Jenne Meinema has been of particular influence on the development of light music in the North. As an autodidact he played in countless combinations, with both popular music and jazz ‘, photographer Wolter Kobus writes in memory on Facebook. And pianist Diederik Idema: ‘After many years of making music together, after laughing and learning a lot, my good friend Jenne Meinema has passed away. Goodbye dear Jenne, I’m going to miss you. ‘
Pioneer of bebop
Jenne Meinema started on a clarinet just after the war. Not much later he bought his first alto sax, a fourth hand. In 1950 he performed for the first time, at a wedding in the Boschhuis on the Hereweg in Stad.
‘This is the future’, he thought, when he was handed five guilders afterwards. In military service he then blew the saxophone in a jazz combo, after which he took his first semi-professional steps in music with the dance orchestra The Ringleaders. The music never let go of him.
When you say Jenne Meinema, you think jazz. The American alto sax player Charlie Parker was his great example. In the 1950s, it earned him the melodious nickname Pioneer of the Bebop in the Northern Netherlands. “It is written in the books that I brought bebop to the North,” said Meinema at his 60th anniversary in 2009. “Well, let’s just stop there then.”
To continue with a nice metaphor: ‘It’s just like a bobsleigh. Five guys lugging behind, but they all jump in the right place at the same time. That’s the way it is with playing. It grows and grows, until at some point it becomes second nature. ‘
Sociable person
To add: ‘In addition, as a musician you almost always interact with cheerful people. And you will get somewhere. ‘ Meinema was therefore known as a social person, with an indestructible mood, and someone who took great pleasure in interacting with the audience. “But let me not forget: you also earn something with it.”
Still, making music was not his main occupation. In fact, although (jazz) music was his great love, it was nevertheless mainly a well-paid hobby. Besides music he had ‘normal’ jobs all his life. At the Bouwfonds in Assen, as director of the Northern Fonotheek and as deputy of the Conservatory in City.
In that capacity he guided many at the start of his or her musician career, writes Wolter Kobus: ‘He has been of great significance to Northern musical life.’
Not just jazz
Meinema played with greats such as Kenny Baker, and can be heard on albums by Cuby + Blizzards, Jumping the Blues and George & the Rebels. He mainly gained fame for jazz-related projects, but that image does not do justice to the complete truth.
Meinema also played a lot of light and popular music. With Orchestra Arie Ribbens for example, with the Noorder Ballroom Orchestra and with the North Star Showband. He accompanied Ria Valk and performed in discotheques, fairs, weddings, cremations and even at carnival. And he certainly did not do that just for the money, but also because he liked it.
Jenne Meinema died on Saturday at the age of 89.
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