Jeroen Paul Thesseling

{{Infobox musical artist

| background = non_vocal_instrumentalist

| instrument = Bass guitar
(fretless bass exclusively)

| name = Jeroen Paul Thesseling

| image = Jeroen Paul Thesseling 2016.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Jeroen Paul Thesseling, 2016

| image_size =

| birth_place =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1971|4|13|df=y}}

| death_date =

| genre = Technical death metal
Death metal
Progressive metal
Jazz fusion

| current_member_of = Quadvium

| past_member_of = Obscura
Pestilence

| label = {{hlist|Roadrunner Records
Relapse Records
Mascot Records
Hammerheart Records
Agonia Records
Nuclear Blast Records}}

| years_active = 1991–present

| website = {{URL|http://jeroenpaulthesseling.com/}}

}}

Jeroen Paul Thesseling (born 13 April 1971) is a Dutch fretless bass player, most famous for his work in the German progressive death metal band Obscura{{cite web|last=Rivadavia |first=Eduardo |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/obscura-p971901/biography |title=Obscura |publisher=AllMusic |date= |accessdate=2011-12-15}} and the Dutch progressive death metal band Pestilence.{{cite web|last=Serba |first=John |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/pestilence-p13934/biography |title=Pestilence |publisher=AllMusic |date=2002-07-22 |accessdate=2011-12-15}}

Biography

;Early life

Jeroen started studying violin and followed his first lessons at the age of 7. During his youth he played with classical orchestras, ensembles and attended several classical music contests. At the age of 16 he switched to bass guitar.{{cite web|last=Staff |first=Metal-archives.com |url=https://www.metal-archives.com/artists/Jeroen_Paul_Thesseling/5675 |title= Artist Profile Jeroen Paul Thesseling |publisher=Metal-archives.com |date=2011-04-09 |accessdate=2021-09-27 |website=Metal-archives.com}}{{cite web|last=Staff |first=Bassmagazine.com |url=https://bassmagazine.com/artists/jeroen-paul-thesseling-the-7-string-fretless-master-returns |title= Jeroen Paul Thesseling: The 7-string fretless master returns |publisher=Bassmagazine.com |date=2022-03-22 |accessdate=2022-05-15}}

