Jazz pioneer Ack van Rooyen (91) passed away

The Hague trumpeter and flugelhorn player Ack van Rooyen has passed away. He was regarded as one of the founders of jazz in the Netherlands and has performed with numerous international celebrities. Van Rooyen was 91 years old.

At the end of the 1940s, Van Rooyen had just graduated from the conservatory when he fell under the spell of jazz during a visit to New York. Back in the Netherlands he founded a jazz band, together with his brother Jerry, among others.

In the decades that followed, Van Rooyen acquired international fame for his virtuoso, tight playing and his elegant musicality. He lived abroad for years and played solo in many international jazz orchestras. He also played with Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie, among others.

–