Ben van den Dungen

{{short description|Dutch jazz trumpeter and music educator (born 1965)}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Ben van den Dungen

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1960|10|29}}

| birth_place = The Hague, The Netherlands

| instrument = Saxophone

| genre = Jazz, bebop, hard bop, latin jazz, tango

| occupation = Saxophonist, bandleader, composer, music educator

| years_active = 1980s – present

| website = {{URL|https://benvandendungen.nl/}}

}}

Ben van den Dungen (The Hague, born 29 October 1960) is a Dutch jazz saxophonist, composer and music educator. Van den Dungen studied at the Royal Conservatoire The Hague, graduating cum laude (1988). He has been performing nationally and internationally since the 1980s and teaches at the Codarts Jazz Academy Rotterdam.

Biography

Ben decided to play the saxophone in the early 1980s, after dropping out of school, without any previous musical education. He was accepted into the Haags Conservatorium where he was taught by Ruud Brink, Ferdinand Povel, Sandy Mosse and Sal Nistico. During his studies, he joined Jan Laurens Hartong's latin jazz group Nueva Manteca.{{Cite web |title=Muziekencyclopedie - Ben van den Dungen |url=https://en.muziekencyclopedie.nl/action/entry/Ben+van+den+Dungen;jsessionid=aaaiqwLREPr4m8J6c9Orx |access-date=2023-12-01 |website=en.muziekencyclopedie.nl}}

Together with fellow student Jarmo Hoogendijk{{Cite web |last=van de Linde |first=Francois |date=2021-10-28 |title=Double Dutch Delight |url=http://flophousemagazine.com/2021/10/28/double-dutch-delight/ |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=FLOPHOUSE |language=en-US}} he started the Ben van den Dungen/jarmo Hoogendijk Quintet, with drummer Eric Ineke, bass player Harry Emmery and pianist Rob van Bavel. The quintet received the NOS Jazz Award (1985) and had considerable success performing in The Netherlands, including several performances at the North Sea Jazz Festival,{{Cite web |title=Check out the previous editions {{!}} NN North Sea Jazz Festival |url=https://www.northseajazz.com/en/program/archive/?s=dungen |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=www.northseajazz.com |language=en}} and abroad.{{Cite web |title=Forty years of jazz education |url=https://www.koncon.nl/en/royal-jazz-40-festival/geschiedenis-40-jaar-jazz |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=Royal Conservatoire The Hague |language=nl}}{{Cite web |title=Run for your Wife ! |url=https://www.concertzender.nl/run-for-your-wife-2/ |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=Concertzender {{!}} Klassiek, Jazz, Wereld en meer}} After Hoogendijk sustained an embouchure injury and quit playing in 2004, their musical collaboration ended.

Early 2000s, he traveled to India to study, resulting in the How2BE project.{{Cite web |title=How To Be Enlightened in 48 hrs (H2BE) - Vilnius Jazz Festival 2004 |url=http://www.vilniusjazz.lt/2004/h2be.php |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=www.vilniusjazz.lt}} Over the years, he has continued performing there in different setups.{{Cite web |title=World Jazz Festival is back in India for its second edition; details inside |url=https://www.freepressjournal.in/weekend/world-jazz-festival-is-back-in-india-for-its-second-edition-details-inside |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=Free Press Journal |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Sampat |first=Sunil |date=2019-07-16 |title=Gig Review: The Ben Van Den Dungen Quartet, Mumbai |url=https://rollingstoneindia.com/gig-review-ben-van-den-dungen-quartet-mumbai/ |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=Rolling Stone India |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Kusnur |first=Narendra |date=2019-07-11 |title='Jazz and Latin are like brother and sister' |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/jazz-and-latin-are-like-brother-and-sister/article28391804.ece |access-date=2023-11-24 |issn=0971-751X}} In 2003 he started combining tango with jazz and other styles of music with the ensemble Tango Extremo/Musica Extrema,{{Cite web |title=Musica Extrema - Line Up |url=https://www.musica-extrema.com/line-up-565019.html |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=MUSICA EXTREMA |language=nl}} together with his partner Tanya Schaap. Van den Dungen also played in the Louis van Dijk Super Band{{Cite book |last=Kernfeld |first=Barry |title=The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz |publisher=Grove |year=2002 |isbn=1-56159-284-6 |edition=2nd |location=New York |pages=711 |language=en}} and with Lucas van Merwijks Cubop City Big Band.