;Professional career

Thesseling began studying bass in 1988 at the ArtEZ School of Music in Enschede, Netherlands. Between 1992 and 1994, he was a member of Pestilence, with whom he recorded the jazz fusion-influenced album Spheres.{{cite web|last=Beller |first=Bryan |url=http://www.bassplayer.com/artists/jeroen-paul-thesseling-of-obscura |title=Jeroen Paul Thesseling of Obscura |publisher=Bassplayer.com |date=2010-03-09 |accessdate=2018-06-10}} In 1995 Jeroen started to study microtonality, which resulted in two pieces: Hafnium — study in 72-tone equal temperament (1999) — and Argon — study in 18-tone equal temperament (2000). The period following, Arabic microtonal and contemporary classical music inspired him to focus primarily on fretless bass.{{cite web|last=Larson |first=Eric |url=http://www.fretlessbass.com/thesseling-jeroen/ |title=Fretless Questions: Jeroen Paul Thesseling |publisher=Fretlessbass.com |date=2007-02-28 |accessdate=2018-05-24}} In 2005, he recorded his first fretless work with the studio group Ensemble Salazhar.{{cite web|last=Thesseling |first=Jeroen Paul |url=http://www.jeroenpaulthesseling.com/ |title=Biography Jeroen Paul Thesseling |publisher=Jeroenpaulthesseling.com |date=2005-02-18 |accessdate=2021-08-08}} Despite their highly acclaimed demo Colors the group never officially released recordings.{{cite web|author=Blabbermouth.net Staff |url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/ensemble-salazhar-featuring-ex-pestilence-bassist-new-demo-recordings-posted-online/ |title=Ensemble Salazhar featuring ex-Pestilence bassist - New demo recordings posted online |publisher=Blabbermouth.net |date=2008-01-21 |accessdate=2018-06-10}} Between 2007 and 2011, he collaborated with Obscura and recorded with them Cosmogenesis (2009){{cite web|author=Blabbermouth.net Staff |url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/obscura-cosmogenesis-first-week-u-s-sales-revealed/ |title=Obscura Cosmogenesis first week US sales revealed |publisher=Blabbermouth.net |date=2009-02-25 |accessdate=2018-05-30}} and Omnivium (2011).{{cite web|author=Blabbermouth.net Staff |url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/obscura-omnivium-first-week-sales-revealed/ |title=Obscura Omnivium first week US sales revealed |publisher=Blabbermouth.net |date=2011-04-06 |accessdate=2018-05-30}} Between 2009 and 2012, he rejoined Pestilence after a 15-year break{{cite web|author=Blabbermouth.net Staff |url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/pestilence-rejoined-by-bassist-jeroen-paul-thesseling/ |title=Pestilence rejoined by bassist Jeroen Paul Thesseling |publisher=Blabbermouth.net |date=2009-10-29 |accessdate=2018-05-30}}{{cite web|last=Staff |first=Metalstorm.net |url=http://www.metalstorm.net/events/news_comments.php?news_id=9682 |title= Pestilence rejoined by Jeroen Paul Thesseling after 15-year hiatus |publisher=Metalstorm.net |date=2009-10-30 |accessdate=2009-10-30}} and recorded their sixth studio album Doctrine (2011). Since 2011, he has played exclusively fretless 7-string basses built by German bass luthier Warwick; they are strung with a subcontra F#-tuning (F#₀–B₀–E₁–A₁–D₂–G₂–C₃).{{cite web |last=Amador |first=Valery |url=https://bassmusicianmagazine.com/2011/07/warwick-releases-jeroen-paul-thesselings-7-string-fretless-bass/ |title=Warwick releases Jeroen Paul Thesseling's 7-string fretless bass |publisher=Bassmusicianmagazine.com |date=2011-07-01 |accessdate=2018-05-30 |archive-date=2018-06-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612143538/https://bassmusicianmagazine.com/2011/07/warwick-releases-jeroen-paul-thesselings-7-string-fretless-bass/ |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|last=Johnson |first=Kevin |url=http://www.notreble.com/buzz/2011/11/17/ultra-low-an-interview-with-jeroen-paul-thesseling/ |title=Ultra Low: An Interview with Jeroen Paul Thesseling |publisher=Notreble.com |date=2011-11-17 |accessdate=2018-05-24}}{{cite web|last=Beller |first=Bryan |url=http://www.bassplayer.com/artists/machines-of-death-four-extreme-metal-bassists-lay-out-their-weapons-of-choice |title=Machines of Death: Four Extreme Metal Bassists Lay Out Their Weapons of Choice |publisher=Bassplayer.com |date=2012-05-11 |accessdate=2018-05-26}} In late 2014, he founded the jazz fusion group Salazh Trio{{cite web|last=Kennelty |first=Greg |url=http://www.metalinjection.net/latest-news/ex-obscura-bassist-has-a-new-fusion-trio-named-salazh-trio |title=Ex-Obscura Bassist Has A New Fusion Trio Named Salazh Trio |publisher=Metalinjection.net |date=2015-05-21 |accessdate=2018-05-24}} featuring legendary Cuban drummer/percussionist Horacio Hernández. Their debut work Circulations was released in December 2017.