Nordmann

NORDMANN

Even though guitarist Edmund Lauret (Zahir Collective, Malayka) grew up in Newcastle and bassist Dries Geusens (Maerba, SH.TG.N) in Overpelt, the band Nordmann was founded in Ghent. The musicians met at the conservatoire and during jam sessions in the Ghent jazz cafés. Together with Elias Devoldere (ONs, BYJO) and Matthias De Craene (Manngold de Cobre, FES), they all are professional musicians, each with a very characteristic sound.

Nordmann essentially produces avant-garde jazz, however imbued with enthusiastic rock influences and soundscapes. The result is a very successful recipe. This was demonstrated during HUMO’S Rock Rally 2014, where they ended up in second place after a thrilling final and scooping the audience award. And their honors list goes on: in 2012, the year of their formation, they already won the Muziek Mozaïek Award (Belgian TV program) and a year later the Storm! Contest.

The band is now looking forward to recording their debut album, which they will take on tour from 2015. Songs like “Aile Kasaba Slagerij” are meandering masterpieces, where repetitive and catchy riffs are intersected by pulsating saxophone punches. The whole performance is supported by a sometimes relentlessly pounding, other times light-hearted rhythm section. “Think jazz, but add to it a good dash of rock. Think Morphine, but without Mark Sandman. What they did was strike with a sledgehammer where the jury could not get to. Virtuoso, dynamic and sexy!” (Da Music about their participation in HUMO’s Rock Rally)

Matthias De Craene (tenorsax), Edmund Lauret (guitar), Dries Geusens (bass) en Elias Devoldere (drums)