Ljubljana Jazz Festival

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Even though the world of free jazz and improvised music usually slows down a bit during the summer months (in Belgium, at least), there are quite a few European festivals that offer some of the finest in contemporary jazz, avant garde and improvisation. One of those is the LJUBLJANA JAZZ FESTIVAL of Slovenia, which takes place next week (June 29th - July 2nd).

Based on the program, it is bound to become a feast for fans of the finest in modern music, with a bunch of international heavyweights and a few lesser known (to us, at least) artists from the region that might be responsible for some of the highlights of this 52nd edition!

On WEDNESDAY (June 29th), there is the world premiere of a large-scale project led by Zlatko Kaucic, featuring several guests like Herb Robertson. Later that night also the Free 4 Arts Quartet (from Poland/Germany) and the illustrious Farmers By Nature Trio (Craig Taborn, Gerald Cleaver & William Parker) will appear.

On THURSDAY (JUne 30th): a solo performance by William Parker, a street concert by Angles, the wonderful Scandinavian free jazz troupe led by Martin Küchen, who will play an additional show the day after. This band, responsible for a few of the very best free jazz releases of the past few years (see below), will definitely be one of our highlights. You rarely encounter people with such passion and determination. The day will be rounded off by the Hidden Orchestra (from the UK).

FRIDAY (July 1st) will be dominated by the 10th birthday party of the Clean Feed-label and only feature musicians whose work has been released by the label. There is the Bernardo Sassetti Trio, Chris Lightcaps Bigmouth, once again the mighty Angles (the world premiere of the Octet line-up!!) and, to top it off, Tony Malabys Tamarindo feat. William Parker and Nasheet Waits. Tell us, is that a killer line-up or what?

On SATURDAY (July 2nd), the final day, there will be a few international collaborations (the Igor Lumpert Trio will work with nasheet Waits, for instance), while singer Mia Zdinaric will work with an international band from Germany and the US. Two more American bands as well: Eric Revis 11:11 feat. Ken Vandermark, Jason Moran & Nasheet Waits and also the Charles Lloyd New Quartet.

Maybe we will see you there!

More information on the festival website

John Butcher live. TWICE!

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Next week, saxophone phenomenon John Butcher will play two concerts on Belgian soil. Tuesday, June 7th, he will play a duo concert with percussionist Gino Robair at Parazzar (which presented a wonderful evening with Sheldon Siegel and a trio featuring Nate Wooley a week ago!), while on Thursday, June 9th, Butcher and Robair will be accompanied by bass player John Edwards at Netwerk (Aalst). Also on the bill that night: Talibam! feat. Alan Wilkinson.

Since he emerged on the scene, Butcher has increasingly become one of the key players in the free improv scene, and while he may not be as well-known as a figure like Evan Parker, he nonetheless became one of the most challenging and innovative musicians on the saxophone, an explorer of multiphonics, abstract sound and unusual techniques. While often devoid of clear melodies and steady rhythms, his music regularly feels like hyper-intense stream-of-consciousness invention. It is of the here and now, merciless in its execution.

Gino Robair is also an unusual partner. He's a drummer/percussionist, but not in the traditional sense. He's equally interested in sound and texture, and more often than not, he'll do things you've rarely seen, experimenting with remarkable attributes and vibrating surfaces, looking for the same textural extremes. John Edwards is also one of the key players of British improvised music, so the result will undoubtedly be something you've never heard before.

We have heaps of Butcher-related albums in store. Below are a few suggestions. Feel free to inquire!

Jazz Sur l'Herbe - May 26-29

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Considered by some to be the cosiest jazz festival in the country, Jazz Sur l'Herbe starts the day after tomorrow. As in previous years, it's entirely free (the music that is, not the drinks you wish to consume) and takes place in the Citadel Park of Ghent.

From Thursday to Sunday, there's a concert at noon, while there are also concerts on the evenings of the first two nights, by Duo Penotti, Gratitude Trio, The Jetski Trio, Knalpot and the wonderful combination of Roland Van Campenhout and Han Bennink. Especially the latter is something to look forward to (but you can expect several surprises!).

Another highlight will undoubtedly be the 10 hour long improv marathon on Saturday, that starts off at noon and will feature two members of the New York punkjazz band Super Seaweed Sex Scandal, who performed a great concert at El Negocito last year. Guitar player Paul Wheeler and drummer Justin Velose will be your masters of ceremony.

Nate Wooley, Hugo Antunes & Marek Patrman - 22/5!!

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Tomorrow, trumpeter Nate Wooley will perform two concerts in Belgium. In the afternoon, he'll do a solo set at Les Ateliers Claus (Brussels), while later that night, he's playing at Parazzar in Bruges.