He formed the Ben van den Dungen Quartet in 2010 with pianist Miguel Rodriguez, bassist Marius Beets and drummer Gijs Dijkhuizen. Up until 2023, the band has released five albums.{{Cite web |last=Payne |first=Brian |date=2022-01-05 |title=Ben van den Dungen Quartet: Live At Lux & Tivoli |url=https://jazzjournal.co.uk/2022/01/05/ben-van-den-dungen-quartet-live-at-lux-tivoli/ |access-date=2023-12-01 |website=Jazz Journal |language=en-GB}} As of 2023, he is also still performing with Nueva Manteca.{{Cite web |last=Gama |first=Raul Da |date=2022-06-03 |title=Nueva Manteca: Art |url=https://latinjazznet.com/reviews/albums/featured-albums/nueva-manteca-art/ |access-date=2023-12-01 |website=Latin Jazz Network |language=en-US}}

During his career, Van den Dungen has played with various international musicians from the jazz and world music scenes, including Cindy Blackman,{{Cite web |title=BEN VAN DEN DUNGEN/JARMO HOOGENDIJK QUINTET special guest: CINDY BLACKMAN |url=https://www.bimhuis.nl/en/calendar/ben-van-den-dungenjarmo-hoogendijk-quintet-special-guest-cindy-blackman-2 |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=BIMHUIS Amsterdam |language=en-EN}} Mal Waldron,{{Cite web |last=BV |first=New Arts International |title=Nordic Bop by Pekka Pylkkanen {{!}} Eric Ineke |url=http://www.challengerecords.com/products/16499459699781/nordic-bop |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=Challenge Records International |language=en}} Woody Shaw,{{Cite web |last=Francois |date=2021-12-30 |title=Shaw 'Nuff! |url=http://flophousemagazine.com/2021/12/30/shaw-nuff/ |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=FLOPHOUSE |language=en-US}} Luis Conte, Orestes Vilato, Armando Peraza, Giovanni Hildalgo, Nicky Marrero, Claudio Roditi and Ralph Irizarry.{{Cite web |last=Cerra |first=Steven |date=2015-10-31 |title=JazzProfiles: Nueva Manteca at 25 |url=https://jazzprofiles.blogspot.com/2015/10/nueva-manteca-at-25.html |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=JazzProfiles}}

Teaching

Van den Dungen has been teaching at the Codarts Jazz Academy Rotterdam since 1991.{{Cite web |title=Codarts Rotterdam: Team |url=https://www.codarts.nl/en/education/bachelors/jazz/team/ |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=www.codarts.nl}} He acted as head of Codarts' jazz department{{Cite book |title=Jazz Education Guide |publisher=JazzTimes, Incorporated |year=2008 |pages=141 |language=en}} for a number of years. He also produced several jazz summer schools in Korea,{{Cite web |date=2011-07-03 |title=Embassyline |url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2023/12/120_90145.html |access-date=2023-12-01 |website=koreatimes |language=en}} Bali{{Cite web |title=Jazz Event Report – Jazzuality.com – Indonesian Jazz News |url=https://jazzuality11.rssing.com/chan-36990443/all_p2.html |access-date=2023-12-01 |website=jazzuality11.rssing.com}} and India.{{Cite web |last=Times |first=Navhind |date=2023-05-11 |title=Jazz by the sea {{!}} The Navhind Times |url=https://www.navhindtimes.in/2023/05/11/magazines/buzz/jazz-by-the-sea/ |access-date=2023-12-01 |language=en-US}}

Other activities

Van den Dungen has also been active as composer, producer, representative for artists' interests{{Cite web |last=van de Linde |first=Francois |date=2021-06-01 |title=Plannin' |url=http://flophousemagazine.com/2021/06/01/plannin/ |access-date=2023-12-01 |website=FLOPHOUSE |language=en-US}} and as podcast maker.{{Cite web |title=Ben van den Dungen |url=https://www.concertzender.nl/programma_maker/ben-van-den-dungen-en/ |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=Concertzender {{!}} Klassiek, Jazz, Wereld en meer}}

Bands and selected discography

A selection of bands in which Van den Dungen performed:{{Cite web |title=Ben van den Dungen |url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/726319-Ben-van-den-Dungen |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=Discogs |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2023-10-25 |title=Discography |url=https://benvandendungen.nl/?page_id=4036&lang=en |access-date=2023-12-01 |website=Ben van den Dungen |language=en-US}}

Ben van den Dungen/Jarmo Hoogendijk Quintet