Brussels Jazz Orchestra
Brussels Jazz Orchestra is a Belgian jazz orchestra with big band line up founded in 1993 by saxophonist and composer Frank Vaganée, Serge Plume, Marc Godfroid and Bo van der Werf. Since 1999 the orchestra is supported by the Flemish government. Since then it has established a reputation both at home and on relevant jazz stages abroad: Jazz Middelheim (Antwerp - BE), Jazz at Lincoln Center (New York - USA), Concertgebouw Amsterdam (NL), Jazz à Vienne (FR), Paris Jazz Festival (FR) and many others. The BJO regularly works with well known musicians from all over the world. BJO performed with Philip Catherine, Bert Joris, Royal Flemish Philharmonic, Tutu Puoane, Brussels Philharmonic, David Linx and Richard Galliano in its own productions. BJO invited Joe Lovano (US), Maria Schneider (US), Kenny Werner (US), Dave Liebman (US), Dave Douglas (US), Gianluigi Trovesi (IT), McCoy Tyner (US), Maria João (PT), Kenny Wheeler (GB), Lee Konitz (US), Perico Sambeat (ES), Toots Thielemans, Enrico Pieranunzi (I) and others.
BJO’s projects receive international acclaim: - 2011 South African Music Award in the category Best Traditional Jazz Album for “Mama Africa” - 2011 Zilveren Griffel (NL) for audiobook “Vliegen tot de hemel”. BJO composed and performed the original soundtrack - 2011-2012 Golden Globe, BAFTA, César and Academy Award (Oscar) for soundtrack The Artist. - In December 2013 the Brussels Jazz Orchestra topped off its anniversary year with two Grammy Award nominations for its album Wild Beauty featuring Joe Lovano.
Current line-up
- Trumpets : Serge Plume, Nico Schepers, Pierre Drevet and Jeroen Van Malderen;
- Trombones : Marc Godfroid, Lode Mertens, Ben Fleerakkers / Frederik Heirman and Laurent Hendrick;
- Saxophones : Frank Vaganée, Dieter Limbourg, Kurt Van Herck, Bart Defoort and Bo Van Der Werf;
- Acoustic bass : Jos Machtel;
- Piano : Nathalie Loriers;
- drums : Toni Vitacolonna.
Discography
- Live (1997)
- The September Sessions (1999)
- The Music of Bert Joris (2002)
- Kenny Werner Plays His Music With The Brussels Jazz Orchestra (2003)
- Meeting Colours - with Philip Catherine (2005)
- Countermove (2006)
- Dangerous Liaison - Bert Joris with deFilharmonie (2006)
- Changing Faces - with David Linx (Oct. 2007)
- The Music of Michel Herr (Feb. 2008)
- JazzOlympics (2 tracks, including 1 with David Linx/Michel Herr) (July 2008)
- Ten Years Ago - with Richard Galliano (2008)
- Mama Africa - with Tutu Puoane (2010)
- Signs and Signatures - with Bert Joris (2010)
- Guided Dream - with Dave Liebman (2011)
- A Different Porgy & Another Bess - with David Linx and Maria João (2012)
- BJO's Finest - Live! (2013)
- Wild Beauty - with Joe Lovano (2013)
- The Music of Enrico Pieranunzi - with Enrico Pieranunzi (2015)
- Brel - with David Linx (2016)