Jef Neve

“London Jazz Festival. “In two very contrasting Saturday night sets, Belgian pianist Jef Neve demonstrated why his stock has steadily been rising in Europe over the last decade. (..) In a world that some may consider to be overcrowded with piano trios, this group puts forward a compelling case that they deserved to be heard.” - LJF2011. Review by Tom Gray - Nov 24, 2011 (UK)

Amsterdam. “Belgian jazz trio shines in Concertgebouw.” (..) “Neve's compositions are melodically strong, harmonically surprising and rhythmically catchy. The effect on the listener is emotion, joy or stillness. Neve's playing shows a clever balance between control and freedom. He doesn’t search for sensationalism and you will not find excessive dynamics or note acrobatics. He is looking for refinement and not so much the big gesture. (…) With the Jef Neve Trio the Belgians have an ensemble that takes part in the international top. The succession of Toots Thielemans seems to be assured.“ - Het Parool, Jan Jasper Tambour – 30.7.2011 (Holland)

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“London Jazz Festival. “In two very contrasting Saturday night sets, Belgian pianist Jef Neve demonstrated why his stock has steadily been rising in Europe over the last decade. (..) In a world that some may consider to be overcrowded with piano trios, this group puts forward a compelling case that they deserved to be heard.” - LJF2011. Review by Tom Gray - Nov 24, 2011 (UK)

Amsterdam. “Belgian jazz trio shines in Concertgebouw.” (..) “Neve's compositions are melodically strong, harmonically surprising and rhythmically catchy. The effect on the listener is emotion, joy or stillness. Neve's playing shows a clever balance between control and freedom. He doesn’t search for sensationalism and you will not find excessive dynamics or note acrobatics. He is looking for refinement and not so much the big gesture. (…) With the Jef Neve Trio the Belgians have an ensemble that takes part in the international top. The succession of Toots Thielemans seems to be assured.“ - Het Parool, Jan Jasper Tambour – 30.7.2011 (Holland)

“Jef Neve conquers Gent Jazz Festival”. ”Despite the bad weather the giant tent on the Gent Jazz Festival was full. Especially during the concert of Jef Neve trio the tent was crowded. Neve and his companions played an exciting set (..) With ' Endless DC ' he built a magnificent climax. The public rose as one for a standing ovation. The Jef Neve trio played one of the strongest concerts of recent times". Het Nieuwsblad – 17.7.2011 (Belgium)

“With Imaginary Road Jef Neve confirms to be one of the major pianists on the European jazz scene : a fifth album like a consecration, and a big challenge to the competition.” “Avec Imaginary Road, Jef Neve s’impose comme l’un des pianistes majeurs de la scène jazz européenne : un cinquième albom comme une consécration, et un sacré challenge pour la concurrence.” - Music World, Christian Larrède – 21.3.2011 (France)

“the guy is unbelievable, as a self confessed atheist his concert was a religious experience... people were wandering around after his concert gobsmacked...after his first concert at Wangaratta all his CD's were sold out...the trio is a world class jazz act" - Brian Saxby reporting from Wangaratta Jazz Festival 2010 , 3.11.2010 (Australia)

"Neve's trio displayed extraordinary cohesion as well as technique, the players' instinctive lyricism and warmth quickly winning the audience." - The Sydney Morning Herald - 3 nov 2010 (Australia) "Belgian pianist Jef Neve’s trio took the international honours with lyricism, excitement and daring," - AusJazz.net & Herald Sun - 3 nov 2010 (Australia) "Still reeling from the extraordinary performance from Jef Neve Trio. Those Europeans were ludicrously good." - the Artsman, 30 Oct 2010 (Australia)

“Jef Neve – The magician of the piano. All along his eleven new compositions priority is again given to the melody, of a melancholic register but never depressing. Jef continues on his traject outside the main track (apart by Keith Jarrett), and with a sensibility and authority that shine throughout this album.” - Le SOIR , 15.9.2010 (Belgium)

“Imaginary Road is a magnificent album of a magnificent trio and the best that has come out this jazz year.” - JAZZ, Oct. 2010 (Holland)

“In short, ‘Imaginary Road’ is the perfect final piece for Neve’s wonder year 2010. The doors of the patheon of jazz are opened. The time seems right to enter.” - DaMusic, Sept. 2010 (Belgium)

“Neve is about to blow up here in the States and deserves much more credit and respect. He’s gentle giant on the keys and his range shows when he plays a blues ballad to a straight ahead jazz classic.” - The Pace Report – 19.06-2010 (USA)

