjective swing. If you would dance to it, every move would be permitted. An inevitable and often returning inspiration is the powerful and frenzy work of Thelonious Monk. Especially, my harmonic idiom is clearly influenced by him. But I think his music contains more and other musical possibilities, with its angular, pounding and rumbling, razor-sharp shining lyricism. He is a savage sculptor of sounds, a musical architect of genius, with a melancholic, happy, Dadaist and hopeful vision. With Monk, the world is an awful little bit more beautiful. Furthermore, I'm very happy to be able to work with musicians that still contribute so much to the development of improvised music; through their creativity, the vitality of improvised music is guaranteed."

Ab Baars - saxophones, clarinet (1955, Axel) collaborated with Harry de Wit, Wolter Wierbos and Mariëtte Rouppe van der Voort in the quartet Cumulus. He worked with a.o. Guus Janssen, Theo Loevendie, Willem van Manen, Steve Lacy, Maarten Altena, Roscoe Mitchell, Misha Mengelberg, John Carter, Anthony Braxton, Cor Fuhler, Gerry Hemmingway, Cecil Taylor, de EX, Sunny Murray, George Lewis and Ig Henneman. Now he works with Mengelbergs ICP Orchestra, and recently his trio with Wilbert de Joode and Martin van Duijnhoven celebrated their 12th anniversary.

Ernst Glerum - bass (1955) a much demanded bassplayer and currently working with the Amsterdam String Trio, Available Jelly, the ICP Orchestra, the ensembles of Guus Janssen and the collectively managed trio with Michiel Borstlap and Han Bennink.

Han Bennink - drums (1942, Zaandam) is, besides a visual artist, an internationaly renowned solo-player and much demanded percussionist. He worked with Sonny Rollins, Dexter Gordon, Eric Dolphy, and had/has a major influence on the development of the Dutch and European improvised music. For more than 30 years, he works together with Misha Mengelberg, as a duo, but also with the ICP Orchestra. Furthermore he worked with a.o. Peter Brötzmann, Steve Beresford, Eugene Chadbourne, Fred van Hove, Derek Bailey, Ernst Reijseger, Michael Moore, Willem Breuker, Marion Brown, Don Cherry, Alex von Schlippenbach, Lee Konitz, Steve Lacy, Albert Mangelsdorff, Cor Fuhler, Tobias Delius, Dudu Pukwana, Keshavan Maslak, Toshinori Kondo, Leo Cuypers, Roswell Rudd, Harry Miller, Conrad Bauer, George Lewis, Teo Joling, Sean Bergin, Peter Kowald, Cecil Taylor, de EX, Fred Frith, 'Butch' Morris, Anthony Braxton, Ray Anderson, Myra Melford, Dave Douglas, Eric Boeren, Evan Parker and with kind of practically everybody.





CD - Dance my dear ?

Data 042
Dance, My Dear?

















Ab Baars - tenor saxophone, clarinet
Han Bennink - drums
Ernst Glerum - bass
Michiel Scheen - piano, compositions
2004

1 Similarities
2 God in Heaven (stay!)
3 This time it will last forever
4 Idols
5 Dance, My Dear?
6 Non-circle agreeable
7 Patience
8 Subsequently
9 Summerwindow

To order: michielscheen@gmail.com
Recorded by Dick Lucas, December 17th 2003, BIMhuis Amsterdam
Produced by Dick Lucas and Michiel Scheen

Distributed by Toondist





Agenda

2024

Sunday, February 4 - Duo Raoul van der Weide / Michiel Scheen Salon De IJzerstaven, Amsterdam, 15:00 hrs
Friday, February 16 - Trio Michael Moore, Mary Oliver, Michiel Scheen Splendor, Amsterdam, 19:30 hrs
Saturday, March 9 - Duo Tobias Delius / Michiel ScheenDe Pletterij, Haarlem, 20:00 hrs
Monday, March 11 - Duo Tobias Delius / Michiel Scheen - Pintotonics, Huis de Pinto, Amsterdam, 19:30 hrs
Friday, September 6 - Duo Maarten Ornstein / Michiel Scheen, Splendor, Amsterdam, 20:30 hrs



2023

Sunday, February 19 - Blue Lines Trio - Plusetage, Baarle Nassau, 14:00 hrs
Sunday, October 15 - Blue Lines Trio - Theater Vrijburcht, Amsterdam, 15:30 hrs



2022

Sunday, May 15 - Blue Lines Trio at StrandLab Festival with Quito Nicolaas, Almere, time t.b.a.
Friday, May 20 - Blue Lines Trio at StrandLab with Mario Withoud, Almere, time t.b.a.
Saturday, August 27 - Duo Tobias Delius / Michiel Scheen, Zomer Jazz Fiets Tour, Goningen, time t.b.a.
Friday, September 2 - Blue Lines Trio at StrandLab with Wim van Broekhoven, Almere, 19:30 hrs.
Thursday, September 8 - Blue Lines Trio at BIMhuis, Amsterdam, 20:30 hrs.
Friday, September 30 - Blue Lines Trio with Han Buhrs - De Pletterij, Haarlem, 20:00 hrs.
Sunday, October 9 -  Blue Lines Trio with Keefe Jackson and Mars Williams - Wijnbar Koffie & Ambacht, Rotterdam, 16:00 hrs.
Sunday , November 27 - Blue Lines Trio - Salon de IJzerstaven - Amsterdam, 16:00 hrs


2021

Tuesday, June 8 - Concentric Circles (John Hughes [b], Els Vandeweyer [vib], Cristiano Calgnile [dr], Tobias Delius [ts, cl], Michiel Scheen [pi]) - Blurred Edges Festival, Hamburg (DE), 20:00hrs
(watch first and second set)
Monday, November 8 - Blue Lines Trio with Han Buhrs - Pintotonics, Amsterdam - 20:00 hrs.
Saturday, November 13 - Blue Lines Trio with Han Buhrs - JazzblazztNeeritter - 20:00 hrs.


