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Matthias Van den Brande

Matthias Van den Brande is a young saxophone player and composer/arranger with already an interesting story. Having lived and studied in various corners of the world, from his home country Belgium to the Netherlands (Amsterdam) and the United States (Philadelphia), he developed a strong voice and personality in the jazz idiom and beyond. Recently, Matthias played and recorded as a soloist with the Brussels Jazz Orchestra for the project ‘The Future Is Now’. In 2018, he released his debut album as a leader called ‘Opus #1’, blending a classical wind quintet and a jazz quartet together through his own original compositions and arrangements. In 2022, he released a second album entitled 'Three Sides of a Coin' with his award-winning trio. For 2 years, the trio played extensively in Belgium, The Netherlands, Spain, Italy and France.

A new album called 'Fields of Color', inspired by the artworks of Mark Rothko, came out in March 2025 on Fresh Sound Records. For the occasion, Matthias invited Jean-Paul Estiévenart to join the trio on trumpet.

Matthias is also a frequently asked sideman in various groups such as the Tijs Klaassen Quintet, Mo van der Does Motet, Saxkartel, Marit van der Lei Nextet, Basile Rahola Quartet, Daan Herweg Quartet, ... Venues you might have seen him play at include the Bimhuis (NL), Bozar (BE), Lantarenvenster (NL), North Sea Jazz Festival (NL), Gent Jazz Festival (BE), deSingel (BE), Jazz Middelheim (BE), ...

Awards

Matthias Van den Brande Trio - 'Grand Prix Du Jury' - Tremplin Jazz 'Concours Européen' Avignon (2022)
Matthias Van den Brande Trio - 'Prix du meilleur instrumentaliste' - Tremplin Jazz 'Concours Européen' Avignon (2022)
Matthias Van den Brande Trio – B-Jazz Contest 'Grand Prize Albert Michiels' (2022)
Tijs Klaassen Quintet – SENA performers award, Dutch Jazz Competition (2021)
Mo van der Does Motet – Keep an Eye the Records (2020)
Matthias Van den Brande Group – Art of Musical Expression Award (2018)
Tijs Klaassen Quintet – Keep an Eye the Records (2018)
Spoken Saxophone Quartet – Keep an Eye the Records (2017)
Matthias Van den Brande - Cultuurprijs Deurne (2011)

Matthias Van den Brande: Fields of Color

Read "Fields of Color" reviewed by Artur Moral

by Artur Moral
May 24, 2025

A non-harmonic quartet raises unexpected questions Can an essentially orthodox musical effort accurately reflect the most unconventional art? Is a concept album more attractive than others, simply by being one? Can a written review meaningfully convey insights about a score inspired by the creations of painter Mark Rothko, whose canvases, in turn, were conceived to express the intense sensations that poetry and classical music, particularly Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, stirred in him? Indeed, we face a disc that provokes a multitude ...

Belgian jazz of the highest level - Peter De Backer, De Standaard

Matthias and his trio dominate on Tremplin Jazz D'Avignon - Franck Bergerot, Jazz Magazine

It is pulsating, powerful, exciting, captivating. A pure joy to listen to - Jean-Claude Vantroyen, Le Soir

The flexibility and ease with which he plays his instrument is astonishing - Jan van Leersum, Rootstime