Jazz Articles

Al Orkestra: Where Are We Now?

by John Kelman
October 14, 2009

Sometimes the best music comes from the most unexpected places. British ex-pat Joe Higham has been living in Belgium for 20 years--first studying, now teaching and gigging with a cadre of undervalued Belgian players. Plenty of artists cite a collection of influences, but this saxophonist/clarinetist and his Al Orkestra concoct a truly wonderful mélange, with touchstones ranging from progressive rock and the British Canterbury scene, to the trippy jazz of Sun Ra and the freer tendencies of the late Elton ...

Peter Hertmans 4tet: Cadences

by Gina Vodegel
June 27, 2008

Discovering a 'new' artist or a musician unknown is always a treat. Guitarist Peter Hertmans from Belgium is one who won't disappoint, even though his music may not have reached as many listeners as it deserves. Yet the music on Cadences is the result of two years of playing with his quartet, as Hertmans explains on the back cover of the CD.

Daniel Stokart (soprano sax), Theo de Jong (bass) and Lionel Beuvens (drums), according to Hertmans, are stimulating musicians ...

Olivier Collette: De l'Aube au Crepuscule

by Michael P. Gladstone
February 1, 2004

De l'Aube au Crepuscule is a most thoroughly Belgian release, with all liner note information in French, so I can't provide you with any background on the musicians or compositions. However, previous mental conditioning is linking “Crepescule" with “Nellie" (Thelonious Monk, 1946) and advising me that this record is worthy of your attention.

Pianist Olivier Collette is the composer and arranger of these thirteen songs. His ten piece combo is augmented with strings on a few tracks. The ...