Biography Rob Franken

Rob Franken (born Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 16 Augustus 1941 - deceased 't Harde, 7 December 1983) was a Dutch jazz pianist and organist.

Franken started his professional career playing with the folk duo Esther & Abi Ofarim. He also played in a trio with drummer Klaus Weiss before forming The Rob Franken Organ-Ization in 1967.

Franken was one of Europe's first jazz pianists to play the Hammond organ and Fender Rhodes electric piano. The latter instrument became his trademark. Franken is also known to have been a major source of influence to harmonica player Toots Thielemans: Franken became his pianist and together they recorded the legendary Turks Fruit ('Turkish Delight') film soundtrack.

Franken can be heard as a session musician on more than 400 records. He worked throughout Europe and was particularly active in Germany, where he joined the Peter Herbolzheimer Rhythm Combination & Brass. He also had his own trio and, in 1976, founded the experimental The Keyboard Circle with pianist Jan Huydts and drummer Henk Zomer. The band's two pianists/keyboard players played jazz rock and fusion, with famous 'duels' of Fender Rhodes pianos, Hohner clavinets and synthesizers.

Franken's 4 December 1983 recordings on Peter Herbolzheimer's Big Band Bebop album turned out to be his last. Three days after the session he died unexpectedly, just 42 years old, after a series of internal bleedings. The Big Band Bebop was dedicated to his memory.

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