Wooley is absolutely one of the most intriguing trumpet players of his generation and of the avant garde. Combining a mastery of the instrument with versality in many different contexts, he's a man who seems to have a bag filled with endless surprises. For the trio set, he'll play with bass player Hugo Antunes (Roll Call Quintet) and drummer Marek Patrman.

Also interesting is support act Sheldon Siegel, an improv trio from Antwerp, who made quite an impression with their split LP w/ Razen (on the Kraak-label). With a line-up of cello, saxophone and drums, there's always some unusual music to hear, which is especially true for Sheldon Siegel's mix which veers into unexpected territory. A must hear for the adventurous music lovers. Instant Jazz will be present, we hope to see you there!

In between concerts

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We're back from a 3-day stay in Wuppertal. Three days with the Peter Brötzmann Chicago Tentet is quite an experience! Highlights? Too many to mention, but it was good to see that Brötzmann himself is still as feisty as ever and the band really seemed to enjoy themselves. Three days of heavy music like that creates a different reaction that seeing them only the one time.

However, this shouldn't keep you away from Ghent, tomorrow. Even if the band plays only half as good, as fiery, as smart and creative as in Wuppertal, it's gonna be something special! Instant Jazz will be there as well, with heaps of records. If you have any inquiries about music with those people involved, just let us know and we might be able to help you out. See you there!

Article on Goddeau magazine about the three day experience (in Dutch)

The Peter Brötzmann Chicago Tentet

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April 28th. Mark that day in your agenda, because it's when the amazing Peter Brötzmann Chicago Tentet pays this country a visit (Vooruit, Ghent). And if the rumours are true, it might even be your last opportunity to ever see this band on a stage. So don't hesitate to check out this fabulous ensemble and its forays into improvised music, steeped in decades of avant-jazz and pure freedom.

While the original Tentet (or Octet) used to work with compositions from various members, the band increasingly became a vehicle for less restricting work-outs that left compositions behind in favour of a more open-ended approach, involving similar dynamics by constrasting subsections. At its loudest, the Tentet is a colossal and fiery beast, but at the same time, there's also subtle interaction and very diverse emotions to be found. And joy!

The next few days, we'll briefly introduce several of the band's members, some of which often remain unnamed (or less mentioned), but have careers and records that are by no means inferior to those of the more famous leader. Let's not forget that each of the ensemble's members is a huge talent on his instrument. You rarely get to see such diversity and so much experience on one stage.

We have a lot of Tentet-cd's, as well as releases by the various members, in stock. Feel free to inquire if you have questions!

William Parker & Wadada Leo Smith @ Courtisane Festival

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From March 30th until April 3rd, a new edition of the Courtisane Festival takes place. And while it's primarily a festival for film, video and media art, it also involves a few special concerts. Two such examples are the performances of bass player William Parker and trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith. That's right, they're not playing as a duo, but they will separately accompany films.

William Parker will provide music for a screening of Sylvain George's "Q'ils reposent en révolte (des figures de guerre)", a 2,5 hour movie (2010) about the living conditions of migrants living in Calais, that was shot over a period of three years. George's films are politically inspired and it's really no wonder that Parker fills the other half of the bill, as tlhe New Yorker has always been actively involved in politics, the civil rights movement and a lot of initiatives set to improve social and cultural conditions. This concert takes place on March 31st.

A day later, Wadada Leo Smith will do something similar to several shorter movies by Robert Fenz, whose work often focuses on equally political themes. "Meditations On Revolution", for instance, deals with how the concept of revolution is linked to visual poetry. Whereas Parker and George have never worked together, Smith and Fenz have quite a history of collaborations, so it's not only interesting to see how these collaborations work out, but also how they will differ from each other, as each artist will bring his experience to these performances. Something to look forward to.

Instant Jazz will be present at these concerts, and of course with a whole lot of material by both Parker and Smith. Feel free to drop by. The next few days, we'll spend some more time on their legacies. Stay tuned.

Christine Sehnaoui, Bonnie Jones, Andrea Neumann & KAMAMA @ Q-O2

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One of the positive side effects of the avant-garde/jazz being shattered into so many fractions, is that there still are many discoveries to be made, even after you've been following certain artists, labels or even venues for a while. One venue like that is Q-O2 in Brussels, which is a kind of work space for experimental music since 2006. They focus mainly on contemporary experimental music and sound art. Tomorrow night (10/3) they have a very interesting bill, with the trio of Bonnie Jones, Andrea Neumann and Christine Sehnaoui, and the KAMAMA duo.

KAMAMA is drummer/percussionist Luca Marini and and cello player/vocalist/electronica artist Audrey Chen. These two have been working together intensively since last year and create thoroughly original improvised music. There's probably one thing you can expect, and that's the unexpected, a kind of avant-garde that starts off without any preconceived notions of what music should be like.

