Filip Jordens 'Hommage à Brel'

On October 9, 1978, Jacques Brel breathed his last in Paris. The thirtieth anniversary of Brel's death was the occasion for Filip Jordens and his new group to pay a new and passionate tribute to Jacques Brel and his masterly oeuvre. Jordens and group repeatedly bring the atmosphere and enthusiasm of the Parisian Olympia to the Low Countries.

Jordens is accompanied by a fine group of musicians. Regulars Alano Gruarin (piano) andPeter Verhaegen (double bass) are present again. Stijn Bettens is spreading the young wings of his accordion. Keyboard virtuoso and Frivole Framboos Bart Van Caenegem plays the Hammond organ and fender piano. Drummer Yves Baibay shifts his “battery” from Maurane to Brel. On flute and sax we recognize Hugo Boogaerts, who we previously heard at work with Mr. Raymond VhG. Violinist Wietse Beels previously made his mark with, among others, Tanguedia and the classical trio Narziss & Goldmund.

Not only do they enrich the existing arrangements; they also have a whole series of previously unperformed songs in their repertoire.

"Jordens probably knows Brel's work better than anyone else (he already toured with a similar program five years ago) and shows himself equally energetic and tireless on stage. He is also accompanied by a group of excellent musicians, who perfectly master the jazzy and burlesque arrangements as well as the broken tangos and musettes. The old black and white images of Jacques Brel to sit in the collective memory, but anyone who has never seen them, who does not know Brel, would not show any reservations about this concert. Not to mention the chansons themselves have not been written like this for years." /em>

(Karel Michiels, De Standaard, 10/10/2008)