There are a limited number of combi-tickets available for the concerts taking place as a part of The New Wave Of Belgian Jazz! from WEDNESDAY 13 to TUESDAY 19 DECEMBER.

AB is proud to present THE NEW WAVE OF BELGIAN JAZZ!: a fantastic seven-dayer to conclude the successful JAZZ 100 series. We focus on the latest generation of musicians from The Contemporary National Jazz Scene, for whom jazz is more of a mentality than a genre.

 

THE NEW WAVE OF BELGIAN JAZZ! presents at this mini-festival the young jazz avant-garde that has rock ‘n’ roll streaming through its veins. What’s more, three acts present brand new albums that are to be released late this year: BRZZVLL, The Mechanics and De Beren Gieren. In turn, TaxiWars presents a handful of new songs just prior to diving into the studio for the successor to ‘Fever’.

 

TAXIWARS
TaxiWars results from a longtime dream of dEUS-frontman Tom Barman: to do ‘something’ with jazz. New York resident and saxophonist Robin Verheyen was the ideal partner in crime. The result sounds like exciting New York big-city jazz whereby the instruments would appear to be plugged into Barman’s own neural pathways. The spirit of MC 900 ft. Jesus and Serge Gainsbourg is never far removed.

Line-up: Tom Barman (vocals/parlando), Robin Verheyen (sax), Nicolas Thys (bass), Antoine Pierre (drums).

 

BLACK FLOWER
Black Flower is the remarkably international sounding project of saxophonist/composer/central figure/multi-instrumentalist Nathan Daems. Biggest source of inspiration is very definitely the Ethiopian jazz of Mulatu Astatke and the Afrobeat of Nigeria’s Fela Kuti. At the same time there are echoes of Masada (cfr. John Zorn) and also dub and (more than ever) Eastern influences too.

Line-up: Nathan Daems (alto & baritone sax), Jon Birdsong (cornet, alto horn, percussion), Wouter Haest (keys), Simon Segers (drums), Filip Vandebril (bass).

 

BRZZVLL
BRZZVLL – established by Vincent Brijs in 2006 – plays improvised dance music with a jazz-fusion, funk & rare groove sound like you had in the seventies: tight, funky bass & drums with sexy guitars & keys that capture the imagination. This unique cross between cosmic jazz, spoken word & afrobeat makes BRZZVLL stand out in the contemporary jazz scene.

Line-up: Vincent Brijs (baritone & tenor sax), Andrew Claes (ewi, soprano & tenor sax), Geert Hellings (guitar), Maarten Moessen (drums), Dries Laheye (bass), Jan Willems (keys & synths), Stijn Cools (drums).

 

DE BEREN GIEREN
Crux of De Beren Gieren is without a doubt pianist Fulco Ottervanger, who comes to us from The Netherlands via Brussels and now Ghent (see too: Stadt and the duo that he has on the side with Stuff. drummer Lander Gyselinck: Beraadgeslagen). Their sound can best be described as a stunning mix, from experimental piano melodies and dissonant noises to improvisational jazz to funky contra bass rhythms.

Line-up: Fulco Ottervanger (piano), Lieven Van Pée (bass), Simon Segers (drums)

 

THE MECHANICS
Brand new project with percussionist Eric Thielemans explores the obscure repertoire of jazz masters like Ornette Coleman, Alice Coltrane, Sun Ra and Albert Ayler. They debuted impressively last year at Jazz Middelheim. But: Are The Mechanics a jazz combo? The Mechanics don't know.

Line-up: Eric Thielemans (percussion), Rudy Trouvé (guitar), Mauro Pawlowski (bass), Roman Hiele (electronica), Jean-Yves Evrard (guitar).

 

AAN/EOP
Electronica project AAN/EOP (EOP = Electronica Op het Podium) is one of the many channels of the unique Granvat collective that encompasses Stijn and Bert Cools. In it they explore the possibilities of electronica in combination with 100% free improvisation: thousands of cables, audio connections, out/in/through, and interconnection and … fun! In doing so, they are strengthened by 2/5 Stuff. members.

Line-up: Bert Cools (guitar), Stijn Cools (drums), Dries Laheye (bass), Andrew Claes (ewi).