And then there's the trio of Neumann ('inside piano'), Jones and Sehnaoui, three women with different origins (Germany, South-Korea and Lebanon by way of France) and backgrounds, in composition and improvisation, performance art, literature and many multidisciplinary exploits. We're mainly familiar with Sehnaoui (we have several of her records in stock), who is an amazingly inventive and creative musician, turning the alto saxophone into an instrument of nearly unlimited possibilities by using the whole array of extended techniques. Unconventional and inventive music, but made with vision, virtuosity and imagination. A must-hear for pure sound fanatics.

Aki Takase's La Planète Quartet - De Werf 4/3

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Next week, De Werf offers a concert by a truly impressive, international line-up, when Germany-based (but Japanese-born) pianist Aki Takase visits the venue with her new quartet featuring Louis Sclavis (reeds), Vincent Courtois (cello) and Carlos Zingaro (violin). Four artists who have proven themselves to be truly free-thinking artists, equally at ease in traditional and avant-garde surroundings.

Aki Takase often plays with her husband, Alexander Von Schlippenbach, but her discography also holds quite some variation, with Fats Waller and Ellington-tributes, as well as free stuff. She worked with Evan Parker, John Zorn, David Murray and many others. One of those is French clarinet specialist Louis Sclavis, one of the first to experiment with French and other folk within the context of (free) jazz and one of the leading musicians on the clarinet. His collaboration with Craig Taborn and Tom Rainey (called Eldorado and which appeared on Clean Feed) is outstanding, as well as his many albums on ECM.

The two other guys are slightly less familiar, but by no means less interesting. Cello player Vincent Courtois (whose new solo album will be for sale at this site soon!) has intensively worked with many people, including French bass guru Henri Texier. Also violinist Carlos Zingaro (a player with Portugese roots) has quite a resume: he collaborated with Ken Vandermark, Derek Bailey, Ken Filiano and many others.

Surely a lot of talent on one stage and we expect an exceptional concert from these artists. We have several releases in our store that feature one of these people, especially Takase, so feel free to inquire!

JustJAZZIt #3

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Tomorrow, the Beursschouwburg of Brussels officially kicks of the third edition of the JustJAZZIt festival. There will be 8 concerts (2 each night) and a program that seeks to present innovative musicians, usually in a crossover-context.

* On Wednesday the 23rd, virtuoso trumpeter Nils Petter Molvaer will play a concert with his trio. He is among the most lauded Norwegian musicians and an innovator of the so-called Nu-Jazz school. The Balaxy Orchestra, on the other hand, plays a spicy mix of jazz, Balkan roots and avant-garde. Exciting stuff.

* On thursday 24th, bass player Helène Labarrière plays with her quartet. She's one of the leading ladies of the French scene and her band includes a.o. guitarist Hasse Poulsen (Das Kapital). Later that night: Pierre Vaiana's Itinerari Siciliani, a concert in the Jazzlabseries and a jazz project that's filled with the spirit of Sicily.

* Friday 25th offers a unique duo concert of (again) Labarrière and Belgian tuba player Michel Massot (Mâäk's Spirit, Andy Elmer MegaOctet, etc). Who knows? Earlier that evening: Dave King's Trucking Company, led by The Bad Plus's fierce drummer and featuring the wonderful Chris Speed on saxophone.

* On the final day, Sat. 25th, the Belgian big band Flat Earth Society presents Peter Vermeersch's "Hearsee"-project, a 75 minute film featuring music by the crazy band. Last but not least: French reedist Michel Portal & pianist Bojan Z. It's gonna be eclectic!

Concerts in March

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There are a bunch of interesting concerts coming up in March. Here are some of them. The list is by no means complete, but we try to find the most important ones for fans of adventurous jazz/improv

DE SINGER
4/3: Joëlle Léandre / Wilbert de Joode
17/3: Kris Defoort Trio
27/3: Robin Verheyen New York Quartet

DE WERF
4/3 Aki Takase's La Planète Quartet
18/3 Christian Mendoza Group

VOORUIT
3/3 Christian Mendoza Group
16/3 James Carter Organ Trio
31/3 William Parker / Sylvain George

JAZZCASE DOMMELHOF
24/3 Robin Verheyen NY Quartet

CC MAASMECHELEN
3/3 Vijay Iyer & Rudresh Mahanthappa

EL NEGOCITO
About a dozen concerts planned. Busy people!

Small Stein/Vandermark Sale!

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The following releases are temporarily available at the recuded price of 8.95 euros.

