Jazz as a musical movement has very much grown out of its niche in recent years and found its way to a much larger and enthusiastic audience. The contribution that our students, teachers and alumni have made to this trend should not be underestimated.
Jesse Dockx
After pianist Bram De Loose in 2012 and drummer Gert-Jan Dreessen in 2018, Jesse Dockx is the third student at the Conservatory to win the BAEF scholarship. This means that after his Jazz master's degree in Antwerp, he is invited to move to New York, where he can add another academic year on drums.
Hanne de Backer, Andreas Bral and Raf Vertesen
A striking picture in De Standaard from 4 March '21: two former students, Hanne and Andreas, and their colleague Raf, are currently walking down the Belgian coast with a camel in their wake. Each with their own instrument under their arm - the camel is well off - they hope to make it from west to east in five days. Three times a day, they will stop for a session without an audience. Hanne with her baritone sax, Andreas with his harmonium and Raf on the drums. The trio is curious about the influence of the sea and their own efforts on their improvisation.
Teun Verbruggen
For some weeks now, we have been able to listen to new work by Warped Dreamer, an international jazz quartet including drummer & teacher Teun Verbruggen. The title of the album is 'Live at Bimhuis'.
Lennert Baerts
Fresh alumnus and saxophonist Lennert did not need much time to put his music on the charts. Radio station Klara immediately included him in their list of 'De Twintigers', twenty promising musicians to keep an eye on, and he just released a double debut. Not only his solo album was presented to the world, but we also got to hear his new work with the Muze Jazz Orchestra.
Thomas Geysen, Aram Abgaryan and Willem Heylen
Aka KRANKk. Still students back then, they released their debut album Dark was released in March 2020. Exactly one year later, you can listen to the remix. The trio itself does not want to think in genres, but influences from jazz and classical music are not far away in their innovative sound. Their work has been received very enthusiastically in Belgium as well as abroad.
The downside of this kind of list is that we can never name everyone. The advantage is that the vast majority of the musicians can easily be found online. On our own Jazz channel on YouTube, but also through their own channels. Be sure to look for: Anneleen Boehme, STUFF, Warm Bad, Lawaai, Donder, SCHNTZL, Blackwave, Taxiwars, Azerty Klavierwerke and many more.
As you will notice in looking up their work, jazz was the basis, bot not always the genre they are now creating.