Jury for International Composition Contest 2013 revealed!
| An international jury will announce the winner of the BJO International Composition Contest 2013. The judges include none other than Klas Lindquist (SE), Jeff Levenson (USA), Michel Herr (BE), Florian Ross (DE) and Carlos Azevedo (PT). |  |
BJO’s Finest – Live! A new CD of BJO, for BJO, by BJO
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The best by the Brussels Jazz Orchestra. That is what the new album in honour of BJO’s 20th anniversary is all about. An album with only work, compositions and arrangements of some of the orchestra members.
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BJO Twenty. Four anniversary concerts with special guests !
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The crème de la crème of the Belgian jazz scene joins the BJO on stage: Tutu Puoane, Bert Joris, Philip Catherine, David Linx and Michel Herr. |
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International Composition Contest 2013
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October will witness the final of the 7th Brussels Jazz Orchestra International Composition Contest. This contest for young jazz talent up to the age of 40 is one of the major international composition contests and is aimed particularly at compositions for big bands. The contest carries a winning prize of €3,000. Winners of previous editions include Jan Torkewitz (2011 - Germany), Sakiko Masuda (2010 – Japan), Klas Lindquist (2006 – Sweden) and Carlos Azevedo (2004 – Portugal). The Brussels Jazz Orchestra has also given these finalists creative assignments for various Brussels Jazz Orchestra productions. |
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The BJO turns 20 in 2013!
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The Brussels Jazz Orchestra celebrates its twentieth anniversary in 2013. The kickoff for the festivities takes place in March, with the release of the CD BJO's Finest, complete with music written by and for the BJO. At the end of March, BJO Twenty is programmed, with a series of anniversary concerts with guest soloists Tutu Puoane, Bert Joris, Philip Catherine, David Linx and Michel Herr. In the summer we take off with the icing on the cake: a concert tour across European festivals with Joe Lovano. The accompanying CD Wild Beauty was recently recorded in Ghent and will be released in June 2013 on Half Note Records. See here for a teaser on Youtube. The full anniversary programme will soon be available on our website! |
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Become a Friend, Partner or Supporting Partner of the BJO!
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Everyone who has a heart for jazz and in particular for the Brussels Jazz Orchestra can now actively support us by becoming a Friend, Partner or Supporting Partner! This support helps fund the BJO in its growth and to expand its artistic boundaries. On to the next 20 years! All info can be found here. |
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Graphicology succesfully starts tour
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October 27th sees the start of the Graphicology tour, kicking off at BJO's homebase venue, Flagey (Brussels). This new project brings together big band jazz and graphic novel. Graphic novelist Philip Paquet — a noted jazz lover — selected some existing stories and thought up two new ones. Six composers wrote an accompanying soundtrack. The result is a 'visual jazz score': the stories have been edited into original videos projected on a large screen, while the Brussels Jazz Orchestra performs live the soundtrack to the images. A ground-breaking experience for jazz lovers and a surprising introduction to jazz for lovers of graphic novels! A taster can be found on YouTube. TV Brussels made this report. Concert dates: - Saturday 17/11/12 CC Luchtbal, Antwerp |
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New album by BJO: A Different Porgy & Another Bess
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The Brussels Jazz Orchestra is taking its turn in working on the universal theme and musical richness of George Gershwins masterpiece, Porgy and Bess. Together with David Linx the BJO has put together an alternative song list with the lesser known songs in the foreground, but not forgetting the more famous ones (Summertime, It ain't necessarily so,…). The result is a different Porgy - David Linx - and a very different Bess - Maria João - and together they shed a new light on this classic work. The album 'A Different Porgy & Another Bess' is released by Naïve and available in our webshop. Read here what the press writes!
Concerts: September 1 Musikfest Bremen (Germany); September 26 New Morning (Paris); April 5 Belfort (Fr); April 30 Valenciennes (Fr). |
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The Press on the Blue Note concerts
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"You have to hear this dynamic band. The sudden explosiveness from the trumpet or trombone row, the virtuosity of the saxes, the dreamy softness, the rage as it derails, the merciless rythm of Vitacolonna and Machtel, the subtle guitar of Peter Hertmans." (J-C Vantroyen, Le Soir, 07/04/12) "Belgian triumph at the Blue Note. (...) Splendid performance of Werners arrangement of the rock classic 'House of the Rising Sun', a musical journey full of broadly smiling fun." (D. Wijnants, De Morgen, April 2012) "Even though the creators surely had to attend an Institute of Higher Learning to conceive this music, no degree is required to understand or enjoy it. One could call it 'Institute of Harder Swinging' " (W. Friedwald, The Wall Street Journal, March 2012) “The studied balance, even flow and subtle texturing of the Belgian sidemen immediately enveloped the room. (…) But throughout, the band never stopped swinging.” (Nick Catalano, All about jazz 15/04/12) |
(photo René Clément) |
Brussels Jazz Orchestra celebrates Oscar victory for Best Original Filmscore The Artist
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Sunday night the Oscars were awarded in Los Angeles. Top favorite The Artist won the Oscar for Best Original Filmscore. This award is also a triumph for the Brussels Jazz Orchestra for performing the parts for big band, including the track Peppy and George, which accompanies the catching tap dance scene of the two main characters. This scene represents the highlight of The Artist. The Brussels Jazz Orchestra musicians and management are very proud of this Oscar and look forward to other film projects.
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Orchestrated passion for jazz
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