{{cite web|last=Staff |first=Drummerszone.com |url=https://drummerszone.com/news/horacio-el-negro-hernndez-new-salazh-trio-album/artist-news-1-13598/article/ |title= Horacio 'El Negro' Hernández' new Salazh Trio-album |publisher=Drummerszone.com |date=2017-12-18|accessdate=2017-12-18}}{{cite web|last=D'Auria |first=Jon |url=http://www.bassplayer.com/artists/jeroen-paul-thesseling-and-the-salazh-trio-reveal-debut-album |title=Jeroen Paul Thesseling and the Salazh Trio Reveal Debut Album |publisher=Bassplayer.com |date=2018-04-04 |accessdate=2018-05-24}}{{cite web|last=Amador |first=Valery |url=https://www.bassmusicianmagazine.com/2017/12/bassist-jeroen-paul-thesselin-news-salazh-trio-debut-album-circulations/ |title= Bassist Jeroen Paul Thesseling - Salazh Trio releases debut album 'Circulations' |publisher=Bassmusicianmagazine.com |date=2017-12-26 |accessdate=2017-12-26}} In October 2019, he founded the fusion-world-metal group Quadvium with fellow fretless bass player Steve Di Giorgio.{{cite web|author=Blabbermouth.net Staff |url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/testament-ex-obscura-bassists-team-up-in-quadvium/|title=Testament and former Obscura bassists team up in Quadvium |publisher=Blabbermouth.net |date=2019-11-02 |accessdate=2019-12-09}}{{cite web|last=Staff |first=Bassmagazine.com |url=https://www.bassmagazine.com/artists/bassists-steve-di-giorgio-and-jeroen-paul-thesseling-create-new-group-quadvium |title= Bassists Steve Di Giorgio and Jeroen Paul Thesseling create new group Quadvium |publisher=Bassmagazine.com |date=2019-10-31 |accessdate=2019-10-31}}{{cite web|last=Staff |first=Notreble.com |url=https://www.notreble.com/buzz/2019/11/03/steve-di-giorgio-and-jeroen-paul-thesseling-announce-new-band/|title= Steve Di Giorgio and Jeroen Paul Thesseling announce new band |publisher=Notreble.com |date=2019-11-03 |accessdate=2019-11-03}} From 2020 till 2022 Jeroen rejoined the German technical death metal band Obscura after a nine-year break.{{cite web|last=Staff |first=Bassmagazine.com |url=https://www.bassmagazine.com/artists/fretless-bassist-jeroen-paul-thesseling-rejoins-obscura |title= Fretless bassist Jeroen Paul Thesseling rejoins Obscura |publisher=Bassmagazine.com |date=2020-04-29 |accessdate=2020-04-29}}{{cite web|author=Blabbermouth.net Staff |url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/bassist-jeroen-paul-thesseling-rejoins-obscura/|title=Bassist Jeroen Paul Thesseling rejoins Obscura |publisher=Blabbermouth.net |date=2020-04-30 |accessdate=2020-04-30}}{{cite web|last=Staff |first=Notreble.com |url=https://www.notreble.com/buzz/2020/04/30/jeroen-paul-thesseling-rejoins-obscura/|title= Jeroen Paul Thesseling rejoins Obscura |publisher=Notreble.com |date=2020-04-30 |accessdate=2020-04-30}} With them, he recorded their sixth studio album A Valediction (2021).{{Cite web|last=Blabbermouth|date=2021-06-16|title=OBSCURA Announces 'A Valediction' Album|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/obscura-announces-a-valediction-album/|access-date=2021-06-16|website=Blabbermouth.net}}{{cite web|last=Staff |first=Notreble.com |url=https://www.notreble.com/buzz/2021/12/06/obscura-releases-a-valediction-with-jeroen-paul-thesseling/|title= Obscura Releases “A Valediction” With Jeroen Paul Thesseling |publisher=Notreble.com |date=2021-12-06 |accessdate=2022-01-03}} In 2024 Quadvium finished their much anticipated recordings and released the singles Náströnd and Apophis both taken from the upcoming debut studio album Tetradōm (tbr May 30th 2025). {{Cite web|last=NoTreble|date=2025-04-05|title=A Bass Dream Realized: Steve Di Giorgio & Jeroen Paul Thesseling’s Vision Comes to Life on “Tetradom” |url=https://www.notreble.com/buzz/2025/04/05/a-bass-dream-realized-steve-di-giorgio-jeroen-paul-thesselings-vision-comes-to-life-on-tetradom/ |access-date=2025-04-25|website=Notreble.com}}{{Cite web|last=Blabbermouth|date=2025-04-24|title=Steve Di Giorgio and Jeroen Paul Thesseling Bring The Dual Fretless Bass Player Concept To Life In QUADVIUM |url=https://blabbermouth.net/features/steve-digiorgio-and-jeroen-paul-thesseling-bring-the-dual-fretless-bass-player-concept-to-life-in-quadvium |access-date=2025-04-24|website=Blabbermouth.net}} Jeroen has been touring the world and lives in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. {{cite web|last=Staff |first=Bassmagazine.com |url=https://bassmagazine.com/artists/bass-magazine-lockdown-check-in-with-jeroen-paul-thesseling |title= Bass Magazine Lockdown Check-In With Jeroen Paul Thesseling |publisher=Bassmagazine.com |date=2020-06-03 |accessdate=2020-08-09 |website=Bassmagazine.com}}

Equipment

File:Warwick Thumb NT collection Jeroen Paul Thesseling.jpg

Jeroen endorses Warwick basses and has played Warwick Thumb NT series exclusively since 1993. He has played several Thumb NT6 and NT7 basses, each marking different chapters of his musical career. During Pestilence's Spheres era, he played a Thumb NT6 bass. Later on, he started using fretless Thumb NT6 basses, for Obscura's Cosmogenesis and Omnivium era. In 2011, he started playing custom shop Thumb NT7 fretless basses, which are most notably heard on the recording of Pestilence's Doctrine album, Obscura's A Valediction album and Sadist's Firescorched album.

{{cite web|last=Staff |first=Notreble.com |url=https://www.notreble.com/buzz/2022/04/26/sadist-announces-new-album-with-jeroen-paul-thesseling/ |title= Sadist announces new album With Jeroen Paul Thesseling |publisher=Notreble.com |date=2022-04-26 |accessdate=2022-05-15}}

;Warwick 7-string basses (customshop)