2020

Friday January 31 - Michiel Scheen Piano Solo - Ditdit dada ditdit Fest - De Ruimte, Amsterdam - 19:00hrs
Wednesday Februari 12 - Hernán Sama (saxes), Marcos Baggiani (drums), Michiel Scheen (piano) - Mixtural Series, Zaal 100, Amsterdam, 20:00hrs
Saturday Februari 22 - Blue Lines Trio featuring Mars Williams - Wijnbar Koffie & Ambacht, Rotterdam - 20:00hrs
Sunday Februari 23 - Blue Lines Trio featuring Mars Williams - Houseconcert, Amsterdam
Tuesday Februari 25 - Blue Lines Octet featuring Mars Williams & featuring Han Buhrs - De Roze Tanker, Amsterdam Noord, 20:00hrs
Monday November 9 - Pintotonics, Amsterdam - 20:30 uur POSTPONED
Monday November 16 - De Pletterij, Haarlem - 20:30 uur POSTPONED
Friday November 27 - JazzBlazzt @Pitboeltheater, Sittard - 20:00 uur POSTPONED
Monday December 14 - Mixtural, Zaal 100, Amsterdam - 20:00 uur POSTPONED


2019 

Thursday January 3 - Michiel Scheen Piano solo - de Ruimte, Amsterdam - 21:00hrs
Saturday February 16 - Blue Lines Sextet - de Pletterij, Haarlem - 20:30hrs
Sunday February 17 - Blue Lines Sextet - BIMhuis, Amsterdam - 20:30hrs
Wednesday February 20 - Blue Lines Sextet - Stichting Jazz in Groningen, Brouwerij Martinus, Groningen - 20:30hrs
Sunday February 24 - duo Tobias Delius / Michiel Scheen - Jazzkeller69, Industriesalon Schöneweide, Berlin -  15:30hrs
Monday September 9 - Duo Frank Rosaly/Michiel Scheen - Pintotonics @Huis de Pinto, Amsterdam - 20:00hrs
Saturday September 14 - Blue Lines Trio - Jazzblatt OZO Landfestival, Hunsel - 18:00-1:00hrs


2018

February 12 - Blue Lines Trio - Pintotonics - Huis de Pinto, Amsterdam - 20:30 hrs.
February 21 - Blue Lines Trio with Bart Maris - Hotclub Gent - Gent, Belgium - 21:00 hrs.
April 5 - Blue Lines Trio with Mars Williams - Ramses Shayy Huis - Amsterdam - 20:00 hrs.
April 6 - Blue Lines Trio with Mars Williams - Openbaar huisconcert - Amsterdam - 20:30 hrs.
April 7 - Blue Lines Trio with Mars Williams - Plusetage - Baarle-Nassau - 20:30 hrs.
April 28 - duo Frank Rosaly / Michiel Scheen  - Atelier 5 > Rencontres - Amsterdam - 14:00 hrs.
May 14 - Michiel Scheen Piano Solo - Pintotonics - Huis de Pinto, Amsterdam - 20:30 hrs.


2017

March 22 - Blue Lines Trio & Mars Williams & Wolter Wierbos- De Ruimte, Amsterdam - 20:30 hrs.
April 22 - Blue Lines Sextet - CD launch party - Splendor, Amsterdam - 20:30 hrs.
April 29 - Interview at NTR-radio Co Live (online available)
May 24 - Paraula at Splendor, Amsterdam - 20:30 hrs.
May 27 - Jan Nijdam Quartet - CD launch party - BIMhuis, Amsterdam - 20:30 hrs.
May 28 - Blue Lines Trio & Wolter Wierbos - Soulbar Parazzar, Brugge, 20:00 hrs.
November 24 - Maarten Ornstein: Creator/Destroyer - De Vereeniging, Nijmegen, 20:15 hrs.
December 11 - Michiel Scheen Piano Solo - Pintotonics, Huis de Pinto, Amsterdam, 20:30 hrs.


2016

January 2 - Blue Lines Sextet - Bimhuis, Amsterdam - 20:30 hrs.
February 20 - Blue Lines Sextet - Plusetage, Baarle Nassau - 20:30 hrs.
February 29 - Jan Nijdam Kwartet (minus one) - De Ruimte, Amsterdam Noord - 20:30 hrs.
May 5 - Blue Lines Trio with Keefe Jackson - at City Art, Rotterdam - 20:30 hrs.
July 23 - Maarten Ornstein: Creator/Destroyer - Wonderfeel Festival, 's Graveland, 17:00 hrs.
August 27 - Jan Nijdam Kwartet - Zomerjazzfietstour 2016, Hervormde kerk, Oostum, 13:30 & 14:45 hrs.
September 12 - Duo Tobias Delius / Michiel Scheen - Pintotonics at the Pintohuis, Amsterdam 20:30 hrs.
September 17 - Maarten Ornstein: Creator/Destroyer - De Nacht van Kunst en Kennis, Universiteit van Leiden, Leiden.


2015

February 7 - Jan Nijdam Kwartet - Salon de IJzerstaven, Amsterdam - 20:30 hrs.
March 26 - Jan Nijdam Kwartet - Grand Theatre, Groningen - 20:30u Cancelled by Halbe Zijlstra (VVD Member of Parliament).
April 11 - Blue Lines Trio with special guest Mars Williams (saxophones) - De Roze Tanker, Amsterdam Noord, 20:30 hrs.
May 4 - BIM Lab 21: Hermine Deurloo (harmonica), Tony Overwater (bass), Onno Govaert (drums), Michiel Scheen (piano) - BIMhuis, Amsterdam - 21:30 hrs.
June 27 - Jan Nijdam Kwartet - Plusetage, Baarle Nassau - 20:30 hrs.
July 18 - Duo Tobias Delius / Michiel Scheen - Konfrontationen Festival, Jazzgalerie Nickelsdorf, Austria.
September 5 - Creator | Destroyer (Maarten Ornstein / Dana Linssen) - St. Aegtenkapel, Amersfoort - 20:00 hrs.
November 10 - Blue Lines Trio - Jazz in Arnhem, Musis Jubileumzaal, Arnhem - 20:30 hrs.


2014

April 7 - Blue Lines Trio - Huis de Pinto, Amsterdam - 20:30u
April 26 - Blue Lines Trio - Salon De IJzerstaven, Amsterdam - 21:00 hrs.
April 26  -Blue Lines Trio - Studio LOOS, Den Haag - 16:00 hrs.
August 30 - Duo Tobias Delius / Michiel Scheen - Zomer Jazz Fietstour, Feerwerd - 17:30 hrs. & 18:45 hrs.
October 10 - Blue Lines Trio - Mirliton Theater, Utrecht - 20:30 hrs.
October 11 - Blue Lines Trio - Plusetage, Baarle Nassau - 21:00 hrs.
October 24 - Michiel Scheen - Solo - Maarten Luther Kerk, Dintelstraat 134, Amsterdam - 20:30 hrs.
November 17 - Blind-date session - Oorsprong Curator Series, Poortgebouw, Tolhuisweg 1, Amsterdam - 20:00 hrs.
November 19 - Blue Lines Trio - CD-launch partySplendor, Amsterdam - 21:00 hrs.


