BJO in Jazz at Lincoln Center, New York March 2015

Brussels Jazz Orchestra is a Belgian

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

orchestra with

big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s an ...

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, Belgium),

Jazz at Lincoln Center Jazz at Lincoln Center is part of Lincoln Center in New York City. The organization was founded in 1987 and opened at Time Warner Center in October 2004. Wynton Marsalis is the artistic director and the leader of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orches ...

(New York, U.S.), Concertgebouw Amsterdam (Netherlands), Jazz à Vienne (France), Paris Jazz Festival (France) and many others. BJO has performed with

Philip Catherine Philip Catherine (born 27 October 1942) is a Belgian jazz guitarist. Biography Philip Catherine was born in London, England, to an English mother and Belgian father, and was raised in Brussels, Belgium. His grandfather was a violinist in the ...

, Bert Joris,

Royal Flemish Philharmonic The Antwerp Symphony Orchestra is the symphony orchestra of Flanders (Belgium), based in the Queen Elisabeth Hall in Antwerp. The orchestra is led by chief conductor Elim Chan and honorary conductor Philippe Herreweghe. The organisation, which is ...

, Tutu Puoane,

Brussels Philharmonic The Brussels Philharmonic is a Belgian radio orchestra located in Brussels. Formerly known as the Groot Symfonie-Orkest, BRT Philharmonic Orchestra, and later as the Flemish Radio Orchestra, the orchestra has been linked to the Flemish public ...

David Linx David Linx (born 22 March 1965) is a Belgian jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. ...

and Richard Galliano in its own productions. BJO invited

Joe Lovano Joseph Salvatore Lovano (born December 29, 1952)"Joe Lovano." ''Contemporary Musicians''. Vol. 13. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 1994. Retrieved via ''Biography in Context'' database, May 5, 2017. is an American jazz saxophonist, alto clarin ...

(US),

Maria Schneider Maria Schneider may refer to: * Maria Schneider (politician) (born 1923), East German politician * Maria Schneider (actress) (1952–2011), French actress * Maria Schneider (musician) Maria Lynn Schneider (born November 27, 1960) is an Americ ...

(US),

Kenny Werner Kenny Werner (born November 19, 1951) is an American jazz pianist, composer, and author. Early life Born in Brooklyn, New York, on November 19, 1951 and then growing up in Oceanside, Long Island, Werner began playing and performing at a young ...

(US),

Dave Liebman David Liebman (born September 4, 1946) is an American saxophonist, flautist and jazz educator. He is known for his innovative lines and use of atonality. He was a frequent collaborator with pianist Richie Beirach. In June 2010, he received ...

(US), Dave Douglas (US),

Gianluigi Trovesi Gianluigi Trovesi (born 1944) is an Italian jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer. He has won various Italian jazz awards. He also teaches in Italy. Early life Trovesi was born in Nembro near Bergamo in Lombardy in 1944. He studied harmony ...

(IT),

McCoy Tyner Alfred McCoy Tyner (December 11, 1938March 6, 2020) was an American jazz piano, jazz pianist and composer known for his work with the John Coltrane Quartet (from 1960 to 1965) and his long solo career afterwards. He was an NEA Jazz Masters, NEA ...

(US), Maria João (PT),

Kenny Wheeler Kenneth Vincent John Wheeler, OC (14 January 1930 – 18 September 2014) was a Canadian composer and trumpet and flugelhorn player, based in the U.K. from the 1950s onwards. Most of his performances were rooted in jazz, but he was also active ...

(GB),

Lee Konitz Leon Konitz (October 13, 1927 – April 15, 2020) was an American composer and alto saxophonist. He performed successfully in a wide range of jazz styles, including bebop, cool jazz, and avant-garde jazz. Konitz's association with the cool jazz ...

(US),

Toots Thielemans Jean-Baptiste Frédéric Isidor, Baron Thielemans (29 April 1922 – 22 August 2016), known professionally as Toots Thielemans, was a Belgian jazz musician. He was mostly known for his chromatic harmonica playing, as well as his guitar and whistl ...

Enrico Pieranunzi Enrico Pieranunzi (born 5 December 1949) is an Italian jazz pianist. He combines classical technique with jazz. Biography The son of Renata Brillantini and Alvaro Pieranunzi, Enrico Pieranunzi was encouraged to study music at a young age. Hi ...

(I) and others.

Awards and honors

* Best Traditional Jazz Album, South African Music Award, ''Mama Africa'', 2011 * Zilveren Griffel (NL) for audiobook ''Vliegen tot de hemel'', 2011. BJO composed and performed the original soundtrack * Golden Globe, BAFTA, César, and Academy Award for soundtrack ''The Artist'', 2011–2012 * Grammy Award nomination,

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album The Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album has been presented since 1961. From 1962 to 1971 and 1979 to 1991 the award title specified instrumental performances. Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were presented, for works ...

, ''Wild Beauty'', 2013 * Edison Jazz/World Award, best "Vocal Jazz" album for ''BREL'', 2017

Members

* Trumpets: Serge Plume, Nico Schepers, Pierre Drevet, Jeroen Van Malderen * Trombones: Marc Godfroid, Lode Mertens, Ben Fleerakkers, Frederik Heirman, Laurent Hendrick * Saxophones: Frank Vaganée, Dieter Limbourg, Kurt Van Herck, Bart Defoort, Bo Van Der Werf * Acoustic bass: Bart De Nolf * 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) * ''Two Small Bags, Ten Million Dreams - Artists #withRefugees - Frank Vaganée, Michael De Cock '' with I Solisti del Vento, Brussels Vocal Project, David Linx, Tutu Puoane, Brussels Jazz Orchestra (2016) * ''Smooth Shake'' with Bert Joris (2016) * ''We Have A Dream'' - with Tutu Puoane (2018)

References

Official website

BJO on Soundcloud

BJO on Youtube

BJO on Spotify
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brussels Jazz Orchestra Big bands Belgian jazz ensembles Musical groups established in 1993 1993 establishments in Belgium