Kraakpand met o.a. Marble sounds

In the course of one night and in an intimidate setting, you will get the chance to shift from one genre and atmosphere to another, guided by four different bands. Make sure to keep the evening of November 22th free to partake in an amazing musical exploration.

MARBLE SOUNDS

Pieter Van Dessel has been working on his Marble Sounds project for six years and has released one EP and two albums hitherto. The most famous single from the last album is definitely ‘Leave A Light On’, which ranked first in ‘De Afrekening’ (The Final Judgment) on Studio Brussels. The music is very characteristic due to the melancholy that wanders through the lyrics and melodies.

Amongst the musicians we recognize guitarist Gianni Marzo (Isbells) and pianist Brecht Plasschaert (Winterslag). The compositions and arrangements might well be Van Dessel’s work, the band members have their creative input too.

“[Van Dessel] knóws where to lead that whole music thing. That is: straight to the left chest cavity – and fast, preferably. That is why Van Dessel and his Marble Sounds rarely produce any songs that are less then ‘plainly beautiful’” (Translated excerpt from a Dutch review in Humo)

WOFO

Wofo & Strings

Wofo stands for ‘With Others, For Others’, and that is exactly what the band surrounding Michel Mast and Mattias Laga does. WoFo is based on a fixed quintet, completed with a guest musician. Starting in 2011, they performed with Dick Vanderharst as a rock formation; from 2012 onwards they play a repertoire of Raymond Scott arrangements, together with cornettist John Birdsong. The music is always accessible.

And they keep following that path, as Xavier Verhelst got the assignment to create new music for WoFo and a string trio. That is how WoFo & Strings was born, that is what you will hear from them tonight.

The full band consists of Michel Mast (tenor sax), Mattias Laga (clarinet), Cécile Bronché en Anouk Sancsuk (viool), Eline Duerinck (cello) Pieter Baert (piano), Xavier Verhelst (double bass) and Simon Raman (drums). Most of the musicians know each other from other bands, like Flat Earth Society or Elf Twelf Trio.

“It is founded on catchy melodies, generally up-tempo, and the arrangements for the wind section sound fresh and appear to be conceived with careless ease.” (Translated excerpt from a Dutch review on enola.be)

ELÉONOR

A sense of timelessness. That is what you get while listening to Eléonor. Eléonor, that is singer Elly Aerden, surrounded by a group of seasoned musicians that roamed the paths of jazz and folk music.

Aerden looked for texts in Latin, concerning love, happiness, haughtiness and melancholy. These age-old texts, she set to music. A melodious, yet subdued mix of fado, pop, chanson and jazz. That is why the Latin does not sound like a dead language, but appears modern. As a language you do not know of. Some would even believe the texts were written today.

The words sometimes sound like Sephardic, sometimes like contemporary Italian or Portuguese. Anyhow, it sounds poetic and charming. Next to the Latin language, the influence of the soft, clear, warm voice of Elly Aerden is not to be neglected in this effect.

After five years of hard work, Eléonor release their first album, which is named after the group. The cd is presented at Kraakpand.

Elly Aerden (vocals), Stefan Wellens (alto violine, guitar), Ewoud Huygens (ut), Jef Neve (piano), Arne Van Dongen (bass), Luc Vanden Bosch (drums)

“It is still winter, but Eléonor already gave me a foretaste of Spring. With the age-old, timelessly beautiful folly of love, sung of in a modern and lively version of Latin, it kept clinging in my mind.” (Translated excerpt from a Dutch review on folkforum.nl)

EUGENE CHADBOURNE

Knowing that Doc. Eugene Chadbourne played together with John Zorn, Fred Frith, Derek Bailey, Han Benninck, Carla Bley Band, They Might Be Giants, Jimmy Carl Black (Frank Zappa/Captain Beefheart) and the Belgian mouthharp player Steven De bruyn, it raises no eyebrows to state that this man has an exceptional career.

He is one of the most eccentric and wayward characters in the world of experimental music. His idiosyncrasy has an uplifting effect, however, and that is why his reputation and name are spread all over this planet. Every Chadbourne concert is a performance.

Without doubt, the album Johann Sebastian Bach – German Country & Western – Bach Sanatas and Partitas for Violin Played on a 5 String Banjo is one of the most bizarre projects he has run. Everyone who believed that a banjo is only good for bluegrass has to review their opinion. Wait until you see this man handle the guitar.

“[Chadbourne] used to hang out in avant-garde circles with John Zorn & co., later he sought his salvation in rock-‘n’-roll (the semi legendary ‘Shockabilly’) and ran an ever more eclectic course, including folk, free improvisation, performance and country. These genres either went hand in hand, or the strongest had to dominate.” (Translated excerpt from a Dutch review on enola.be)