2013

March 13 - Blue Lines - Zaal 100, Amsterdam - 21:00 hrs.
March 18 - Oorsprong serie - Het Poortgebouw, Amsterdam Noord - 20:00 hrs.
March 30 - Mr. Millen's Jazzomatik Lay-inn Lounge - Apollo Hotel, Almere - 19:00 hrs.
April 3 - Monday Night Dance & Music Impro Lab - Bimhuis, Amsterdam - 20:30 hrs.
May 25 - Carte Blanche for Michiel Scheen: Blue Lines & duo Tobias Delius / Michiel Scheen - BIMhuis, Amsterdam - 20:30 hrs.
June 28 - Jan Nijdam Kwartet - Het Perron, Amsterdam - 20:30 hrs.


2011

May 12 - Boucalé - Provadja, Alkmaar - 21:00u
May 14 - Boucalé - PlusEtage, Baarle Nassau - 21:00u
June 2 - Boucalé - Bimhuis, Amsterdam - 20:30u


2009

January 10 - Tobias Delius/Michiel Scheen Duo - SJU Jazzpodium, Utrecht - 21.00


2005

February 27 - Tobias Delius/Michiel Scheen Duo - De Toonzaal, Den Bosch - 21.30
April 9 - Alliage Orkest, Menschen am Sonntag - Filmmuseum, Amsterdam - 20.00
June 17 - Tobias Delius/Michiel Scheen Duo - Bimhuis, Amsterdam - 21.00
September 2 - Michiel Scheen Quartet - Bimhuis, Amsterdam - 21.00
September 3 - Michiel Scheen Quartet - Plusetage, Baarle-Nassau - 21.00
September 17 - Michiel Scheen Quartet - Hothouse. Leiden - 21.00
October 15 - Michiel Scheen Quartet - Mahogany Hall, Edam - 21.00
December 10 - Michiel Scheen Quartet - Artischock, Soest - 21.00


2004

March 11 - Michiel Scheen Quartet - Bimhuis, Amsterdam - 21.00
March 12 - Michiel Scheen Quartet - Paradox, Tilburg - 21.00
March 13 - Michiel Scheen Quartet - SJU Jazzpodium, Utrecht - 21.00
March 15 - Michiel Scheen Quartet - Jazzcafé Wilhelmina, Eindhoven - 21.00
August 28 - Michiel Scheen Quartet - ZomerJazzFietsTour, Groningen - 15.30
January 9 - Tobias Delius/Michiel Scheen Duo - Loft, Köln, Germany - 21.00
January 10 - Tobias Delius/Michiel Scheen Duo - Wist, Graz - 21.00
January 11 - Tobias Delius/Michiel Scheen Duo - Györ, Hungary - 21.00
January 12 - Tobias Delius/Michiel Scheen Duo - Porgy and Bess, Wien - 21.00
January 22 - Tobias Delius/Michiel Scheen Duo - Paradox, Tilburg - 21.00
January 23 - Tobias Delius/Michiel Scheen Duo - Smorjazz, Delft - 21.00
March 5 - Tobias Delius/Michiel Scheen Duo - De Burcht, Zaandam 21.00
March 14 - Tobias Delius/Michiel Scheen Duo - Haarlem - 15.00




Label Filiaal

To order: michielscheen@gmail.com

Filiaal 1
Contrapposto




















Michiel Scheen - piano
1993

1 A part
2 Norg
3 Is
4 Tretes
5 Een lege zwarte kist
6 Siluur
7 Voor de wereld
8 Sloot
9 Kyr-in

Recorded Februari 3, 1993 Centrum Nieuwe Muziek, Middelburg
by Chris Weeda
Edited by Dick Lucas
Many thanks to Ad van 't Veer, Middelburg


Filiaal 2
TRIKLINION




















Michiel Scheen - synthesizers
Frank van Berkel - bassguitar
Hans van der Meer - percussion
1997

1 Bunk
2 Boxpeoplemusic
3 Undo delete
4 Senak
5 An sicht
6 The miracle is the shortest time*
7 Calcia
8 Brain Dance
9 Metzel
10 Second Gallery

Live at
Korzo Den Haag, May 23, 1997
Bimhuis Amsterdam, June 14, 1997
*Poem by Charles Bukowski


Filiaal 3
Sphere's Works




















Michiel Scheen performs the music of Thelonious Monk
1999

1 Green Chimneys
2 Bye-ya
3 Epistrophy
4 Locomotive
5 Briljant Corners
6 Jackie-ing
7 Played twice
8 Pannonica
9 Round Midnight
10 Off Minor
11 Stuffy Turkey
12 Bemsha swing
13 New swing
14 We see/Monks point

Recorded at Studio M, Amsterdam
December 1998


Filiaal 4
GOODBYE!




















Michiel Scheen - piano
2003

1 So far so good, cool...
2 (Got myself) Together again
3 A (w)hole in my heart
4 Hold that thought!
5 (We're) Off track
6 Free, at least...
7 Dance, my dear?
8 On that lonesome road again
9 There's no turning back

Recorded at Studio M, Amsterdam
January 2003


Filiaal 5
Clouds and sunny chunks
























Michiel Scheen - piano
2020

1 Legs
2 The Dude's weekend
3 Surface
4 Improvisation
5 Clouds and sunny chunks
6 Reliqwy
7 Idols
8 Groove
9 A (w)hole in my (w)heart
10 Gratitude

"Chunks and shadows, keys – black and white, sonic fiction articulated, conceptual codes shifting, focus on fluffy statements, temporal dynamics - harshmellow, reaching for hope, answers to be questioned.”

Michiel Scheen (1963, Amsterdam), since the 1980’s, worked with many musicians throughout Europe, the USA and Canada. In 2012 he joined Raoul van der Weide (contrabass) and George Hadow (drums) in The Blue Lines Trio. The Blue Lines Sextet, with Ada Rave (saxophones), Bart Maris (trumpets) and Wolter Wierbos (trombone) regularly extend the line-up of this trio. Scheen also performs with the Jan Nijdam Quartet and as a duo with saxophonist and clarinettist Tobias Delius.
Scheen’s work has been described as: “Odd twists and sharp angles, post-Monk, post-Mengelberg even” (Frances Davis, The Village Voice, 2004).

