Brussels Jazz Orchestra

In March 1993 The Flemish Jazz Musicians Frank Vaganée Marc Godfroid And Serge Plume Took The Initiative To Set Up The “Brussels Jazz Orchestra” BJO Which Would Offer New Professional Opportunities To Performers Composers And Arrangers After The Jazz Orchestra Of The BRT The Belgian Radio And Television Had Ceased To Exist. One Of The Main Objectives Of The “Brussels Jazz Orchestra” Is Therefore To Promote The Flemish Repertoire And Flemish Soloists. Now Fourteen Years Later The Orchestra Can Be Proud Of Having Achieved Its Original Objectives. Moreover The BJO Conducted By Artistic Director Frank Vaganée Has Been Able To Develop Into An International Leading Orchestra. Proof Of This Was The First Transatlantic Concert Tour In January 2001 With Destination New York Where The BJO Gave A Concert At The Conference Of The International Association Of Jazz-Educators In The Presence Of The International Jazz-Scene. Pianist Kenny Werner USA Was The BJO’s Guest Soloist On This Event. This Concert Was The High Point In The Orchestra’s History And The Start Of An International Career. At The Second Concert In New York Which Took Place In “The Cutting Room” The BJO Treated The Concert-Goers To A Whole Range Of Flemish Jazz-Compositions. In 2002 The Orchestra Went One More Time Transatlantic BJO Played Gigs In Boston With Kenny Werner Yonkers And Was Guest At The Litchfield Jazz Festival With Kenny Werner . It Is A Tradition For The BJO To Invite International Jazz-Artists. Dave Liebman 2004 2003 Phil Woods 2003 Kenny Wheeler 2005 2003 Tom Harrell 2003 Norma Winstone 2003 Maria Schneider 2005 2003 2002 2001 And 2000 Wallace Roney 2002 Bill Holman 1999 Bob Mintzer 2001 Kenny Werner 2004 2002 2001 1999 Gustavo Bergalli 2002 Carlos Franzetti 2002 And Jean Warland 1997 Are Only A Few Of The Artists Who Gave A Live Concert For The Flemish Jazz-Enthusiasts. The BJO Does Not Only Have International Ambitions However. It Also Works In Close Conjunction With The Flemish Jazz-Scene The Orchestra Cooperates With The Flemish Composers Bert Joris Erwin Vann Frank Vaganée Michel Herr And Kris Defoort And With Belgian Soloists Such As Bert Joris Philip Catherine Chris Joris And Toots Thielemans. In Its Twelve-Year Old Career The Orchestra Has Performed On Many National And International Stages Such As The Ciudad Lineal Festival 2004 Madrid - Spain Tremplin Jazz D’Avignon 2004 Avignon - France Zeeland Nazomer Festival 2004 2003 2001 Middelburg – Holland IAJE Conference 2004 & 2001 NYC - USA The Cutting Room 2001 NYC - USA Litchfield Jazz Festival 2002 Litchfield - USA Scullers 2002 NYC - USA Concertgebouw Brugge 2002 Jazz Sous Les Pommiers 2003 Coutances - France Feldkirch Festival 2003 Feldkirch - Austria North Sea Jazz Festival 2002 & 2001 The Hague - Holland Jazz Middelheim 2001 Antwerp - Belgium Dublin Jazz Week 2001 Dublin - Ireland Conservatory 2001 Luxembourg – GD Luxembourg The Festival Of “Les Lundis D’Hortense” 2000 Jazzdag Mechelen 2000 Jazz À Liège 2000 BIM-Huis 2002 - 2000 Aquarius-Festivaldag 1999 Nacht Van Radio 3 1997-1999 Parlandofestival 1999 Porgy & Bess 1998 Terneuzen Holland Philip Morris Jazzfestival 1998 Bergen-Op-Zoom Holland Paradoks 1997 Tilburg Holland Jazz À Jenasse 1997 France Tros Sesjun 2002 – 1996 - 1999 Laren Holland NY-Brussels Jazz Rally 1996 Leuven - Belgium Brosella Jazz 2002 – 1994 Brussels - Belgium. … From September 2002 Until September 2004 The BJO Was In Residence At Flagey – Brussels. BJO Recorded Seven CD’s * 1997 Live Radio 3 * 2000 The September Session W.E.R.F. * 2002 The Music Of Bert Joris W.E.R.F. * 2003 Naked In The Cosmos – Kenny Werner Plays His Music With The BJO Jazz ‘n Pulz * 2005 Meeting Colours – Philip Catherine & Bert Joris With BJO Dreyfus * 2006 Countermove W.E.R.F. * 2006 Dangerous Liaison Talent Records In 2004 The BJO Was Eight In The 52nd Annual Downbeat Critics Poll – Category Big Band. In 2006 BJO Received The Cultural Prize Of Flanders As A Recognition For The Special Merits That BJO Delivered To The Flemish Cultural Live. The BJO Is Structurally Recognized And Subsidized By The Flemish Community Since 1999. read less