JP DEN TEX (originally from Amsterdam, Holland) is in the first place a fine storyteller, bridging the gap between Americana and traditional European genres such as French chanson. Den Tex has been very successful in putting his cosmopolitan message across lately, both at home and abroad.
JP's first notable musical adventure was in the mid 70’s as a member of Tortilla, a legendary Dutch band whose music would now be described as alt.country. Later, in the 80’s, Den Tex recorded some critically acclaimed solo albums. At the beginning of the 90’s JP interrupted his solo activities to participate in the rebellious retro ensemble 'Les Gueux' (CD ‘After Hours’ – 1992). A strong belief in the values of European musical tradition lay at the heart of the group's formation. In 1998 he went solo again - and back to his musical origins, with the very rootsy, introspective Emotional Nomads album. "Painstakingly honest, that’s how I'd like to be" JP wrote in the CD booklet. This album proved to be a real break-through. In 2000 it was followed by the moody ‘Hotel Yankee Tango’ - and later by the capricious, almost lighthearted ‘La Jeune Fille Au Chewing Gum’.
On the serial albums 'Bad French' (2007) and ‘American Tune’ (2009) JP’s lust for travel takes the listener to the America’s. A European non-fiction writer - who's been temporarily residing in NYC to assemble material for a new book (“The American Dream… Does it still exist?”) – sets out on a low-budget, adventurous fact-finding trip from New York City to San Francisco, in a rented red Toyota. Somewhere along the dented road he’ll pick up disheveled Russian Elena, a former escort girl from Brighton Beach (NYC), who dreams of starting a new life in California. In the weeks that follow they jointly discover the customs, landscapes (and music!) of the various states they're passing through, on their way out west. All the while mixed up in a tender, yet unstable love affair destined to go awry.
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