Cor Willems

Dutch pianist, trumpet player, conductor, composer, arranger, producer. His biggest composer credit in Netherlands is probably Annie ("Annie, hou jij me tassie effe vast"). During his trumpet studies at the Koninklijk Conservatorium he played in jazz clubs and on American bases in Spain and Germany. He formed his own band and accompanied countless famous artists. His band became the permanent accompaniment orchestra for Ben Cramer as well as the duo Sandra & Andres. For some albums by Conny Vandenbos he wrote arrangements (Metropole Orchestra) and played the piano parts. He accompanied Conny with his trio for a period of fifteen years. Record company Dureco hired him as one of the two house producers. He was responsible for record productions by Ben Cramer, Gebroeders Brouwer, Hanny en de Rekels, Frits Lambrechts and Oscar Harris, amongst others. Under his alias Mike Asthor he made some albums heavy on Rhodes piano and synths that some deem worthy of rediscovery by the yacht-rock loving crowd. He has also regretfully performed in blackface for a soccer-related single Voetbal Was Toen Zo Gezellig as a member of The Blackbirds.