More than 20 years ago, Mâäk Quintet emerged as a classic jazz quartet centered around trumpet player Laurent Blondiau. Today, the quintet is a multifaceted collective with international connections. And easily one of Belgium's most praised avant-garde jazz formations.

Out in the streets or inside a concert hall, acoustic or amplified, in front of crowds or in a more intimate setting… Mâäk is all about vitality, dynamism and musical freedom. Within well-defined musical boundaries, the quintet creates a sound that ranges from sophisticated and fascinating to magnetic and sensual.

Even after 20 years of Mâäk, their music continues to surprise us. The musicians never stop experimenting with new sounds, rhythms and harmonies. Hence, the quintet's compositions -with orchestrations from duo to tutti- remain wonderfully spontaneous and improvised. Yet flawlessly orchestrated.

The quintet is also the backbone of larger ensembles, like . To form this exceptional bigband, Laurent and co. surround themselves with eleven other top musicians.

They also have been collaborating for years with musicians from North and West Africa. To name but a few: together with Tunisian singer Ghalia Benali, the quintet forms Mw'Soul. Since 2010, the collective is performing with the Beninese musical family Anagoko as the voodoo ensemble . And together with musicians from all over Europe and dancers from Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), they performed as Kawral.

These exchanges with musicians from totally different cultures, add new dimensions to their music. Next to the common improvisations, the quintet also likes to take you on an expedition to the roots of our Western jazz traditions.