Recorded at Studio M, Almere
February 2020

Digital album download: Michiel Scheen's Bandcamp site






Press Quotes


On the CD "Clouds and sunny chunks"

www.enola.be - March 2020

The modest size of the oevre of Michiel Scheen requires that every new addition must be grasped with both hands. Seventeen years after his last release, the pianist again comes up with a solo record. It once again shows his qualities.

His temporary sabatical from the music scene is now well behind us, but he's not exactly in the spotlight regurarily. Longer periods of silence are interrupted by occasional concerts and releases, including the Blue Lines Trio and its Sextet version. Somewhat applicable for an artist who lives in his own universe and has traveled an authentic course in his own modest way. A trajectory that yielded more than a gem, because - listening to it recently again - the CD Dance, My Dear (2004) of his Quartet for example, turned out to be a thoroughbred classic.

Between 1993 and 2003, Scheen also released a number of productions with mostly solo performances, Clouds And Sunny Chunks being the fifth in that series. Ten compact pieces, of which one improvisation and nine compositions. Some of them were recorded earlier, others are presented for the first time. The influence of Monk is obvious here and there, but Scheen also gives it its own twist, and each time succeeds in sharpening that famous angularity, while at another time fine-tuning it, with unpredictable sidings.

The opening track of the album, “Legs” winks right away to Monk's “Bluehawk” and then changes into a jerky flow with a dragging left hand that contrasts nicely with the playful, frivolous right. It is a gnarled dance with a wiggling charm. You will also hear it at the end of the album, where “Gratitude” functions as a musical hopscotch, with two hands performing a twirling dance together like an old time pop hit.

In between, Scheen explores diverse zones. For example, “The Dude's Weekend” is full of abrupt jumps and striking voids, a nervous piece that excels not so much in flow as in a series of short sprints that gush out. If there is any relationship at all, it is more about Mengelberg, whose influence on Dutch pianists is almost inevitable. The title track also contains a few powerful solid passages, with a dark edge, that is also present in the gloomy “Reliqwy”, which is more reminiscent of Mal Waldron.

"Idols" and "Groove" are longtime acquaintances, the former an expressive chunk of impatience that has already been tackled on Dance, My Dear and more recently by the Blue Lines line-ups, who also ventured into the latter. This gets a striking performance here, in which humming synth and piano form an abrasive, somewhat ominous union. With "A (w)hole in my (w)heart", Scheen then suddenly enters hymn-like atmospheres, a nice run-up to the lively "Gratitude", that closes the album.

Don't expect flaming acrobatics or crossover appeal. Fans will get their money's worth though. Scheen remains an underappreciated pianist who stands out time and time again and manages to use influences creatively, articulating carefully crafted ideas. His music is playful without becoming a game, has depth without drought and surprises with expressive ease, small nuances and quirky details. Maybe a musicians' musician, but still worth following or discovering.
Guy Peters

___________________________________________________________________________________
On the cd "Blue Lines Trio"

Jazzism Magazine, december 2014

This trio is the new vehicle for the post-Monk improviser, pianist Michiel Scheen. Double bass player is the spaciously articulating Raoul van der Weide, drummer is the young George Hadow. The young Englishman is a good dosing and especially original phrasing drummer who undoubtedly will have a great future. Scheen has brought together seven, in form exciting compositions, from himself, Paul Termos, and Van der Weide. They are clear, often somewhat bare patches, in where Scheen builds strong contrasts, sometimes smooth, sometimes jerky. The five spontaneous improvisations are also effective because the musicians complement each other and keep a single, common direction without solving the tension. The live album recorded at the Bimhuis is a fine collection of pieces which never have predictable endings.
Ken Vos 


www.enola.be - October 20, 2014
"And suddenly, from Amsterdam this gem arrives. Three generations of improvisers, with a handful of sparkling compositions and tingling free improvisations, rooted in the Dutch tradition, but with plenty of spunk and inventiveness. The Blue Lines Trio has its own style and has made a beauty of a debut album.

The trio joins pianist Michiel Scheen with bassist and graphic artist Raoul van der Weide, both musicians with an extensive history, and the young British drummer George Hadow, who since 2012 is active in the Dutch capital and recently with just about everyone, like with Terrie Ex and Andy Moor to John Dikeman, Yedo Gibson and many others. Van der Weide also playes with Dikeman, is a musician who shows up in a variety of contexts and is known to organize intriguing concert-series in his city.

Scheen is not really known in Belgium (or have we missed something?), and also in the Netherlands remained under the radar. That’s strange, because he has a lot of experience with past working relationships with Maarten Altena, Ab Baars and Ig Henneman. With Tobias Delius he forms a duo. On this first CD, professionally recorded at the Bimhuis by Arnold de Boer, the band combines different insertions and influences in an eclectic blend of, as well as catching jazz, provocative improvisations. The wide variation and generally compact pieces provide a very digestible and animated plate, that doesn’t collapse under its weight and remains having an air of playfulness throughout.

Scheen signs for a third of the pieces, that form a pretty strong line of compositions. Opener "Solid" is exuberant and with an almost festive start, it combines blues and Mengelberg on a bed of delicious clattering drums. A little later it seems as if the spirits of Monk and Jaki Byard take over, with accelerations, bouncing rhythms and contagious, quivering dynamics.
The nervous clashing "Idols" with Van der Weide’s singing bass, is a compact piece of energy within a clever ménage-a-trois.

The remaining compositions offer a beautiful contrast: "Stumble" is, despite the title, quite a stately piece, on a rolling and rumbling rhythm section, while the ultra short ballad "Sigh" is brushed forward by Hadow and notably is irony-free. The pieces are nicely complemented by two compositions by Dutch saxophonist Paul Termos. "Kop op" initially resembles Monks "Well You Needn’t," but later explores its own colourful places, full of patter and stomping, while "Dark Goeree" relies on a languid soul groove of an almost childlike simplicity. But it works, especially since Scheen playfully does beautiful things within that relatively small frame.