JASON STEIN'S LOCKSMITH ISIDORE - A CALCULUS OF LOSS (Clean Feed, 2008)

JASON STEIN'S LOCKSMITH ISIDORE - THREE LESS THAN BETWEEN (Clean Feed, 2009)

JOE MORRIS, KEN VANDERMARK & LUTHER GRAY - REBUS (Clean Feed, 2007)

TRIPLEPLAY - GAMBIT (Clean Feed, 2004)

 Feel free to contact us or drop by at the concert, this Saturday at Kunstencentrum BELGIE (Hasselt). Tickets HERE

Cinc + Jason Stein's Locksmith Isidore @ KC BELGIE 19/2

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This is a concert we've been looking forward to for quite a while. Well, basically since KC BELGIE announced it. The venue has had strong ties to the Chicago scene for years, and this evening will bring two bands that are connected to that city to Belgium.

Cinc is a trio featuring Ken Vandermark (reeds), Paul Lytton (drums) and Philipp Wachsmann (violin). These three released only one album together (a limited edition release on Okka Disk) and play rather infrequently. It is not one of Vandermark's well-known bands, but on paper, it's a remarkable one, as it puts him together with stalwarts of British improv. Both Lytton and Wachsmann are members of Evan Parker's Electro-acoustic ensemble, which visited the same venue last year (albei w/o Wachsmann).

The other trio consists of bass clarinet player Jason Stein, bassist Jason Roebke and drummer Mike Pride. Their latest/third album Three Kinds Of Happiness received lots of praise at the end of 2010 and shows the band playing within a more traditional (but no less satisfying) approach. You may know Mike Pride from his wonderful quartet From Bacteria To Boys (which also features Darius Jones).

We heard that the ticket sale is going quite well, so getting a ticket in advance is strongly advised! More information about a few of these artists, and their latest releases, will follow the next days.

If you're interested: Instant Jazz will be in Hasselt with heaps of CD's/LP's.

The Nu Band at Hnita Jazz: 3/2

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We wrote about this in one of our previous newsletters (by the way, if you wish to receive those, just let us know and we’ll add you to our contacts), but next Thursday, there’s a special concert coming up, when the wonderful free jazz quartet The Nu Band will play at the legendary Hnita Jazz Club in Heist-op-den-Berg. If the name of the band doesn’t ring a bell, maybe its members will: Roy Campbell (trumpet), Mark Whitecage (alto saxophone & clarinet), Joe Fonda (bass) and Lou Grassi (drums/percussion). 

They haven’t been around for that long as a unit (since 2000), but they have already five albums under their belt and quite a reputation among fans of avant-jazz. All four have a lot of experience as well (at 56, Fonda is still the youngest member) and have played with an insane list of musicians: Whitecage and Fonda (both members of the Fonda/Stevens band) worked extensively with Anthony Braxton, Lou Grassi worked with Joseph Jarman and Fred Van Hove, while Campbell played with Jemeel Moondoc, William Parker and Peter Brötzmann. 

Pure invention and dazzling interplay will be part of the menu on Thursday, but there’s more than that. These guys aren’t just revolutionaries radically breaking with the past, but four capable artists with a thorough background, well-versed in playing many styles, some more traditional than others. By consequence, they go into dialogue with decades of jazz history, touching upon revelations of the past while focusing on the here and now. Their recent album "Live In Paris" (No Business, 2010) got rave reviews all around, so expect a feast of freedom w/ joy and creativity! More info at the Hnita website

Concerts in February

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The agendas are shaping up nicely and the coming months will offer a lot of promising concerts. A brief overview for February (by no means complete):

VOORUIT - Gent
17&18/2: Jazz & Beyond Deluxe, w/ Erik Friedlander, Das Kapital, Hauschka and more.

DE WERF - Brugge
5/2: Emile Parisien Quartet
18/2: Elina Duni Quartet

BEURSSCHOUWBURG - Brussels
23-26/2: JustJAZZIt#3 Festival, w/ Nils Petter Molvaer, Flat Earth Society, Michel Portal, etc

DE SINGER - Rijkevorsel
5/2: Trio Hot (Jörgensmann, Maurer, Jacquemyn)
16/2: Ernst Reijseger & Teun Verbruggen

DE SINGEL - Antwerp
16/2: Vijay Iyer & Hermes Ensemble & E-XXI

KUNSTENCENTRUM BELGIE - Hasselt
19/2: CINC (Vandermark/Wachsmann/Lytton) + Jason Stein's Locksmith Isidore

EL NEGOCITO - Gent
14/2: EN Barcella Sessions: Free Casa Integrazione feat. Alexandra Grimal, Jeroen Van Herzeele & Manolo Cabras

HNITA JAZZ - Heist-Op-Den-Berg
3/2: The NU Band

We'll spend some more posts on several of these concerts in the next few weeks!

