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René Laanen was born in The Hague on 23th January, 1952. His father Theo Laanen (1912 - 2000) was solo trumpeter with "The Hague's Philharmonic Orchestra" for 43 years and professor at the "Royal Conservatory" in The Hague for 25 years, The Netherlands. In the 1970s René took trombone lessons at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, Rotterdam, and Zwolle.
In the late 1960s he worked as a trombonist with John 'King Size' Russell in the Netherlands, Germany and Switserland. In the 1970s he worked as a freelance trombonist with Radio/TV Orchestras in the Netherlands: Tony Nolte - AVRO, Rogier van Otterloo - TROS, Harry van Hoof, Ruud Bos - AVRO, Rudy van Houten - TROS, The Rob Madna Big Band, Dutch Jazz Orchestra (leader Frans Elsen/Kenny Napper). René played the trombone in Dutch cabaret musical shows with the TV and musical star: Jasperina de Jong.
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In 1972 he founded the "The Hague Trombone Quintet" with Arthur Moore, Dick van der Plas and the famous "trombone brothers: Bart- and Erik van Lier". In 1974 his quartet made appearances on TV in the program "Music all in" with guest trombonist Dick Nash (that same year they were also featured in a radio program in Holland).
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In 1976 he worked in Berlin (Germany) and played the Fallade-Revue- "Jeder stirbt fuer sich allein" in the Schiller-Theater with the famous "Erwin Bootz" (piano player "Comedian Harmonies") and worked with Musicians from "The Tanz-Orchestra RIAS" (American Radio Station Berlin).
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In 1980 he went to Johannesburg (South Africa) and worked with Gerry Bosman's Radio/TV Orchestra (SABC), the Pretoria Symphony Orchestra (PACT), held the bass trombone position (as a staff sergeant) in Johannesburg based military band of the "Light Horse Regiment" (widely known as the best military band in South Africa at the time with musicians like Johnnie Fourie, Denni Lalouette, Robin Mufasa Finlay, Billy Kerker, Ronnie Franchitti, Chris Vernon, Johnny Boshoff, Bez Martin, Major Neville Roe) and played for several years in the George Hayden Big Band (SADF Entertainment Unit Pretoria), and the Art Heatlie Big Band at the SABC. At the Civic Theater in Johannesburg he played the musicals - "Mame, Cats, Cinderella, Razzle Dazzle, West Side Story, Evita and Barnum". In 1984 and 1985 René made three extensive tours with the orchestra's of the singers: "Howard Keel and Antony Newley" and worked in Africa with "Peanuts Hucko". René played for several years in "Shirley Bassey's Orchestra" and did tours in Africa, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and the United Kingdom.
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The Imperial Ligh Horse Regimental Band - [1] [2]
The Dame Shirley Bassey Big Band
The High Light Jazz Orchestra live radio recording
The Baileo Big Band
Paul Anka 1 - 2 - 3 - 4Newspaper 2008 (by Bert Jansma)
The North Sea Big Band
worked with:
In his 55 years career as a trombonist, and music copyist, René has worked and performed for innumerable American and European well known musicians and jazz musicians, such as: Jean 'Toots' Thielemans (November, 1999 & April, 2000). - Paul Anka European Summer Tour 2008.
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 singers
Paul Anka, Shirley Bassey, Madeline Bell, Julia Mann (SABC), Howard Keel (Sun City), Judy Page (SABC), Laura Fygi, Jackie Trent, Tony Bennett, Allan Harris, Anthony Newley, Rita Coolidge, Greetje Kauffeld, Annabel Linder (SABC), Jasperina de Jong,
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trumpet
Al Porcino, Clark Terry, Bobby Shew, Roger Ingram, Murray Campbell (SABC), Robin Mufasa Finlay, Billy Kerker, Kenny Wheeler, Gene Petersen (SABC), Eddy Calvert (SABC), Ack van Rooyen, Benny Bailey, Tom Harrell, Wim Both, Greg Bowen (RIAS), Mark Van Cleave, Jan Oosthof, Machiel Scholder, Jelle Schouten, Ruud Breuls, and many others.
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trombone
Conrad Herwig, Bart van Lier, David Taylor, Marc Godfroid, Bert Boeren, Andy Martin, Ed Neumeister, Dick Nash (TROS-TV), Tony Lada, Bob Brookmeyer, Phil Wilson, Martijn Sohier, Jan Oosting, Erik van Lier, Jiggs Whigham, Jürgen Neudert, Charles Levine, and many others.
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saxophone
Ferdinand Povel, Peter King (BBC), Peanuts Hucko, John Ruocco, Heinz von Herman (Shirley Bassey Big Band), Peter Weniger, Jan Menu, Bill Liston, Tineke Postma, Leo Janssen, Ruud Brink, Enno Spaanderman, and many others.
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piano
Rob Madna, Ruud Bos, Joop Stokkermans, Rob Agerbeek, Frans Elsen, Pim Jacobs, Rob Franken, Erwin Bootz (Germany), Paul Kuhn (SFB), Keith Hutchinson (SABC), Howard Morgan Wilkinson (SABC), Jimmy McNeely, David Hartley, Peter Tomasso, Dennis Wilson (SABC), Lionel Martin (SABC), Horst Jankowski (RIAS), Rob van Kreeveld, Michael Alexander (BBC), Tony Hatch, Cees Schrama, Rob van Bavel, and many others.
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bass & guitar
Wim Overgauw, Denny Lalouette (SABC), Johnnie Fourie (SABC), Eef Albers, Rob Langereis, Koos Serierse, Joe Moretti (SABC), Joop Scholten, Toots Thielemans, Jan Akkerman, Martien Oster, and many others.
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bandleaders, composers & arrangers
René also worked (as trombonist/copyist) for composers/arrangers and bandleaders such as Bill Holman, Jimmy McNeely, John Clayton, Rob Madna, Manny Albam, Bob Mintzer, Clare Fisher, Chuck Israels, Steve Gray, Vince Mendoza, Tom Harrell, Joe Lovano, Mike Stern, Michael Alexander (BBC), Bob Brookmeyer, Peter Tomasso (BBC), Gerry Bosman (SABC), Ray Martin (SABC), Art Heatlie (SABC), Howard Morgan (SABC), Gunther Schuller, Jerry van Rooyen, Kenny Napper, Horst Jankowski (RIAS), Rob Pronk, Toots Thielemans, Rogier van Otterloo (TROS), Frans Elsen, Ruud Bos, Paul Kuhn (SFB), Jon Crosse (Paul Anka), and many others. In October 2015, René met his trombone hero Bill Watrous in Belgium. Bill is more than a legend, he was one of a handful of trombonists who has been called "the best" not only by other trombonists.
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BIO