Van der Weide’s "Not Yet" departs from repetitive patterns, only to get caught in lonely piano chords and resonating metal. It’s more sound-oriented and related to the five trio improvisations that showcase a comparable wealth. There’s a neurotic stinging musical game ("Improvisation 538"), a piece that resembles a jazz-trio ("539"), and a plunge into the world of Van der Weide’s sound objects and his crackle-box ("536" and "541"). This constant back-and-forth movement between grip and lack of it creates a particularly successful, teasing effect, which in turn, leads to an album that equally thoughtfully fits together like Van der Weide’s collage cover-design. In short: a little jewel to discover."
Guy Peters


Weblog Jazz Music Reviews - October 13, 2014
Sometimes, CD-releases of new Dutch jazz and improvised music can really surprise one. The Amsterdam based Blue Lines Trio seems to be a very good working unit, a collaboration between three generations of musicians. Michiel Scheen, for several years worked within the Maarten Altena Ensemble, and besides this trio, he now regurarly works as a duo with saxophonist and clarinetist Tobias Delius and with the Jan Nijdam Quartet. Raoul van der Weide has worked with Guus Jansen, and currently works in a trio with John Dikeman and Klaus Kügel, furthermore he jams with a lot of the new generation of improvisors that visit or live in Holland.  George Hadow is a young British drummer who works with the Galm Quartet and many improvisers of all generations in and around Amsterdam.

The debut CD of this trio is remarkable. There are pieces, musical theme's that generate improvisations, but there are also freely improvised sequences. In general, what all the tracks show, is that the three musicians carefully listen to, and give room to each other.

A lot of free improvised music has such a density that the listener could lose focus, on this CD however, the improvising is crystal clear. The players spontaneously seem to pick a musical motive and elaborate on it carefully. The process doesn’t get boring: they sometimes intuitively throw in contrasting material to ‘refresh’ the flow. And that offers the possibility to repeat things they have played before, which provides a structure to the improvisation, not to be heard often. Might this maybe be a new form of what we call ‘instant composition’? That initial musical motive defines the character of the piece, so no track resembles others, every track is an entity and has a character of its own.

The rhythmic concept of the trio is exceptional: themselves, they call it  ‘throbbing swing’ or ‘dribble-swing’, a curious mixture of jazz-swing and free-pulsating movement. Like three horses on a span, not in a military rhythmic unison, but a clopper-de-clop-stay-as-close-as-can-be fashion. Three individual and separate, but closely related, ‘lines’.
Another feature of the music from the trio is their melodic and harmonic alertness. They seem to catch each others pitches perfectly, also not to be heard often in freely improvised music.
All of which makes the CD a very diverse and colorful ‘contemporary improvised music’ album.

The pieces, the theme’s, seem to be written down and arranged for the ‘cast’. They sound like bop and soul-jazz (in the case of the two compositions by the late saxophonist and composer Paul Termos), post-bop, post-free-jazz, and sometimes like contemporary academic music. One could identify influences by Thelonious Monk, Cecil Taylor, Olivier Messiaen, Oscar Pettiford, Charles Mingus, David Izenzon, Paul Motian and Han Bennink.
“Solid” starts as a post-boppy-blues-free-motion-indefinite-swing piece, but then breaks up in a staccato improvisation that leads to free Monkish-piano variations. It’s got a funny ‘Salt Peanuts’ reference.
“Improvisation 538” starts with arco bass with tonal references, piano and drums match this with their variation of a similar kind of ‘sonic production’: plucking snares on the inside of the piano and brushes on skin and cymbals.
Paul Termos’ piece “Kop op” is a brickwork bebop-like theme leading to a drumsolo that get’s ‘attacked’ by Cecil Taylor-ish interventions. Not quite a ‘logical’ approach and maybe prefabricated (so this track convinces me the least), but the return to the theme out of fortissimo free-jazz is very well executed and ‘a sound of surprise’.
“Idols” contains piano-chords that I cannot decipher (well, I’m an amateur pianist), but they’re certainly not the standard II-V-I jazz-changes or free-jazz clusters. It’s seems to be an idiom in itself. The rhythmic unison by Hadow’s drums is magical! The way he varies the composition is a link to the the improvisation after the theme. I like that approach!
“Not yet” by Van der Weide is a peaceful haven, the theme is a continuous variation of four notes, but has nothing to do with so called ‘minimal music’. It is more like a clockwork that leads into spacious and time-stretched improvisations with overtones on bass and cymbals and Messiaen-like harmonies on piano.
In “Ingredients 539” the trio-members have a grab at the mainstream jazz idiom, but the grab really is a child’s play with conventional elements. The ‘way-to-long’ bass line-solo by Raoul van der Weide is hilarious! This music is a preposterous out-of-proportion jazz-pastiche, but never tasteless.
“Stumble” is an emotional heartfelt cry, bluesy free-jazz, with a touch of South African pianist Abdullah Ibrahim’s left hand playing. Exceptions excluded, the Dutch improv scene is not really known for this kind of direct speaking from the heart.
The CD closes with “Sigh”, a ballad with Ellingtoneske chords and warmth. A closer listen reveals a little musical joke: the melody is all chromatic, except for a ‘gigantic’ leap of a minor third (!) at the end of each section.

Careful and repeated listening sessions reveal more intelligent musical jokes throughout the album. But they are more hidden than outspoken. The maybe typical Dutch irony is less on the foreground, I would say raised to a higher and more abstract level and to be discovered only by attentive listening.

All in all a good time and money’s (only €10,-) worth!
The Blue Lines Trio add a new branch to the improvised music family tree!"
Chris Naat