Gjerstad, Parker & Drake

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Rejoice! This weekend, the fantastic trio of Frode Gjerstad, William Parker and Hamid Drake will play twice in our country. This friday, the trio will perform at co Sint Andries in Antwerp. One day later, they will perform at Kc BELGIE in Hasselt. In Antwerp, the support will be Breathing, a quartet guided by Teun Verbruggen. In Hasselt, they will be preceded by Daniel Carter & Federico Ughi!

co SInt Andries also offers an extra opportunity, as they organize a workshop as well. It starts around 16h and is open to anyone, with or without an instrument, as long as you register in advance.

The next few days, we'll concentrate a bit on Parker & Drake. Today, perhaps some information about FRODE GJERSTAD, who's perhaps the least known of these three. While he's unfamiliar to many around here, he's somewhat of a legendary free jazz musician in Norway, a kind of father figure who had been around since the seventies, working in various contexts. It was his collaboration with drummer John Stevens that really put him on the map and since then, he has played with Barry Guy, Derek Bailey and Paul Rutherford, but also with Steve Swell, Marshall Allen and Courtney Pine. On saxophone, clarinet or with electronics - there's always an interesting story to be heard.

Especially since the late nineties, his productivity grew increasingly, as he appeared on dozens of records as a leader and sideman. He performed and recorded with Peter Brötzmann, often with drummer Paal Nilssen-Love and his large ensemble Circulasione Totale Orchestra. And also, since the late 90's, with William Parker and Hamid Drake, one of the most versatile rhythm sections in jazz. They recorded three albums in the 90s and two in the 00's

Two recent Gjerstad albums we recommend both feature Paal Nilssen-Love. The first is a quartet album - Reknes - featuring the legendary Bobby Bradford and Ingebrigt Haker-Flaten, as well. Another one is the duo album Gromka with the Norwegian powerhouse drummer.

Frode Gjerstad's Website

Concerts

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Some of these were already included in our newsletter (drop us an email at info@instantjazz.com if you want to receive it!), but just to make sure you're not missing anything:

1/12: RadioKUKAOrkest feat. Ellery Eskelin @ Vooruit, Gent. It's the first concert of the tour. More dates can be found at the Jazzlabseries website. Not part of the tour, but also included, is an appearance by Eskelin, Roseeuw & Dumoulin @ El Negocito the 8th of Dec.!
3/12: The Thing @ AB, Brussels
4/12: CD Release of El Negocito's 4th album, by Riccardo Luppi's Mure Mure
5/12: Steve Mackay & co. @ El Negocito, Ghent
6/12: Vijay Iyer @ De Singer, Rijkevorsel
7/12: Vijay Iyer @ Hnita Jazz Club, Heist-op-den-Berg
6-11/12: Lander Ghyselinck Sessions, feat. a bunch of guests @ El Negocito, Ghent
10/12: Frode Gjerstad, William Parker & Hamid Drake @ co Sint Andries, Antwerp
11/12: Frode Gjerstad, William Parker & Hamid Drake + Daniel Carter & Frederic Ughi @ KC BELGIE, Hasselt
15/12: Ig Henneman Sextet @ CC Maasmechelen, Maasmechelen
17/12: Ig Henneman Sextet @ De SInger , Rijkevorsel

Enough to keep you busy?

Concerts, concerts

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What's happenin' this week? Well, here's only a taste of what's to come...

• El Negocito has a busy week, with its DE CAUTER / MOREL SESSIONS, which run from the 22nd until the 27th of November and include a whole bunch of musicians (every night different people), including a.o. Joachim Badenhorst, Fulco Ottervanger, Lionel Beuvens, Mathias Van De Wiele.  
• Also a two-day happening (25-26/11) at the Vooruit: JAZZ & BEYOND Deluxe, featuring: Mâäk & Albert Anongoko Ensemble, Neil Cowley Trio, Iva Bittova & Vladimir Vaclavek, Equilibrium (Badenhorst, Ploug & Pettersen) & Liesa Van der Aa. Something to discover for everyone!
• Once again: EQUILIBIRUM (27/11) at De Werf (Brugge)

That's some of it. More interesting concerts coming up next month!!

Concerts!

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Last Saturday, we witnessed an excellent concert by the REUT REGEV TRIO at the Rataplan in Antwerp. We're sure that those of you who were there will agree that the band played an impressive set. Perhaps good to know: we still have a few copies available of Reut's This Is R*Time album at a reduced price (10 euros), so don't hesitate if you haven't got your own copy yet!

A few suggestions for this week:

* Nov. 12th: JULIA KENT - solo cello concert @ Sint-Elizabethkerk in Ghent (Begijnhof, Sint-Amandsberg)
* Nov. 12th: JORIS ROELOFS feat. GREGORY HUTCHINSON, AARON GOLDBERG & JOE SANDERS @ De Werf in Brugge
* Nov. 12th-13th: C-MINE JAZZ FESTIVAL @ C-Mine in Genk, w/ Hamid Drake & Bindu, Portico Quartet and many others
* Nov. 14th: HAN BENNINK TRIO @ De Singer in Rijkevorsel

That's gonna be tough!

