As well as playing as a freelance drummer, Gerritse works on recording projects in his own studio, gives workshops (Vaduz - Lichtenstein, Dworp - Belgium, Bali - Indonesia) and leads the The Arnoud Gerritse Funky Band. He has played with countless orchestras including the Metropole Orchestra (Hilversum, cond.: Bill Holman / Jan Stulen / Vince Mendoza), the WDR Big Band (Cologne, John Clayton / Jerry van Rooyen), the Rias Big Band (Berlin, Jiggs Whigham), the Limburg Symphony Orchestra, the 42nd Street Musical Orchestra, the Dutch Jazz Orchestra and the Dick De Graaf Septet. He has accompanied jazz artists such as Charlie Rouse, Bob Brookmeyer, Sal Nestico, Barry Harris, HerbGeller, Philip Catharine, Benny Bailey, Teddy Edwards, Grady Tate, Chet Baker and Jerome Richardson. From 1990 to 1995, he led his own big band, The Rotterdam Jazz Ensemble.
At the age of fourteen, he started studying Classical Percussion at the Junior Secondary School of Music and Ballet of the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague, graduating as a jazz drummer at the Rotterdam Conservatory in 1982. His teachers included Peter Ypma, Fred Krens, Steve Boston, Jan Laurens Hartong.
He started playing professionally in 1977, and played in jazz ensembles including: VARA Dans Orkest (82-87, 300 Live Radio broadcasts), John Claytons Tribute Big Band, Rob van Kreeveld Trio, Brussels Jazz Orchestra, Soesja Citroen/Cees Slinger Band, Michiel Borstlap Sextet, Harry Verbeke/Carlo De Wijs 4, Gijs Hendriks Quartet, Paul Stark Trio, Frans Elsen Trio, Rob Madna, John Ruocco, Ben Van Den Dungen, Ferdinand Povel, Bart Van Lier, Ack Van Rooyen, Kris Goessens, Cees Smal, Jacques Schols, Greetje Kauffeld, Robert Jan Vermeulen, Eric Vloeimans, Yuri Honing and Benjamin Herman.
Short discography:
Paul Stark Trio: Sonata (2012) DVD: A Modern Liszt Event (2004)
Arnoud Gerritse: FUNKY Case” (2006)
Gijs Hendriks and Friends: Still On My Way, Hurry Up, Change the Backing
Free Fair + 8: Metal Beauty
Ben Gerritsen Band: BGB
The Ebony Band & Gunther Schuller: City Of Glass
Jerry Van Rooyen All Star Big Band: More Then A Memory
The Brussels Jazz Orchestra: The September Sessions
Michiel Borstlap Sextet: Day Off
Soesja Citroen/ Cees Slinger Band: Here And Now
Harry Verbeke/ Carlo De Wijs 4: Mo de Bo, Romantic Ballads
Domagoy Ralasic/ Benny Bailey: The Bag Is Packed
More information about Arnoud Gerritse is available on YouTube, www.estaccato.com and his own website www.arnoudgerritse.com