Weblog Cloudsandclocks.net - October 12, 2014
A fine album, which I found - completely out of the blue - waiting for me in my mailbox. It got here at the right moment, too, one of those days when one almost starts believing that by now all good music is only to be found in the past, and that the time has come to listen to those old records all over again.
A fine album, mind you, not a masterpiece or this year's Change Of The Century. But an album that will keep one interested for its duration, and that - though it can be said it moves inside a framework that's definitely familiar - will offer listeners some unfamiliar moments.
"What framework?", I hear you say. Well, if I say "jazz piano trio" I know I'll run the risk of raising expectations that can't be met, on one hand, and provoking uninterestedness, on the other. I'll just say that here the great heritage of US jazz gets cooked in Dutch sauce, and leave it at that, hoping the rest will become clearer when I discuss the pieces in detail, below.
The line-up features Michiel Scheen on piano; Raoul van der Weide on double bass, crackle box, and "sounding objects"; and George Hadow on drums. Looking at the picture that appears inside the CD cover, the drummer looks in his early thirties, while the piano player looks in his late forties, and the bass player looks in his late fifties. At first I thought I was unfamiliar with all three, but on impulse I had a look at some old CDs I own by Dutch double bass player and composer Maarten Altena released in the late eighties/early nineties (Quotl, Cities And Streets, and Code), and here he was: Michiel Scheen, looking quite young indeed.
The trio has a fine sound, the piano often played in the middle part of the keyboard, the bass work almost never to the fore but never sounding banal, the drums inevitably reminding me of Han Bennink (only when it comes to the sound of the instrument, not its role in the music).
Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Arnold de Boer, who also co-produced the album with the trio. Recorded at the well-known Bimhuis, Amsterdam. The only thing I didn't like is the way most improvised tracks end: while it makes sense on a musical level, it's just too abrupt.
Ugly cover.
The repertory features original compositions penned for the most part by the pianist; a series of improvisations, for the most part non-idiomatic but not as "free" as the modern meaning of the word could lead some to believe; and the cover of two compositions (Kop op and Dark Goeree) by the late sax player Paul Termos.
Let's have a look at the tracks.
Solid has a nervous, Mingus-like start, à la Blues & Roots, with a fragment that definitely sounds as being Monk-influenced appearing at 34", 1' 03", 1' 34", with a fine surprise effect. It swings! There's a long middle part played unison, start & stop, with a thematic development that's not impossible to see. Then it's back to the Monk-like motif, the Mingus-like theme, then Monk again, then close.
Improvisation 538 starts with arco bass, quite lively. There's a piano ostinato, the drums highlighting the snare.
Kop op, by Paul Termos, starts with a "Be-Bop"-sounding theme, with a fine use of the ride cymbal and the rimshot. Then, a drum solo based on the melody played by the piano, then it's time for the piano and the double bass to come to the fore, the whole reminding me of the music of Cecil Taylor. Then it's time to go back to the piano motif, with a fine surprise effect (maybe I'm mistaken, but I thought that here the listener is not the only one who's surprised!).
Improvisation 536 has the piano playing arpeggios, snare, a pinch of double bass, the drums played with brushes.
Dark Goeree, by Paul Termos, starts with a bass ostinato, a Latin-sounding rimshot, and a piano theme that reminded me of the world-famous Herbie Hancock composition Watermelon Man. The middle part definitely sounds Monk-influenced, with strict tempo, and two-hands chord development. The end of the track has the trio back to the "Watermelon" theme.
Idols has a brief, clear theme. Piano and double bass traveling parallel, the drums having a solo at a louder volume. Then it's back to the theme, start & stop.
Improvisation 541 features "sounding objects", percussive drums, the piano sounding with "muted strings". For me, the weakest moment of the album.
Not Yet is the only composition penned by the bass player. It starts with a brief, simple, "ethnic"-sounding theme, acting as an intro. Then, a long episode featuring the piano with the "hold" pedal down, cymbals played arco, just like the double bass. The brief, "ethnic"-sounding theme acts as a close.
Ingredients 539 breathes a fine "Be-Bop" air, the rhythm section to the fore. Nice development, then it's time for a fine drum solo, quite à la Art Blakey (I waited for the "Yeah!"). Very traditional-sounding, but fine.
Stumble has a melodic introduction, two hands parallel, playing chords. In a way it reminded me of Anthony Davis at the time of his album titled Lady Of The Mirrors, elaborating on "Ellington-like" material.
Improvisation 537 is a svelte, agitated, fragment.
Sigh is the closing ballad, with brushes, hi-hat, chords, quite "hesitant"-sounding, à la Monk, it definitely reminded me of the Monk classic Ruby, My Dear.
© Beppe Colli 2014


Webmagazine Jazzflits - October 6, 2014
"Bassplayer Raoul van der Weide has a good ear for finding wayward pianists. One of them, of course, is the well known Guus Janssen, but besides Frank van Bommel (As If Trio), now he stumbled upon Michiel Scheen. And just as Van Bommel, Scheen is also that musician that, inexplicably, never got to be known by a broader audience. From time to time Scheen initiated his own ensembles and projects, but never got beyond the status of ‘musician’s musician’. That’s all right, but it doesn’t pay the bills.
"Blue Lines Trio’, the debut cd (with young British drummer George Hadow as subtle third man), however, won’t be able to reach the mainstream jazz-charts. It is full of music for connoisseurs. Besides compositions from Scheen and one of Van der Weide, the album contains five improvisations and two pieces by Paul Termos. Scheen and Van der Weide both are advocates of the oeuvre of the saxophonist and composer, who deceased in 2003. How justly that plea is, is evident in the fact that his pieces fit the trio as gloves. The Misha Mengelberg-like ‘Kop op’ and the souljazz-pastiche ‘Dark Goeree’ perfectly match the compositions by Scheen, such as the Leo Cuypers-inspired ‘Solid’ and the beautiful ballad ‘Sigh’. They are convincing proofs of his craft. I hope this CD of the Blue Lines Trio will mean the breakthrough they deserve."
Herman te Loo


Weblog Vera Vingerhoeds - October 9, 2014
"Unexpected turns, dribbling swing & unsettling jazz
The Blue Lines Trio was formed in 2012 by pianist Michiel Scheen. It brings together three generations of improvisers. With great belief, the group plunges into situations where there is not necessarily direction and guidance: musical adventure it is. To start somewhere not knowing where you end up. The trio is very evenly matched. All three musicians can handle the musical freedom; they keep listening very carefully to each other in free improvisations.
The music on this first album is a selection from the wide repertoire of the trio, which is full of musical twists, unexpected turns, unsettling music, dribble swing and sound explorations.
Michiel Scheen very clearly is indebted to the angular swing of Thelonious Monk and unsettling improvising jazz of Misha Mengelberg. It can be heard in a number of pieces, such as Solid.
In the years 1986 to 1999 Michiel Scheen worked with many musicians in the free improvisation department. He played with Ab Baars, Han Bennink, Jaap Blonk, Anthony Braxton, Tobias Delius, Cor Fuhler, Gerry Hemmingway, Wiek Hijmans, Guus Janssen, George lewis, Misha Mengelberg, Roscoe Mitchell, Butch Morris. After a reteat of several years Scheen formed a quartet in 2004 with Ab Baars, Han Bennink and Ernst Glerum. At the moment he regurarly plays in duo format with saxophonist and clarinettist Tobias Delius and in the Jan Nijdam Quartet."
Vera Vingerhoeds


___________________________________________________________________________________
On the cd "Dance, My Dear", by Michiel Scheen Quartet

Village Voice - 27 juni 2005

"Honorable mention: Odd twists and sharp angles, post-Monk, post-Mengelberg even."
Frances Davis