De Singer

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The name probably doesn't ring a bell like De Werf (Brugge), Kc BELGIE (Hasselt) and Vooruit (Ghent) do, but the cosy club DE SINGER (Rijkevorsel) is quickly becoming a household name for fans of (free) jazz and improvised music. Even though there's no abundance of concerts (they also program stand-up comedy, rock music and classical, though), they're offering a few treasures.

A while ago, they had Eric Boeren w/ a quartet featuring Peter Evans, but the next few months, they'll have a few more interesting concerts to offer. Here's a brief overview:

* 3/11: BILL CARROTHERS TRIO. This is a last minute addition to their agenda! Carrothers has worked with people like Dave Douglas and Lee Konitz, but also with our own Toots Thielemans. For this concert, he will play with Belgians Dré Pallemarts (drums) and Nic Thys (bass)
* 14/11: HAN BENNINK TRIO. The legendary Dutch drummer with his first ever trio, featuring Simon Toldam Rosengren (piano) and Joachim Badenhorst (clarinet). Occasionally explosive, frequently funny (what did you expect?) and always interesting!
* 26/11: BRZZVLL. Quickly becoming a household name in Belgian jazz, even though it's very much groove-based music that delves into funk and soul. It's gonna be a party!
* 6/12: VIJAY IYER SOLO. Perhaps the most lauded pianist of the moment, next to Jason Moran and Brad Mehldau. Released a very impressive batch of albums and made a strong impression while playing with Mahanthappa and others. His recently released solo album is marvellous. One of the most anticipated concerts in our book.
* 17/12: IG HENNEMAN SEXTET feat. AXEL DÖRNER. Violinist Henneman released a bunch of albums under her own name, but also worked with people like Mischa Mengelberg and Ab Baars (her husband). This month, a box set will be released that contains a bunch of albums. A strong creative force in Dutch improvised music and a delight for fans of genre-bending experiments
* 20/01: PETER BRÖTZMANN & FRED LONBERG-HOLM. What can you say that hasn't been said before about Brötz? He's a living legend, a force of nature. By his side: cello player Lonberg-Holm (Chicago Tentet, Vandermark 5, etc).

That's a line-up! Check out the website for more information

OORWERK

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Another interesting event is tomorrow's OORWERK FESTIVAL, which takes places at CC Luchtbal in Antwerp.
 
The first part introduces a performance by PETER JACQUEMYN (B) and GUNDA GOTTSCHALK (D) with Mongolian singer BAADMA BADAMKHOROL SAMDANDAMBA. Together, they will delve into a tradition of ancient songs and techniques, creating music that embodies the barrenness and solitude of the Mongolian desert. Undoubtedly something most of us have never heard before!
 
Gottschalk's label FREE ELEPHANT also released "Agiiiir", an album with a.o. Jacquemyn, recorded in 2005, that recently got an enthusiastic review in The Wire. We should have that in stock soon. Feel free to inquire.
 
The second part of the evening promises something entirely different: a combination of spoken word (Josse De Pauw) and music (Rudy Trouvé / Eric Thielemans) that'll hoover between abstraction and volume, riffs and percussion, poetry and melody. Something to look forward to.
 
More information can be found on the Luchtbal's website.

Countdown

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Tonight at 20h, the FOLLOW THE SOUND FESTIVAL will kick off four days of improvised music. As a result, it might be quiet(er) on this blog for a few days, but we'll be back soon!

See below (or on the festival site) for more information about the program.

We'll bring a large selection of cd's (and some lp's) with us - feel free to purchase something, to inquire about other music you're looking for (we might be able to help you out!) or just to say hi!

Rui Salgado Collectif + Carlos Zingaro TONIGHT!

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Last minute notice: TONIGHT, there will be a concert by the RUI SALGADO COLLECTIF + CARLOS ZINGARO at Théâtre Marni in Elsene (Brussels).

The band features RUI SALGADO (bass & flute), AUDREY LAURO (soprano sax), YANN LE COLLAIRE (clarinet/sax), JAVIER CARMONA (drums), LAURENT BLONDIAU (trumpet) and CARLOS ZINGARO (violin). All musicians have a lot of experience in the field of improvised music, so this event, co-organised by the Embassy of Portugal, will definitely interest fans of adventurous music w/ a southern twist.

Portugal has always been very dear to us - not only because of the thriving live scene (the Jazz Em Augusto festival being one of the highlights!), but also because Instant Jazz represents the magnificent Portugese CLEAN FEED-label in Belgium.