“A truly magnificent concert. Jef Neve is rightly esteemed as one of the most promising young pianists of Europe” - Gea.de, Reutlinger General Anzeiger – 26.10.09 (Germany)

(Vossa Jazz/Norway) “A piano virtuoso who pledges alliance to Bach, Mozart and Beethoven as much as Oscar Peterson and Bill Evans, he has developed his own highly individual, and at times inspirational style. He certainly raised the roof of the Oba Osasalen, climaxing with his own special anthem, “Nothing But a Casablanca Turtle Slideshow Dinner,” providing a rousing entry into Sunday.” - Jazz.com – 19 april 2009 (Norway)

Festival Vitoria-Gasteiz - "young Belgian pianist Jef Neve's enthusiastic performance with his trio in the Teatro Principal was a festival standout." - DOWNBEAT, James Hale – Dec. 2008 (USA)

« **** Spectacular. His previous album had enchanted the critics and was crowned with a ‘Choc’ Jazzman. “Soul in a Picture” hits the nail right on the head and confirms all our expectations. » - JAZZMAN, Jonathan Duclos-Arkilovitch - Oct. 2008 (FR)

«Soul in a Picture is as much for the committed as the enquiring as Neve emerges as a pianist par excellence. So it's perhaps unsurprising that he's created an excellent album, one that could well feature among the pick of 2008.” - The Guardian – 13-7-2008 (UK)

Jef Neve Trio: Soul in a Picture « If Neve had been born somewhere jazzily iconic such as Chicago or New Orleans he would already have been fêted as the hottest new pianist on the block. » « Neve rises above his influences to create vivid music capable of dramatic twists, notably on the barnstorming A Waterfall Never Comes Alone. There is prettiness here but clout, too. » - Times Online, John Bungey - June 21, 2008 (UK)

« …Soul In A Picture, quatrième album de sa formule trio, ne fait que confirmer les espoirs avérés que critiques et public fondent en ce jeune instrumentiste : élégant sans exhibitionnisme, Neve tente de construire un langage original au sein d’une formule par ailleurs écrasée par Brad Mehldau. En attendant la maturité, déjà une extrême sensibilité, un sens évident de la construction dramatique des pièces, et le choix risqué de certains paris esthétiques, font d’ores et déjà de Jef Neve un grand du jazz européen. » - Music-story.com, Christian Larrède- 8/9/2008 ( FR)

“IT’S GONE” (Contour, 2004) : “From Belgium comes Jef Neve, an explosively gifted young pianist whose second album, It's Gone, is without question one of the best I've heard in 2005.” AllAboutJazz.com/Marc Meyers, 9/05).

« NOBODY IS ILLEGAL » (Universal/Emarcy 2006) �" quotes : In FRANCE the album received the "CHOC" in the magazine 'Jazzman'. In DENMARK it received 5-stars in ‘Politiken’ by Boris Rabinowitsch: "Klaverfænomen." In the UK the 'Guardian Monthly' ranked it among "5 best new albums", the cd received 4-stars in 'Times2' and in the 'Evening Standard'. 'The Observer' wrote : "His concerts are almost like a religious experience, riveting audiences by the sheer power and imagination of his playing." In GERMANY the magazine 'MusikAnSich.de' gave the highest quote “20” : "Nobody Is Illegal belongs to the best that you can find in the European Jazz. For jazz, classical or simply music lovers : this album is a must from beginning to end." In ITALY the critic Roberto de Vitris wrote in 'Altrisuoni': "Jef Neve è l'uomo nuovo del piano jazz internazionale". In IRELAND the 'Irish Times' wrote : "Jef Neve is leading a new wave of European Jazz." “On his major label debut ‘Nobody Is Illegal’ his highly personal approach to the piano trio announces the arrival of a young musician of enormous promise who has the potential to become a major voice on the European jazz scene” - Stuart Nicholson, 12/06).

“SOUL IN A P ICTURE” (2008, Universal/Emarcy) -JazzMan magazine : « Spectacular. His previous album had enchanted the critics and was crowned with a ‘Choc’ Jazzman. “Soul in a Picture” hits the nail right on the head and confirms all our expectations. » -Times Online : « If Neve had been born somewhere jazzily iconic such as Chicago or New Orleans he would already have been fêted as the hottest new pianist on the block. »

In Downbeat Magazine James Hale wrote about the Vitoria- Gasteiz Festival : «young Belgian pianist Jef Neve's enthusiastic performance with his trio in the Teatro Principal was a festival standout.

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