Cadence - November 2004
"Jazz might be dying (in a protected death scene), but New Dutch Swing is alive and well, at least if this recent disc on Data is any indication ... Oddly swinging patterns lie at the crux of most of Scheen's compositions. Most are born out of stunted thematic seeds that bloom under the improvisatory irrigation of his esteemed cohorts ... Much of the madcap humor expectedly endemic to Dutch improv might be missing here, but the precision playing and emotional vibrancy that are also hallmarks of the idiom present themselves in abundance. Scheen draws on the tradition's strenghts while tempering his music with a degree of sincerity that is quite refreshing. Hearing Bennink do the same - and in doing so shrug another layer of his formulaic persona - is also a treat ... "


Wire - July 2004

"Pianist and composer Michiel Scheen, born 1963 in Amsterdam, has worked with Anthony Braxton, Guus Janssen, George Lewis and Roscoe Mitchell. That's he's still little-known is at odds with the quality of this disc from the small Dutch label, in which his highly original compositions are interpreted by a quartet with Ab Baars on tenor-sax and clarinet, Ernst Glerum on bass and Han Bennink on drums. The stuttering fanfare "Similarities" signals an original voice, but is no preparation for the extraordinary "God In Heaven (Stay!)" a kind of meditation on the repeated single-note like Thelonious Monk's "Thelonious", its fierce drive offering a European take on free jazz's pulse/no metre concept. In fact the parallels with Monk's role as composer for band are significant though a fine improvising pianist, Scheen dominates through his compositions, which the other players serve admirably. "This Time", an interrupted ballad, exploits silence in a way unfamiliar in jazz; "Idols" features Baars's cavernous tenor. In concept, almost everything on this totally outstanding release seems new."
Andy Hamilton


NRC - August 2004
" Intelligent improvisations, that first 'wash out your ears' and then immerse you in beautiful detailed embroidery... the music may be well influenced by the work of Thelonious Monk, but Scheen does not imitate - he has got a highly authentic and obstinate vocabulary. After a time-out Scheen last year made a comeback with the also strong CD "Goodbye!" and now, with the help of Dutch top league musicians Baars, Glerum and Bennink, Scheen really transcends himself... "


website JazzWeekly
"... Ballads aren't really part of Scheen's game plan, or that of DANCE, MY DEAR which offers up supersonic power almost from its first notes...
... Scheen can improvise at warp speed if he's so inclined, but his chief joy is knitting together freely phrased pulses into a distinctive movement that melds earlier jazz harmonies and rhythms with a 21st Century conception...
... the key to the session come in the title tune and the two that bookend it. Reminiscent of the sort of slurred, boozy ballad as you could have heard at Minton's in 1943 when Thelonious Monk was woodshedding his distinctive style, "Idols" - a implicative title - finds the pianist adopting the key clips and pressured touch of Monk and another 100% original Herbie Nichols...
... Scheen prefers a herky-jerky beat fill with broken chords ...
... "Dance, my dear?" whose title in this context sounds not so much as an invitation as a challenge...


Jazz - June 2004
...throughout the album, the intensity is build up beautifully...every piece is an adventure on its own."


Dagblad van het Noorden
"... thoughtful, conceptual, with a lot of freedom...spontaneous jumble is alternated with open structures and intense silences ...a strong 'comeback'."


Weblog Draai Om Je Oren
"'This Time It Will Last Forever'. A strong melody with a dramatic sustain on one chord - a perfect example of how silence can be felt...the balance in the group is excellent and on the album, the producer has captured and profiled the instruments real beautiful ."


___________________________________________________________________________________
On his ensembles:

"Michiel Scheen dismisses the limits of improvisation" (Trouw)

"A musician with authentic ideas, of which we never can have enough" (Leidse Courant)

".. the ensemble Filiaal that opened with 'Buts', a beautiful composition from leader/pianist Michiel Scheen" (NRC)

"..the pieces of TRIKLINION blend darting spontaneity; the raw energy of electric, amplified instruments; and a refined structural sense. The music veers from brash abandon to meticulously constructed interplay balanced with a keen sense of humor... Scheen has superb technique and an astute ear for collective group interaction." (Cadence)


___________________________________________________________________________________
On his solo-work:


Tim Sprangers - De Ruimte, Amsterdam
"The at the same time staccato and lyrical approach by one of the most authentic Dutch jazz pianists is heartwarming and intellectually challenging. His qualities come out even better in solo concerts."


NRC
"The nine compositions manoeuvre between Monk-ish bravoure and pointed lyricism, but the balance is perfect. Scheen is a master in creating space; he not only knows when to play which note, but also knows when to release it, and even when to skip it" 


JazzNu
"The balance between composition en improvisation and the diversity in composition-models is very well done. Scheen works with coincidence. How capricious his thoughts and music might be, it always got a certain logic and transparency. Scheen is a versatile musician with a strong identity"


The Wire
"Most of the pieces are witty little musical puzzles but the erudition is not overbearing." 


Trouw
"With Scheen, hidden irony and alienating distance generate subcutaneous dimensions. His versatility is marvelous"


Jazz Freak
"Sonorous, fresh, masterful pianoplaying"


Volkskrant
"In stead of etheric sketches, Scheen links his free associations to recognizable, measured musical elements, executed in a virtuoso manner"


VPRO-magazine
"Scheens lovely obstinate interpretations of Monk-classics can be heard tonight on Radio 4. To appreciate them, the listener should release his conception of the original versions. If he can do that, there is much to enjoy. And to laugh! ... His interpretations sound surprisingly contemporary: maybe Monk nowadays would have played them like this. An integer, humorous and imprudent cross-over of jazz and contemporary dance-music."


Rebound
"99% of Dutch releases can't compete with this CD ... When you stop dancing and start to listen close, you hear how extremely funny and smart it is made ... a strange melancholic optimism that hiphop sometimes has - it's like furious joy."


___________________________________________________________________________________
On duo's:

weblog www.draaiomjeoren.com
"This obstinate pianist is a barrel full of ideas. He suddenly surprises you with a solo only on the highest regions of the piano. His work is solid, dynamic and technically polished. Taylor-like fireworks are easily alternated with Ellingtonesk poetic scetches ... His composition "This time it will last forever" is a delicate 'lovesong', with long silences, which create enormous tension that truly enhance the meaning of the title ... Tobias Delius and Michiel Scheen are excellent and unique jazzpersonalities, who's adventures are really worth listening to."

