René solo: As a drum soloist I started in 1984 by playing my first official drum clinics. Ever since I set the goal to play solos as complete music compositions. Besides timing and tempo I consider topics like theme, form, tension arcs and atmosphere very valuable. Where most drummers primarily take care of the rhythm, I try to merge melody, harmony and rhythm. For some of my compositions I have tuned my drums to E major, which gives me the opportunity to literally play a melody, but also sometimes I only suggest a melody in my rhythmic phrases. In any case, a theme is always my starting point, and in order to play it as legato as possible I'm extremely focused on dynamics and long – short notes. In music, melody and rhythm move horizontally, but harmony is a vertical musical expression. I consider the harmonic sounds of my cymbals and drums and my dynamic approach to be my harmonic interpretation.
Wim de Vries and I form the Drumbassadors together since 2000. Our goal has always been to write a repertoire of highly varied drum compositions where solos are only a sideshow. Groove, melody, dynamics, sound and atmosphere form the pivot of the compositions. Of course there is some space left in the repertoire to play a solo every now and then , but in general we are mainly interested in form and compositions. After all those years, concerts and trips it is still a thrill for me to perform with Drumbassadors. check: Drumbassadors.
| Line-up: | |
| Wim de Vries | drums, vocals |
| René Creemers | drums, vocals |
Any Vegetable is an initiative of bassist and friend Pieter Douma, who founded the band in 2014. It was his idea to start a band consisting of three elder, experienced musicians and three young talents, to form a repertoire together in which experience and fresh spontaneity go together. His idea proved to be a good one! Shortly after there was already a varied repertoire of great songs and great sounds. In this band I play my grooves with a harmonic approach and a big focus on sound. Because of the variety in “feel”, different approaches in my drumming are very often desired. And I do like that! But above all I am really happy to play with these great musicians. check: Any Vegetable
| Line-up: | |
| Lizzy Ossevoort | lead vocal |
| Baer Traa | lead vocal/acc. guitar |
| Aldo Spadaro | elec. guitar |
| Pieter Douma | bass/vocal |
| Johan Janssen | steelguitar |
| René Creemers | drums |
