THE MUSICIANS

Pierre Vaiana, soprano sax, compositions

Soprano sax specialist since the first days of his exposure to music in Liege, Belgium. Studies with saxophone master Jacques Pelzer, then soprano sax legend Steve Lacy, got a scholarship to study in New York with Joe Lovano. Graduates from Long Island University in Brooklyn. After a few years back in Belgium he moves to Burkina Faso from 1995 to 2000. After exploring jazz African roots with his band Foofango for several years (grant from Spes Foundation) and two cd's "Foofango" and "Sarfalao", he starts focusing on the Mediterranean as an open space of cultural exchange and discovers his own Sicilian heritage. He elaborates and develops the project "Funduq" for several years (grant from the Anna Lindh Foundation). Several cd's "Funduq al Mughannîin", "Al Funduq", "I Cantori di Bagheria", "Itinerari Siciliani" (with Salvatore Bonafede) and "Amuri & Spiranza". He is awarded the "DjangodOr" prize for his career in 2010.

Artan Buleshkaj, guitar

Artan Buleshkaj, born in Istog (Kosovo) in 1993, is a guitarist and composer based in Ghent (Belgium). He is active in a myriad of projects in and outside of the bubbling music scene of the city, in a broad musical spectrum ranging from pop to (freely) improvised music.

Artan studied at the conservatories of Ghent (with Hans van Oost) and Amsterdam.

Artan was nominated in 2016 for the SABAM Young Jazz Talent Award and was a finalist of the B-Jazz International Jazz Contest (ed. 2015) with his jazz trio Ruis. He was also featured in The Future is Now, a concert series by the acclaimed Brussels Jazz Orchestra, featuring young solists.

Besides regular concerts in Belgium (in venues ranging from small jazz clubs to festivals), Artan also regularly plays/tours abroad. His music has already brought him to Japan, the United Kingdom, Italy, The Netherlands, Germany and France.

In addition to his work and ample discography as a sideman, Artan's current focus is his quartet Anemic Cinema, a volatile unit combining the hard-hitting intensity of metal riffage with the unpredictability of (free) improvisation.

Since march of 2021, Artan is represented by Inside Jazz Management for all of his projects as leader.

Lode Vercampt, cello

Composer of numerous music for theater performance, as LOD Music theater, Villanella, Vooruit Arts Center, The Beurschouwburg and Het Paleis. He has toured extensively in the USA, Japan, Europe and Taiwan. Has worked with Il Novecento, Opera Vlaanderen, I Fiamminghi, Gorki, Jo Lemaire, Johan Verminnen and Dirk Blanchard as well as in Pitié of Fabrizio Cassol. He found a balance between classical music and free improvisation, and plays also with is own trio LAS, Kris Defoort, Wim Mertens and the Osama Abdurasol 5tet.

Guests

François Vaiana, voice

François Vaiana, né à Liège en 1982, est un chanteur de jazz de tessiture baryton qui vit à Bruxelles.

Il est le membre fondateur de plusieurs groupes tels que Blue Monday People, et the Brussels Vocal Project, sextet a cappella ayant publié plusieurs albums. Sous le nom de Nino Uncut il a publié l'EP

Pills and Water comme premier projet solo.
De la rave party à l’église gospel en passant par un club de jazz, cette œuvre dessine les frontières, en seulement quelques titres, du vaste territoire musical exploré par son auteur.

Cette création nous fait voyager dans un monde fait de métaphores pop, de références 90’s et d’ambiances cinématographiques.

Il a joué dans plusieurs autres formations comme chanteur principal ou choriste, en Belgique (Music Village, la Jazz Station, l'Ancienne Belgique et le KVS) et à Paris. François Vaiana travaille comme compositeur et arrangeur. Il a terminé son Master en musique au Koninklijk Conservatorium van Brussel où il s'est concentré sur l'étude du chant jazz, de l'improvisation et de l'écriture avec David Linx.

Nicolas Thys

Nicolas Thys is a Belgian jazz bassist who plays both electric bass and double bass. He plays jazz and soul.

Thys started on the piano and flute and played bass from the age of thirteen. After high school he moved to Amsterdam to study at the Amsterdam Conservatory from around 1989. In 1996 and from 1999 to 2007 he lived in New York. He has collaborated with a wide variety of musicians and groups, including Mal Waldron, Zap Mama, Lee Konitz, Brazilian Girls, Toots Thielemans, Garrett List, Judy Niemack, Mark Turner, Kris Defoort, Kenny Werner and Mike Stern.

His first CD as a leader was released in 2003. Thys forms a duo with Dries Laheye and has a trio with Jeroen van Herzeele and Antoine Pierre. He also plays solo. He also works in groups of Nicolas Kummert, Kris Defoort and Chris Joris, among others. Nicolas Thys teaches the masters at the Antwerp Conservatory.

He won several music awards in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany, such as the Django d'Or in the 'new talent' category in 2001.

Thys knows many musical universes inside and out and knows how to subtly bring out these influences in his music. He is a sought-after bassist in various bands.