This foursome plays originals only. What once started off as an acoustic duo with Paul Dijkman on guitar and Andreas Metzler on double bass, playing compositions and improvisations inspired by the works of Eric Satie, soon became a trio with Franc auf dem Brinke on drums. With the addition of the trumpet player Dirk Beets, they evolved into a group playing their own compositions - a mix of groove and contemporary jazz, with a high level of improvisation and electric sound effects: the Rover Quartet was born.

The music of the Rover Quartet is as diverse as its members: from reflective moods to intense and energetic burst-outs or just plain joyful wandering.

Dirk Beets, trumpet

Dirk Beets (born 1965) toured with the band 'De Dijk' until 1991. In the same year he started to study at the Rotterdam Conservatory where he graduated in 1996. He studied with the trumpet players Jarmo Hoogendijk and Eric Vloeimans and with the guest teachers Kenny Wheeler and Claudio Roditi. With the orchestra of Bob Brookmeyer he played in the famous New York club 'The Village Vanguard'.

In his professional career Dirk played with Mieke Stemerdink (Mieke’s Giga Show), the musical Hair, Bennie Jolink, Fréderique Spigt, the New Cool Collective Big Band and he accompanied famous Dutch artists as Trijntje Oosterhuis, Edsilia Rombley, Candy Dulfer and many others.

In the last five years Dirk has been busy with a somewhat more creative approach. He played with the band Double Bill, with Jan Wolkers and with the Kindred Spirit Ensemble: A tribute to John Coltrane and Strings of Life, who transform house and techno classics into orchestral pieces. In 2008 they released an EP called 'Love is Supreme'.
As a member of the band Monsieur Dubois he played on international jazz festivals and clubs in Russia, Italy and Germany. In 2006 the group played at the North Sea Jazz Festival – where they were deemed as ‘most pleasant surprise of the festival’. Their first cd 'Ruff' was nominated for an Edison. In 2007 they released their second album called 'Soul Integration', featuring the famous trombone player Joe Bowie - leader of the band 'Defunkt' that played with the Chicago Art Ensemble and brother of the late Lester Bowie.

Paul Dijkman, guitar

Paul (born 1975), graduated in 1999 at the Noord Nederlands Conservatorium and in 2001 at the Royal Conservatory The Hague with a Master's degree in jazz and improvisation. During this time he had taken lessons with Eef Albers and Peter Nieuwerf and guest teachers such as Jasper van’t Hof, Leonardo Amuedo, Scott Henderson, John Scofield, Kurt Rosenwinkel and many others.

Paul has a broad interest in different styles of music and recorded and played with the world music ensemble Dyakti and the jazz/fusion formation Jeroen Vrolijk New Morning. Besides this and the Rover Quartet he composes, is a teacher and a jazz session player.

Franc auf dem Brinke, drums & percussion

Franc started playing drums & classical percussion at the age of 9. Influenced by an musical environment at home he developed a broad interest in many styles of music as well as musical cultures. The choice to become a professional drummer resulted in studies at the Royal Conservatory The Hague, the Rotterdam Conservatory (Codarts)-Master's degree-, Drummers Collective New York and the Manhattan School of Music.
Franc has developed to become a versatile drummer with a distinguished style. Apart to the Rover Quartet, Franc performs and records with a variety of both national and international artists such as Deborah Carter, Toon Roos, Chris Hinze, Rick Margitza, Nabil Khemir, Benjamin Herman, Edwin Rutten, Joris Roelofs, Karel Boehlee, Maarten Ornstein, The Extensionicers, The Christian Hassenstein Trio, New Standard Project and the currently successful Bart Lust Quintet.

Andreas Metzler, double bass

Andreas Metzler (born 1974) graduated as a double bass player at the jazz department of the conservatory Amsterdam in 2004. During his studies he took lessons in classical and baroque double bass as a secondary course for two years.

In 2004 he was in the semi finals of the Dutch Jazz Competition, performing his own compositions at the BIMHUIS in Amsterdam. Since then he has worked with many groups and in various styles: from modern jazz with New Solutions and Thelonious 4, to avantgarde in Ton Art Ensemble and Double Table, playing traditional jazz in Duo Duo and Raisa or worldmusic in Shibly Band.
He has performed together with a wide range of musicians across the Netherlands and abroad such as Lars Dietrich, Michiel Borstlap, Berend van den Berg, Gerard Kleijn, Joris Roeloffs, Ali Shibly, Paul van der Feen, John Engels, David Golek, Benni von Gutzeit, Nomy Rosenberg, Hein van der Gaag, Saskia Laroo and many more. Besides this, he works as a composer and arranger and has been a teacher of improvisation since 2007.