The label releases albums by many foreign artists, but also manages to come up with excellent Portugese stuff once in a while. A good example is the recent Hugo Antunes album "Roll Call", which got a postive review at Stef's FREE JAZZ BLOG

INSTANT JAZZ CAN OFFER 2 FREE TICKETS (2 x 1). ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS DROP US AN EMAIL AT info@instantjazz.com

Follow The Sound - Day 4

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And finally, we arrive at the final day of the FOLLOW THE SOUND FESTIVAL, the climax of four days of creative interaction and voyages into the unknown.

• The program starts at 18h (two hours earlier than the other days!) with a projection of the collaborative work by percussionist GERRY HEMINGWAY and video artist BETH WARSHAFSKY. They have been working together for over twenty years, so they will be able to pick from a wide rangeof work. There'll also be a glimpse of Hemingway's upcoming movie (still a work-in-progress).
• Added to the line-up at the last minute and definitely one of the most anticipated concerts, is "In Search Of A Sound", a dedication to the late composer, painter, teacher and musician BILL DIXON, by four people who worked with him or are in some way thoroughly inspired by his work. No less than three trumpeters (JACQUES COURSIL, STEPHEN HAYNES and FRANZ KOGLMANN) will join bass player BARRY GUY in what promises to become a meeting of likeminded artists playing with friction and nuance, tension and subtlety.
• Third part of the evening is a live performance by GERRY HEMINGWAY, "Behaviors", another performance with BETH WARSHAFSKY straddling the lines of music and visuals, acoustic elements and electronics.
• The climax of the festival will be a meeting of two trios. There's B3B - FRED VAN HOVE, WILBERT DE JOODE and BARRY GUY. And then there's Tarfala - MATS GUSTAFSSON, RAYMOND STRID and... BARRY GUY. Five musicians with an incredible collective background and experience in improvised music. Nobody knows what this will lead to, how wild or quiet it will be, but there's not a doubt in our mind that this is gonna be something special! 

Instant Jazz has a bunch of records on which many of the artists perform. We'll bring these to to the festival. Worth an extra mention is the presence of trumpeter Haynes, who makes the trip to Europe from the US, especially to contribute to the Dixon-program. Haynes was one of the musicians that worked with Dixon until the very end, and appeared on the master's Tapestries For Small Orchestra. Here's also an interesting podcast.

After the concerts, there will also be DJ sessions (Fri/Sat). You can grab something to eat, have a drink and party all night to the thrills of exciting music.And buy these musicians a bear while you're at it!

Hopefully we'll see you there!

(PS. There are no more tickets available for the first day. To be on the safe side for the other days, we recommend you purchase your tickets in advance. More info from the website!)

Follow The Sound - Day 3

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The third day of the FOLLOW THE SOUND FESTIVAL, Friday 15th, offers an intriguing mix of elderly statesmen and upcoming talents, music that's firmly rooted in the avant tradition, as well as modern sounds flirting with contemporary rock music:

•  Until a few years ago, French trumpeter JACQUES COURSIL, a crucial musician during the adventurous developments op the 60's, seemed to have disappeared. In 2005, he suddenly returned to the front and people in the know claim his music is still as vibrant as it used to be. At De Singel, he'll perform with a trio of three young French musicians.
• HAKON KORNSTAD (°1977) is one of the most interesting Scandinavian saxophone players, one who prefers to work in intimate contexts (solo/duo performance). In Antwerp, he'll perform with singer SIDSEL ENDRESEN.
• Top of the bill is HUNTSVILLE, a Norwegian trio that straddles the lines between postrock, improv and electronics, delving into soundscapes full of dark corners and constantly shifting layers of sound. For this concert, they will be joined by clarinet player XAVIER CHARLES.
• During the entire evening, there will also be a projection of paintings accompanied by electronic experiments by drummer TONY OXLEY (who joined Cecil Taylor during his concert in Antwerp last year).
• Nice bonus: after the concerts, the musicians will reappear as DJ's to play their favorite music

Follow The Sound - Day 2

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On Thursday 14th, the FOLLOW THE SOUND FESTIVAL starts hitting its stride, with a three-part program that continues to explore the relation between music and visuals, the tradition and the unexpected:

• The proceedings will be opened by the trio of VINCENT COURTOIS (cello, electronics), KRIS DEFOORT (piano) and WOLTER WIERBOS (trombone). Different backgrounds and different aesthetics, so it's definitely gonna lead to interesting results.
• Like Wierbos, ERNST GLERUM is a charter member of the legendary ICP Orchestra. He will be experimenting with bass and tapes, which will provide the rhythmic backgrond. On top of that, visual artist ANNEGIEN HASELAGER will provide visuals. 
• The final part will also be something special, as master trumpeter AXEL DÖRNER, without a doubt one of the leading European improvisers on that instrument, will play a concert with his quartet featuring JOHN SCHRÖDER (piano), CLAYTON THOMAS (bass) and OLIVER STEIDLE (drums, percussion and...chaospad - we're curious as well!)
  

