It’s a well-known fact that the Brussels Jazz Orchestra loves crossovers with other genres. In fact, it has pretty much become their trademark. This 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!
Frank Vaganée, artistic director, says:
"Nowadays you often hear of projects with music, where an artist draws live on stage. That is not what Graphicology is about. Philip's stories have a beginning, a middle and an end. There is a plot and the music we have written fits to the second with the images. What you see happening on screen, you hear in the music and vice versa."
Philip Paquet
Born in 1973 in Antwerp, Philip Paquet has triumphed around the world with his graphic novels. His album "Louis Armstrong" is known as far away as Singapore. Jazz plays a primary role in the life and work of Paquet and he has devoted no less than four albums to this genre.
A creation by Philip Paquet and BJO
Previous dates
From the press
08 Jun 2015
Brussels Jazz Orchestra's Graphic Gig
The world class BJO brought its superb arrangemenst and formidable soloists back to Dizzy's at Jazz at Lincoln Center for the U.S. premiere of Graphicology.
09 Apr 2015
BJO gets animated in premiere of Graphicology
Spot-on musical direction from reed player Frank Vaganée guided an orchestra that was a model of group cohesion and pent-up reserve. (...) Engaging, programatic storytelling.