Estonian Jazz Forum

Tanel Ruben has played drums in several Estonian and international jazz groups, and works as a percussion teacher in Estonian Music Academy. Ruben studied jazz at Gothenburg University in Sweden. He likes to stress out that he gained his biggest knowledge from Toomas Rull and Peter Danemo, though also the so-called virtual guides should be mentioned such as Peter Erskine, Jack De Johnette, Vinnie Colaiuta, Elvin Jones and Tony Williams. According to the guitarist Oleg Pissarenko, who called together a Quartet with Tanel, Taavo Remmel and Meelis Unt we can find the play of Tanel Ruben infallible in its approach. Ruben has been engaged in various music projects all over Europe, and recently the performance took place in New York. He’s albums are seld in seven different stores of Germany. In addition to the involvement in Weekend Guitar Trio and Hortus Musicus, the music of Ruben could be heard together with Siiri Sisask, Heli-Mari Arder and saxophonist Lembit Saarsalu.

Tanel Ruben likes to play and develop new jazz styles regarding the rhythms of dance music. In 2003 Hyper.Records released album “Sentimental Calls” performed by Tanel Ruben and Victoria. “I’m not a factory. Every music piece is born spontaneously through a flash of wit about harmony, melody or rhythm figures. Ideas come to my head, I shall polish them on piano whereafter the orchestra is put together on my computer”, said Tanel Ruben to Postimees.