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“I was born the 13th of May 1935, in Groningen, the Netherlands. We were with thirteen kids, me being the eldest. I come from a musical family, those who played the drums were all self-taught. Because, you know, money was tight, so we couldn't afford costly lessons. My grandpa was the drummer in a Salvation Army Band. My father, John Engels senior, was a very distinguished drummer, I'd say one of the greatest, back in the thirties and later. Also his brother and two of mine brothers and my youngest sister, we all play the drums.

Whenever there was a jazz concert my father took me along. The 1950 Duke Ellington concert, for instance and the Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts. At that time I wanted so bad to sit in and play with those cats. So I had to be good, so I practiced and practiced. Later, at the North Sea Jazz festival, I jumped at the opportunity to play with Hank Jones, amongst others.
 
In 1953 I went to the conservatory. There I had an intake meeting with my tutor-to-be Frans van der Kraan, a good friend of my father. “It's in the genes”, he said, “but we have a problem. You're a left paw, here at the conservatory you're supposed to play right-handed.” Meaning, the setup of the drum kit had to be the other way around to what I was used to. So I should have to start all over again. I went two times to the conservatory, the first time and the last time. My breakthrough came with Mary Lou Williams, and after that when Pia Beck gave me a chance.

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This is the first step in a blazing career, taking him across the world and playing with the greatest. More than ten years he lays down a solid backbone to the “Diamond Five”. During the late fifties and early sixties of the last century this was the best known and by far the best band in Holland.

“For a number of years we played the Sheherazade jazzclub in Amsterdam, a famous hotspot. The audience wanted to hear the newest stuff from America, the music of Cannonball Adderley, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Horace Silver, Clifford Brown, you name it. We did it our way of course. Four years I played there each night. That meant four years of bread and peanut butter”.

American musicians came to the club regularly, to jam with us. Members of the Quincy Jones big band attended most of the nights. I played with trumpeter Benny Bailey, saxophone player Phil Woods and Stan Getz, and all the other cats. To name a few more: Lee Konitz, Tom Harrell, Sal Nistico. I could go on and on. They filled you with inspiration, playing with these cats got you a real high. I recorded with Don Byas, Arnett Cobb, Teddy Edwards, Dizzy Gillespie, Art Farmer, Thad Jones, Tommy Flanagan, Monty Alexander, Slide Hampton, Kenny Drew, Johnny Griffin, Johnny Mandell,Charlie Rouse, Herb Geller, well, the list goes on and on.

In 1961 the Sheherazade goes bankrupt and has to close doors. John now joins the Louis van Dijk Trio.

“We had some really great times and made some amazing music. Did many recordings with the Americans too. Did so many other gigs on the side.
I played with Boy Edgar's Bigband, getting down to free jazz with Theo Loevendie, toured with the Mingus Dynasty across Europe, not to mention all the other groups and gigs. Exploring and experimenting, trying out, honing the art of playing the drums. Each and every day.”

John Engels is and stays open minded. No matter what.