Ruben Hoeke Band

“A great mix of Soul, Rock, Pop, and Rhythm & Blues Boogie.”

At only 35 years young Ruben Hoeke is clearly a veteran guitarist with a well established name in the Dutch blues / pop / rock scene. He has shared the stage with many national and international  top musicians and acts since starting out in 1992.

Since 2004 he has been carving his name into the Dutch music scene. He’s definitely among the guitarists that have taken the blues and rock to a higher level.

In 2006 his band’s debut album SUGAR is released (“Tour de France”-record / Best-selling R&B CD 2006), followed by the award-winning album COEXIST in 2010. Both albums feature special guest appearances by some of Hollands finest musicians. With the two great albums aside, the band is  well renowned for their fantastic energetic live performances. One reviewer described the band as “an excellent band with a unique sound” and that they “blazed like hell like an F-16 with afterburners on full”. In 2008 Ruben was elected as Best Dutch guitar player by his fellow musicians. In 2011, the band is at it again!

• “Best of Dutch Bluesrock” (Revolvers Lust for Life – June 2010)
• “Stirring, compelling, soulful… use all the superlatives you want, this world class guitarist has it all” (Brennels – July 2010)
• “This record swings, kicking it old school!” (Music Maker – June 2010)
• “Goosebumps, unparalleled beauty” (Bluesmagazine – May 2010)
• “Powerful and full of inspiration” (Live XS – March 2010)
• “The Ruben Hoeke Band is a true phenomenon! You should definitely see, taste and feel this band’s talent.” (Active)
• “Make sure you get to see this band live. Unforgettable!” (Bobtje Blues)
• “I don’t have words to do this band justice…” (VPRO)
• “Very good drive, exciting and energetic” (Brabants Dagblad)

Biography

Ruben Hoeke started playing the guitar at age fourteen. His childhood dreams of being a professional Football player in the Dutch National football team soon disappeared when he heard the guitar intro to Guns ‘n Roses classic `Sweet Child O’ Mine’. That’s when he realized what he wanted to be. Inspired by this haunting guitar riff, he decided to trade his football for a guitar. It took about six guitar lessons to find out that he would be better off learning to play by listening to records.

Blues on the Road

Inspired by albums like Ten Years After’s ‘Cricklewood green’ and John Mayall’s ‘A hard Road’ Ruben forms his first band: Blues on the Road. Holland’s youngest blues corporation. 1994: After about two years the group split and Ruben joined the Dutch rock and roll band ‘Pepping Express’. During that period he also collaborated with well known rocksinger Reniet Vrieze (‘The Pilgrims’). The fall of 1996 he left for Chicago and the deep south of America to get the real feel of where the blues actually came from, in old blues clubs, he performes with a lot of musicians, including Shirley King (‘daughter of the blues’). Back in Holland he sets up two new bands; The Hurricane Bluesband (solid boogie-woogie & blues) and Stonefreak (‘concrete-rock’) From time to time he joins his father’s band (Rob Hoeke) to gain experience. At an early age he shares the stage with a number of profesional musicians such as; Eelco Gelling, Jan Akkerman, David Gogo, Herman Brood, Kaz lux etc. From 1998 to 2002, he and boogie-woogie pianist Gerbren Deves present the radio program ‘Live & Pure’. They get to interview BB King, Johnny Winter, Buddy Guy, Jools Holland, Randy Newman, Walter Trout, John Mayall, Son Seals, Sam Brown etc.

SKELTER

2000: Ruben runs into drummer Jeroen Booy (The Scene). Together they start pop-rock band SKELTER.
2001-2003: Ruben performs three times with Roberto Jacketti & the Scooters at the Amsterdam Heineken Music Hall and on several more national and international stages. January 2003: he plays the Ahoy Rotterdam, six times during the large ‘Vrienden van Amstel Live’ festival. SKELTER releases their first album ‘SKELTER’. Both press and public are very enthousiastic by their energetic, raw sound. SKELTER acts as support act for the famous Dutch bands ‘De Dijk’ and ‘Blof’. The band is considered a great addition to the Dutch music scene. Also during that period, Ruben cooperates with vocalist Jan Blaauw to record the album ‘Freedom Road’ by blues-rock band Jura.
In june 2003 Ruben is invited by singer/songwriter Thé Lau to join his band. He performs that summer on several stages in the Netherlands as well as in Belgium.

Ruben Hoeke Band

2004: Ruben starts his own bluesband. He also starts a project based on old manuscripts he has found on his trip to the States in 1996. The sheets contain chords  composed by blues musician Kenneth C. Harder. Early 2005 he performs with Thé Lau and band in a variety of Dutch theatres with the show ‘Overspel’. In the meantime he plays gigs in Curacao with Roberto Jacketti & the Scooters. On the 5th of May Thé Lau and band fly with a Dutch army helicopter to four different Dutch cities to perform in connection with the Dutch National Celebration of Freedom. Early July the rock-pop band Kenneth Harder makes it’s debut with the worldwide release of the album ‘I’. In november Ruben’s band starts recording for Munich Records.

SUGAR

2006:  ‘SUGAR’ sees an international release in April. Several guest appearances are made by (among others) Jan Akkerman, Kaz Lux, Tineke Schoemaker, Boris van der Lek, David Hollestelle, Wouter Planteijdt and Thé Lau. The presentation, with special guest Jan Akkerman, is completely sold out.

Duiveltje

Although Ruben is a guitarist who can relate to several music styles, ‘the rhythm & blues’ is something that comes to him naturally: straight from the heart and in May 2008 Ruben is voted Holland’s best guitarist, and receives the prize, ”The Duiveltje” that he holds onto with pride after beating some tough competition. In 2009 Ruben gets his own signature guitar and speaker cabinet. In August he plays a sold out Heineken Music Hall with Jan Akkerman.

COEXIST

2010: The bands new album COEXISTis released March 24th. Ruben takes  second place in the ’Best Bluesrock Guitarist Benelux 2010 poll.

The Ruben Hoeke Band is a band with a repertoire of mellow to hardcore blues, from boogie-woogie and soul to heavy rock. With their enthusiastic performance the band has secured a firm position on the Dutch music scene. They literally rock every pub, club or festival!

A journalist defined the band as “a mighty blues-formation with an unique sound” and their performance; “sparkling like hell”. The band, with blues classics and their own original material, are guaranteed to bring the house down, from small clubs to the largest festivals…..Seeing and hearing is believing!