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Gerard Cornielje plays a hot saxophone. He's been entertaining
guests at the Holiday
Inn Phuket for three years and recently decided to become independent.
"I've had a great time working with the Holiday Inn team but
now I want to concentrate more on writing poety and playing music
that is not necessarily the right choice for an international hotel,"
states Gerard.
Gerard is descended from a French royal family that emigrated to
Holland after the French revolution. His ancestor, Pierre Corneille
wrote Le Cid, but the young Gerard chose the saxophone at a young
age as his art. He was immediately attracted to jazz sax and studied
the music of Dexter Gordon, Sonny Rollins, Charlie Parker and Cannonball
Adderley at the Arnhem Conservatory.
While not playing music, he writes poetry. He has had five books
of his poetry published in his native Dutch language.
"I realize if I wrote in English, I'd have a broader audience
but my feelings and thoughts are very connected to my native language,"
shares Gerard. "I try to make an impressionist painting with
words. I think certain words create certain feelings. I like to
reach my reader's basic instincts."
He does the same with his saxophone. Gerard practices several hours
every day as he feels there's always some new area to explore with
his music.
While he has been delighting his audience at the Holiday Inn Phuket
and the Safari Pub, Gerard plans to return to his poetry as well
as choose special occasions to play the kind of music that makes
him happy.
"I'm working on a new book of poetry using haiku form and
want to include this in a book about Japanese jazz which will combine
my two main artistic interests," he smiles. "And I've
applied to Stanford University for an intensive jazz course with
Sonny Rollins. It's all pretty exciting."
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