‘Jazz and Latin are like brother and sister’

Saxophonist Ben Van Den Dungen on the freedom to define his own sound

Ben Van Den Dungen, one of the finest saxophonists in the world will entertain Mumbaikars this weekend. Dungen has sold 60 albums and played around 4,000 concerts and is best known as the saxophone player in Europe’s most famous Latin-Jazz group, Nueva Manteca. Dungen started playing the saxophone at 18. Today, he is one of Europe’s most sought-after saxophonists.

Dungen will perform at the Saxophone Colossus show with his quartet that includes city-based bassist D. Wood, keyboardist Karim Ellaboudi and drummer Ko Umara. “I have known Wood for over 20 years, and he helped me when I came to Mumbai on a grant to learn Indian classical music. Our friendship made us explore musical possibilities. This time I shall play in New Delhi, Bengaluru and Goa too,” elaborates Dungen.

Having studied at the conservatory in the Netherlands, Dungen was exposed to a variety of styles. “The place was exceptional for jazz in the late 1970s, and renowned musicians like saxophonists Dexter Gordon and Ben Webster, and trumpeters Woody Shaw and Chet Baker played regularly there or even lived there,” he recalls. Beginning with commercial music, Dungen began playing in gigs, later moving to jazz.

He shares, “Initially, my playing was amateur, but the more I played, the more I could evolve. I had some wonderful teachers, and American saxophonist Sal Nistico was the one who honed my skills.”

Dungen has been inspired by music from the 1960s, and his favourite albums are Cookin' and Relaxin' by the Miles Davis Quintet, featuring saxophonist John Coltrane. He also acknowledges the role that Latin music and the blues have had in his career. “The Netherlands once had some colonies in the Caribbean, Latin music had a fairly large following. In the 1980s, there was a boom in salsa or Afro-Caribbean music, and I became part of this Latin-jazz ensemble Nueva Manteca. Jazz and Latin are like brother and sister. This group helped me visit the Caribbean region and learn more about their music,” Dungen shares.

Dungen, also wanted to have his own group, and that’s how the Ben Van Den Dungen Quartet was formed. “As the leader of a group with only one horn, I have the freedom to define my own sound and give it direction,” he explains.

The quartet has released the successful albums Ciao City , A Night At The Club and 2 Sessions . Says Dungen, “My music is inspired by what I listen to. There could be influences of John Coltrane, Dexter Gordon, pianist Horace Silver or saxophonists Coleman Hawkins or Michael Brecker, or even swing, Latin and the blues,” he says. And what can Mumbaikars can expect to hear on Saturday? “Naturally, the majority will be my originals. I often play Cole Porter’s ‘M Heart Belongs To Daddy’, Thelonious Monk’s ‘Pannonica’ and Coltrane’s ‘Naima’, he says.

Ben Van Den Dungen in Saxophone Colossus will play at the Experimental Theatre, Nariman Point, on July 13 at 7 p.m.; for more details visit bookmyshow.com