Peter Beets

Jazz pianist Peter Beets entered the world on June 12, 1971, in The Hague, Netherlands. Classical repertoire filled the household through his mother, while his father, an admirer of Oscar Peterson and Art Blakey, supplied a steady jazz presence. In 1972 the family, which included older brothers Marius on bass and Alexander on tenor saxophone, relocated to Groenlo, where Peter began piano lessons at age six. During his late teens and early twenties he trained at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague and simultaneously pursued law studies. The Beets Brothers began working together as professionals in 1985; two years later Peter received the Pall Mall Swing Award, and in 1989 he earned the Princess Christina Award. The trio’s first recording appeared in 1990, succeeded by the albums School Is Closed Now and Brotherwise. Peter then issued his initial leader date, First Date, featuring drummer Jeff Hamilton. After finishing his conservatory course he captured the Parisian Prix du Martial Solal and joined the Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw. Subsequent sessions for the Criss Cross label placed him alongside American musicians Rodney Whitaker, Willie Jones III, Larry Grenadier, Reginald Veal, Herlin Riley, Joe Cohn, and Reuben Rogers, as well as Dutch colleagues Martijn Van Iterson and Ruud Jacobs. Although his visits to the United States have been infrequent, he has traveled widely across Europe. Over time Peter Beets has also worked with Curtis Fuller, Chick Corea, Wynton Marsalis, Dee Dee Bridgewater, George Coleman, Johnny Griffin, Chris Potter, and John Clayton.