 
Parool
"The duo of Michiel Scheen and Gerry Hemmingway (percussion) was truly exciting. It was breathtaking music and respectful cooperation by true gentlemen".


___________________________________________________________________________________
On his work as a sideman:

Trouw
"Michiel Scheen made an impression with a composition called 'Andermaal'. The in essence simple work contained thrilling rags of melody in a strange, continually changing landscape. He also played a stunning and moving solo."


NRC
" ... Then everybody seems lost, until Michiel Scheen thinks: "all is well, that ends well" and, with a strong argument, finishes the piece only on the right side of the keyboard"


Haarlems Dagblad
" ... the crazy improvised part of Michiel Scheen ..." 





Discography


See also: Discogs

1988 - Palinckx - LP - Grrrroeten
1988 - Maarten Altena Ensemble - CD - Quotl
1988 - Maarten Altena Ensemble - CD - Cities and Streets
1990 - Maarten Altena Ensemble - CD - Code
1990 - Termostentet- CD - Shakes and Sounds
1991 - Maarten Altena Ensemble - CD - City Music
1991 - Maarten Altena Ensemble - Film - Code
1993 - Michiel Scheen Solo - CD - Contrapposto
1993 - Ig Henneman Tentet - CD - Dickinson
1995 - Kenvermogen - CD - Kenvermogen
1995 - Lawrence D. "Butch" Morris - CD - Testament, a conduction collection/Conductions #31, #35, #36
1996 - Maarten Altena Ensemble - CD - Slow Motion
1996 - Maarten Altena Ensemble - CD - Working on Time
1996 - Paul Termos Double Express - CD - Death Dance of Principles
1997 - Triklinion - CD - Triklinion
1997 - Seafood - CD - Bait
1998 - Maarten Altena Ensemble - CD - Music + Practice CV 69
1999 - Michiel Scheen - CD - Sphere's Works
2000 - NM Special Jazz Virtuosi - CD - Famous Dutch Jazz Pianists
2003 - Michiel Scheen - CD - Goodbye!
2004 - Michiel Scheen Quartet - CD - Dance, My Dear?
2005 - Alliage Orkest - DVD - Menschen Am Sonntag
2014 - Blue Lines Trio - CD - Blue Lines Trio
2017 - Jan Nijdam Kwartet - CD - Bij De Dieren Thuis
2017 - Blue Lines Sextet - CD - Live at the BIMhuis
2022 - Blue Lines Trio - CD - Chance and change




Contact

Michiel Scheen
Tel. +31 - 6 - 2615 2537
michielscheen@gmail.com

Clouds and sunny chunks - CD


























1 Legs
2 The Dude's weekend
3 Surface
4 Improvisation
5 Clouds and sunny chunks
6 Reliqwy
7 Idols
8 Groove
9 A (w)hole in my (w)heart
10 Gratitude

"Chunks and shadows, keys – black and white, sonic fiction articulated, conceptual codes shifting, focus on fluffy statements, temporal dynamics - harshmellow, reaching for hope, answers to be questioned.”

Michiel Scheen (1963, Amsterdam), since the 1980’s, worked with many musicians throughout Europe, the USA and Canada. In 2012 he joined Raoul van der Weide (contrabass) and George Hadow (drums) in The Blue Lines Trio. The Blue Lines Sextet, with Ada Rave (saxophones), Bart Maris (trumpets) and Wolter Wierbos (trombone) regularly extend the line-up of this trio. Scheen also performs with the Jan Nijdam Quartet and as a duo with saxophonist and clarinettist Tobias Delius.
Scheen’s work has been described as: “Odd twists and sharp angles, post-Monk, post-Mengelberg even” (Frances Davis, The Village Voice, 2004).

Recorded at Studio M
February 2020
Filiaal 5

Digital album download: Michiel Scheen's Bandcamp site



Review by Guy Peters on enola.be

"The modest size of the oevre of Michiel Scheen requires that every new addition must be grasped with both hands. Seventeen years after his last release, the pianist again comes up with a solo record. It once again shows his qualities.

His temporary sabatical from the music scene is now well behind us, but he's not exactly in the spotlight regurarily. Longer periods of silence are interrupted by occasional concerts and releases, including the Blue Lines Trio and its Sextet version. Somewhat applicable for an artist who lives in his own universe and has traveled an authentic course in his own modest way. A trajectory that yielded more than a gem, because - listening to it recently again - the CD Dance, My Dear (2004) of his Quartet for example, turned out to be a thoroughbred classic.

Between 1993 and 2003, Scheen also released a number of productions with mostly solo performances, Clouds And Sunny Chunks being the fifth in that series. Ten compact pieces, of which one improvisation and nine compositions. Some of them were recorded earlier, others are presented for the first time. The influence of Monk is obvious here and there, but Scheen also gives it its own twist, and each time succeeds in sharpening that famous angularity, while at another time fine-tuning it, with unpredictable sidings.

The opening track of the album, “Legs” winks right away to Monk's “Bluehawk” and then changes into a jerky flow with a dragging left hand that contrasts nicely with the playful, frivolous right. It is a gnarled dance with a wiggling charm. You will also hear it at the end of the album, where “Gratitude” functions as a musical hopscotch, with two hands performing a twirling dance together like an old time pop hit.

In between, Scheen explores diverse zones. For example, “The Dude's Weekend” is full of abrupt jumps and striking voids, a nervous piece that excels not so much in flow as in a series of short sprints that gush out. If there is any relationship at all, it is more about Mengelberg, whose influence on Dutch pianists is almost inevitable. The title track also contains a few powerful solid passages, with a dark edge, that is also present in the gloomy “Reliqwy”, which is more reminiscent of Mal Waldron.

"Idols" and "Groove" are longtime acquaintances, the former an expressive chunk of impatience that has already been tackled on Dance, My Dear and more recently by the Blue Lines line-ups, who also ventured into the latter. This gets a striking performance here, in which humming synth and piano form an abrasive, somewhat ominous union. With "A (w)hole in my (w)heart", Scheen then suddenly enters hymn-like atmospheres, a nice run-up to the lively "Gratitude", that closes the album.

Don't expect flaming acrobatics or crossover appeal. Fans will get their money's worth though. Scheen remains an underappreciated pianist who stands out time and time again and manages to use influences creatively, articulating carefully crafted ideas. His music is playful without becoming a game, has depth without drought and surprises with expressive ease, small nuances and quirky details. Maybe a musicians' musician, but still worth following or discovering."
- March 2020 -