Jan Muës

Jan Muës

Instruments : Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Composer, Arranger, Vocals

Jan MUES started his musical studies at the age of 9 at the Music Academy of Diest, where he studies the trumpet and receives the "Government Medal" at the age of 15.

In 77, he obtains a diploma as a painter at the Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp.

He pursued his musical education as follows :

private lessons in hamony, arranging and composing with Hans VERREZEN at the Berklee College of Music.

jazz clinic in Dworp, Belgium, with a.o. Charlie GREEN, Hein VAN DE GEYN, Bert JORIS and John RUOCCO.

Classes in improvisation, arranging and ensemble playing at the Antwerp Jazz Studio, a.o. with Bert JORIS, Peter HERTMANS, Erik VERMEULEN.

Since 1987, Jan MUES performs with several jazz bands, some of which he formed :

Jan MUES Quartet

Jan MUES Septet, a band that won the '89 edition of the Europ' Jazz Contest in Hoeilaart, in which they were the only Belgian group.

as a guest soloist : with Jean-Louis RASSINFOSSE, Dré PALLEMAERTS, Erik VERMEULEN, Peter HERTMANS, Guy RAIFF, Bart DE NOLF, John RUOCCO, Jack VAN POLL and Tony BAUWENS.

as a soloist with the BELGIAN JAZZ ORCHESTRA at the Jazz Middelheim Festival in '91.

as a soloist with the Orchestra and Combo of pianist/composer François GLORIEUX.

Jan MUES wrote arrangements for the BRT Big Band conducted by Freddy SUNDER. He also received a commission from the Ministry of the Flemish Region.

He currently teaches the trumpet and ensemble playing at the International Jazz Academy of Overijse-Hoeilaart-Tervuren and at the Antwerp Jazz Studio of the Halewyn Foundation and gave clinics in Dworp and Bruges.

He appeared with his Quartet or Septet in various radio and tv shows on BRTN, a.o. "De Lange Mars" "Passage", "Jazzcafé", "Week van Radio 3", "Eenhoorn", "de Zevende Dag", "So What", etc...

In 1992, his Quartet was selected to represent the City of Antwerp at the Sevilla World Fair in Spain.

Jan MUES' first CD, MYSTIC SMILE, was released in September '93, with a.o. Bart DEFOORT, Bo VAN DER WERF, Ron VAN ROSSUM and Stefaan DEBEEVERE. It mainly features original compositions and arrangements.

In August 1995, Jan MUES appeared at the Jazz Middelheim Festival with great success. The Septet expanded with the arrival of the two talented VANDENDRIESSCHE brothers.

Other appearances include "De Brakke Grond" in Amsterdam, "De Doelen" in Rotterdam, The Jazz Festival of Milano, and the St Edmunds' College of Cambridge (in Quartet).

In October '97, Jan MUES received the SABAM Prize in the jazz category.

Jan Mues "The MUSETRAP"