The recent release by ICP Orchestra - "ICP 049" - got very positive reviews on webzines Kwadratuur and Goddeau and will be for sale, as well as the LP-only "ICP 050", which was taken from the same recordings.

It would lead us too far to include all Dörner-related releases we have in stock at the moment, so please inquire (info@instantjazz.com) if you have any specific questions or pay us a visit during the festival. We'll bring a bunch of releases that might interest both fans looking to complete their collections, as well as newcomers looking for an introductory taste!

Follow The Sound - Day 1

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FOLLOW THE SOUND kicks off on Wednesday 13th, with a short but very interesting program:

• First, there is a performance by MATT DARIAU'S PARADOX TRIO, who will play live music to a screening of Sergei Eisensteins classic film "The Battleship Potemkin" (1925). There have been previous soundtracks, but Darriau's, which combines jazz improvisation with Balkan and klezmer-elements will definitely come as a surprise to many.
• Next, there's the trio of pianist MATTHEW BOURNE, with bass player DAVE KANE and drummer STEVE DAVIS. Bourne is somewhat of a controversial figure in British jazz, often compared to Cecil Taylor, but also equally at ease in extreme, genre-shifting music. For this performance, they will be accompanied by Belgian trumpeter LAURENT BLONDIAU (Mâäk's Spirit, Andy Emlers MegaOctet, etc) and Dutch reedist AB BAARS, key member of the legendary ICP Orchestra and a master of improvisation.
  

Among the items we have for sale are the Bourne Trio's 2008 album with Paul Dunmall, Moment To Moment, his 2009 duo album with Franck Vigroux, Call Me Madame (Good News From Wonderland). We'll also offer a solo live album.

Concerts 4-10 october

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A few suggestions for this week: 

• 5/10: DE BEREN GIEREN / JAMIE SAFT at Vooruit in Gent
• 6+7/10: THE BAD PLUS at Bimhuis in Amsterdam
• 9/10: EL NEGOCITO CHURCH SESSIONS w/ Carlos Zingaro, Lode Vercampt & Peter Jacquemyn at El Negocito in Gent
• 9/10: FULL BLAST (Brötzmann, Pliakas, Wertmüller) feat. KEN VANDERMARK at Bimhuis in Amsterdam
• 10/10: JOAN LA BARBARA, ANNEA LOCKWOOD & DAVID BEHRMAN at Les Ateliers Claus in Brussels

In the meantime, Instant Jazz is shaping up for the FOLLOW THE SOUND festival (13-16 October), which we will attend with a big selection of music.

The next few days, we'll delve into the program and suggest a few expected highlights of this year's edition!

Concerts, concerts, concerts

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An excellent concert by Eric Boeren, Tobias Delius, Jason Adasiewicz and Peter Evans, yesterday at the cosy jazzclub De Singer (Rijkevorsel), reminded us again of the joy that live music can bring. More than anywhere else, the stage is where it happens and seeing a musician deliver the goods in front of you always adds an extra dimension to the listening experience.

Here are our picks for next week. You might have heard about some and not about others. Maybe you'll finally know what to!

• 27/9: NEGOCITO BARCELLA SESSIONS w/ Audrey Chen & Peter Jacquemyn at El Negocito in Gent
• 28/9: TALIBAM! (w/ Kevin Shea of Mostly Other People Do The Killing, the Peter Evans Quartet, etc) at Magasin 4 in Brussels   
• 30/9: VIKTOR TOTH TERCETT feat. HAMID DRAKE + NICOLAS KUMMERT with his lauded 'VOICES'-project at Vooruit in Gent
• 30/9-3/10: JAZZ BRUGGE 2010: four days of mainly European jazz, from more than a dozen countries. Check out the website for the full band roster (impressive). Some of our favorites: Keith Tippett, Andy Emler Megaoctet, Sylvie Courvoisier & Ellery Eskelin and Viktor Toth...

Take your pick!

Peter Evans Live

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Online music magazine Kwadratuur posted a review of "Live In Lisbon" (in Dutch) by the Peter Evans Quartet.

It's good to see that Evans, who's been a favorite of us for some time, is increasingly recognized as a major player in the field of improvised music. Feel free to check out our catalog or inquire about available Peter Evans CD's. We usually have several in stock.

Related, and something that might interest Belgian (and Dutch) fans: this saturday, Sep. 25th, Evans will perform at De Singer (Rijkervorsel) w/ Eric Boeren (cornet), Tobias Delius (tenor) and fellow American Jason Adasiewicz (vibes). A promising line-up!

More info at De Singer's website