Jasper van’t Hof

Jasper van’t Hof (born June 30, 1947) is a Dutch pianist, keyboardist, composer, and bandleader active since the late 1960s. He recorded with Association P.C. on Earwax, Sun Rotation, and Erna Morena, then formed Pork Pie with Charlie Mariano, Philip Catherine, Jean-François Jenny-Clark, and Aldo Romano. Van’t Hof launched his solo discography with The Selfkicker and later led Eyeball and Pili Pili, alongside recordings and tours with Jean-Luc Ponty, Archie Shepp, George Gruntz, Jan Akkerman, and Manfred Schoof.

Background

Jasper van’t Hof was born June 30, 1947, in Enschede, Netherlands, to orchestra leader, drummer, and trumpeter Jo van’t Hof and a classically trained singer and pianist. He began piano lessons at age four with Harry Bannink, pianist in the Jo van’t Hof orchestra, and continued with Martin Kaptein after Bannink left Enschede. At fourteen, van’t Hof began composing and focused on jazz and electric keyboards.

At nineteen, van’t Hof placed second at the Loosdrecht Jazz Concours, where he met drummer Pierre Courbois. Van’t Hof formed Association P.C. in 1969 with Courbois and German guitarist Toto Blanke; bassists Peter Krijnen and Sigi Busch completed early lineups. He played acoustic piano, Hohner Pianet, and Fender electric piano as the group developed an amplified jazz-rock format.

Association P.C. recorded Earwax for Munich Records in October 1970. Van’t Hof also recorded Toverbal Sweet with Courbois and English saxophonist Lol Coxhill. Association P.C. followed with the MPS albums Sun Rotation and Erna Morena and toured across Europe, North Africa, and Asia.

Van’t Hof left Association P.C. in January 1973 and briefly joined the Chris Hinze Combination. He spent much of that year in Munich with bassist Peter Trunk, whose groups included trumpeter Manfred Schoof, guitarist Sigi Schwab, and drummers Joe Nay or Udo Lindenberg. Van’t Hof met saxophonist Charlie Mariano through the Munich circuit and worked concerts with violinist Jean-Luc Ponty.

Guitarist Philip Catherine connected van’t Hof with Ponty and drummer Aldo Romano. Van’t Hof and Catherine formed Pork Pie in Paris by December 1973 with Mariano, Romano, and bassist Jean-François Jenny-Clark. Van’t Hof entered the March 16–17, 1974 sessions in Weesp with guitarist Wim Overgaauw, violinist Zbigniew Seifert, bassist John Lee, drummer Gerry Brown, and producer Chris Hinze.

Discography:

• Eye Ball (1974)
• The Selfkicker (1977)
• Flowers Allover (1978)
• However (1978)
• Fairytale (1979 • Jasper van’t Hof & George Gruntz)
• Sleep My Love (1979 • Charlie Mariano, Philip Catherine & Jasper van’t Hof)
• The Wink to My Female Slave (1979)
• Aqua Sansa (1980 • Markus Stockhausen & Jasper van’t Hof)
• Eyeball (1980)
• My World of Music (1981)
• Perpetuum Mobile (1981 • Pierre Courbois & Jasper van’t Hof)
• Visitors (1982)
• Balloons (1983 • Jasper van’t Hof & Joachim Kühn)
• Tea for Four (1984 • Charlie Mariano, Jasper van’t Hof, Arild Andersen & Edward Vesala)