The organizers of the Antwerp Jazz Festival Jazz Middelheim and Royal Conservatoire Antwerp are again tightening their bonds. Three students are given three days to get ready for a dazzling performance together with the equally dazzling Joe Lovano. He is coaching Lars Van de Voorde (piano), Jef Manderveld (double bass) and Jesse Dockx (drums) towards their performance on the main stage of Jazz Middelheim.
Joe Lovano
Lovano grew up in Cleveland Ohio, where, surrounded by his musical parents, he learned to play the alto saxophone as a five-year-old boy. Two years later, he swapped it for the tenor sax, and the rest is history. For more than forty years, Lovano has been an established name in his home country and abroad. He travels all over the world in various line-ups. The week before he comes to Middelheim Park, Lovano is headlining the prestigious Blue Note Jazz Festival in New York.
Lars Van de Voorde
Lars learned to play the piano at the age of 13. He was soon introduced to jazz thanks to his mentor at the time, Werner Meert. In June, Lars received his Master's degree at the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp.
Jef Manderveld
Jef was introduced to the bass at age fourteen. Soon he started a specialized study at Dé Kunsthumaniora, after which he continued his studies at the Conservatoire. He, too, has just received his Master's degree.
Jesse Dockx
Anyone who still wants to see Jesse at work in Belgium should definitely come, because he will soon be leaving for New York to continue his jazz drum studies. Jesse started drumming at a very young age and also recently graduated from the Conservatory.
The three brand-new alumni together form the Pete Agora's trio.
Image © Jimmy Katz