Egbert started playing the piano at age 15. At 18 he was admitted to the Maastricht Conservatory. There he studied with Irvin Rochlin, Frank Giebels, and Louise Wolfs. In 1994 he graduated for his teachingdegree in Jazzpiano. In 1995 he received his diploma for "Jazzperfomance". Egbert also took part in workshops (with MarkLevine a.o.) and took private lessons with David Berkman and Steve Kuhn in New York. Egbert is pianist/composer for the Searing Quartet and teaches piano (pop&jazz) at the Muziekschool Heerlen and at the Rockacademy in Tilburg. Here are some "highlights":

2008

In this year singer-songwriter Iain Matthews from the U.K. and Egbert Derix renew their musical friendship and start writing songs together for the Iain Matthews & Searing Quartet album ‘Joy Mining ‘.

‘Joy Mining’ is released on the Matrix label and produced by Léon Bartels.

The album receives high praise in the Dutch and international press and Iain Matthews & Searing Quartet, aka IMSQ, start touring.

2007

In January the cd ‘You’ll find me’ is released. The cd features songs by singer Renée van Wegberg and Egbert Derix.

The fourth cd by the Searing Quartet, ‘Licence to Extend’, is released in Octobre. ‘Licence to Extend’ contains compositions by Egbert and saxplayer Peter Hermesdorf.

Egbert plays piano and Korg Polysix synthesizer on ‘Wies Merge’, a new cd by singer-songwriter and guitarist Ton Engels.

In december ‘On Christmas Day’, a song by Renée van Wegberg and Egbert, is released as a single.

2006

In January Egbert plays a few concerts with the Lydia van Dam Quartet.

In February the cd ‘In het Zuiden Opklaringen’ is released on Vulcano Records. The cd mostly features compositions by Egbert with Dutch lyrics by Ton Engels. The songs on ‘In het Zuiden Opklaringen’ are played by Ton Engels (vocals & guitar) , Egbert (piano, rhodes, melodica & keys), bassplayer Reyer Zwart and Arthur Lijten on drums. The cd is very well received by the Dutch press and they are invited to play on a couple of radio-shows (Vara, Tros, Ncrv, Vpro). There’s a video of the single ‘In de Kroeg’.

In september ‘Starling Hill’ , performed by the Searing Quartet, is judged one of the best ten jazzcompositions at the annual Thelonious Monk Competition in Washington D.C.

On the new Blowbeat album ‘Songs from the Crazy Planet’, released in October, Egbert plays keyboards as a guestmusician on the track ‘Liverpool’.

2005

In March 'Angeli', a cd by Egbert Derix and clarinet- and saxplayer Leo Janssen (member of the Dutch Metropole Orchestra), is released. The cd-presentation concert is in June at the 'Theater aan het Vrijthof' in Maastricht, The Netherlands. 'Angeli' features compositions by Derix and Janssen and a co-composition by Glenn Corneille and Egbert Derix.

In April and December Egbert, bassplayer Erik Robaard and drummer Jasper van Hulten play a few concerts with singer Lydia van Dam. On April 24th the Lydia van Dam Quartet plays at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.

In December Egbert plays keyboards with Ton Engels & De Medeplichtigen (with singer/songwriter Ton Engels, guitarist Cor Mutsers, bassplayer Eric Coenen, and drummer Arthur Lijten).

2004

Journalist Remco Takken made a program about Egbert's compositions for the Dutch Concertzender. The special features Egbert's work played by the Searing Quartet, Digna, the Loet van der Lee Quintet, Leo Janssen, and the Corneille/Roelofs Trio. In september the third Searing Quartet cd, 'Starling Hill' , is released by Inbetweens Records. 'Starling Hill' contains compositions by saxplayer Peter Hermesdorf and Egbert Derix.

The new Searing Quartet cd, Set Sail!, is released. The Searing Quartet plays at the North Sea Jazz Festival in The Hague. Egbert plays keyboards in the Dutch theatretour of Iain Matthews. Bassplayer Eric Coenen, drummer Arthur Lijten, and singer/gitarist Ad Vanderveen are also in the band. After the tour a live-cd is released called 'If you saw thro' my eyes'.

Egbert writes a composition (La Caverne) for the project Holland in Jazz, an initiative of trumpetplayer Loet van der Lee. The cd is presented in the BIM-huis in Amsterdam. Holland in jazz is released by Munich Records. On their cd And that s why (Munich Records), the Corneille/Roelofs trio plays a co-composition by pianist Glenn Corneille and Egbert, titled Astoria.

At the North Sea Jazz Festival in The Hague, Egbert receives the prize for Best Composition of the Dutch Jazz Competition. Egbert plays piano in the theaterproduction Lennon & McCartney (featuring singers Han van Eijk, Lisa Boray, Lydia van Dam, Herman van Doorn and arrangments by Glenn Corneille). The Searing Quartet receives the first Jerry van Rooyen Award at the Maastricht Jazztival.
NYPD: New York Police Dudes!, one of the compositions on the Corneille/Roelofs cd Finally (Munich Records) is composed by Egbert.

"Aquamagia" , Searing Quartets first cd is released. "Aquamagia" features Egbert's and saxplayer Peter Hermesdorf's compositions. The cd is produced by Christoph Erbstoesser and the music is played by Egbert (piano), Peter Hermesdorf (saxes), Werner Lauscher (bass), and Geert Roelofs (drums).
During 1999-2000 Egbert teaches piano at the Conservatory Maastricht.

Digna wins the juryprize and "publieksprijs" at the International Jazz Competition in Breda.
In november Digna and the Searing Quartet play a concerttour with the bigband of the Maastricht Conservatory, directed by Bill Holman.

The Searing Quartet wins the "publieksprijs" at the International Jazz Competition in Breda.

Egbert plays with singer Digna Janssen at the European Jazznight of the "Wereld Muziek Concours" in Kerkrade (with a.o. Jerry van Rooijen's Dutch Jazz Orchestra, Denise Jannah, and Nueva Manteca).

The newly formed Searing Quartet plays the finals of the "Dutch Conservatory Award" in Amsterdam. Searing Quartet also plays on the Dutch radioshow VPRO's Jazz op vier with Aad Bos.

Egbert plays with his trio at the Jazz Mecca Festival in Maastricht. Miles Davis, Branford Marsalis and Irakere are the headliners of the festival.

Management:
egbertderix@hotmail.com