Pierre Vaiana

Started to plays the saxophone at age 15.Focused on soprano sax for several years.

Studied music at the Liège conservatory, with Jacques PELZER, at the "Séminaire de Jazz".
Having obtained a scholarship from Long Island University of New York where he studied during 4 years (1986 - 1990) with Joe LOVANO and graduated as bachelor in Fine Arts.
During his stay in New York he played with a number of musicians, like Butch MORRIS, Mike FORMANEK and Tito PUENTE
Returned to Europe to record "El Dorado" his second album with the musicians of group TRIO BRAVO.

Upon return to Belgium he took part in the Kaai experience in Brussels, closely collaborating with AKA MOON.
Teams with Pierre VAN DORMAEL and founded his own group "UN POCO LOCO".
In 1992 he returned to New York and recorded with Salvatore BONAFEDE at the piano, Michael FORMANEK on contrabass and Jeff HIRSHFIELD on drums (French label CELP Musiques, distribution Harmonia Mundi 07193), selected as record of the month by Jazz in Time.

Same year he founded L'AME DES POETES, a trio with Pierre VAN DORMAEL or later Fabien DEGRYSE (guitar) and Jean-Louis RASSINFOSSE (bass), 3 albums, arranging great classics of French chanson into jazz, on Igloo Records.
Their album "l'Ame des Poetes Joue Brel" was awarded 4 stars in the magazine "Jazzman" of January '97, jazz supplement of Monde de la Musique, and was featured in the record selection of the daily Libération on January 25 '97.
The group went on a tour, West Africa, in spring '97 and appeared in Québec for the opening of the summer festival .

Composed and arranged for a quartet, horns and percussion, for the theater piece of the dancer Yvon BAYER "Pas de Nain, Pas de Vilain", presented 93/94 in Brussels, Avignon and Paris.

In the nineties, Pierre VAIANA lived a few years in Burkina Faso, where he taught and was involved in several groups. He brought some of his African bands to Europe, a.o. FOOFANGO (CD).

Prize of the SPES FOUNDATION in '98.

Taught at the musical academy of Amay and the Antwerp Jazz Studio, in jazz workshops of the Lundis d'Hortense as well as in workshops by the Académie Internationale de Wallonie in Libramont.
Headed a music school in Senegal and currently on mission in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, since 1995, on behalf of the APEFE (Association pour la Promotion de l'Enseignement et de la Formation à l'Etranger) of the Belgian French community, organizing workshops and concert with foreign artists

Concerts :

Fête de la Communauté Française de Belgique, Tunis 93;
Semaine Culturelle Européenne, Dakar 93;
La Bellone aux Brigittines 93;
Festival d'Art de Huy 93;
Festival des Lundis d'Hortense 93, 94;
Belga Jazz Festival 91, 93;
Jazz à Liège 92, 95, 94;
Arhus Jazz Festival (Danemark), 92;
Le Kaai au Bota 92, 93;
Le Kaai au Beurs 92;
Le Kaai à Rouen 93;
Grenoble Jazz Festival 91;
Secunda Mostra de Jazz Europeu (Barcelona) 91;
Gaume Jazz Festival, 89, 91, 93;
Jazz au Château, Oupeye 90;
Brass Conference (New York), 88,89,90;
Le Jazz perd le Nord ( Paris), 89;
Middelheim, 89;
The Hague 86;
Paléo Festival 86 (Nyon, Suisse).
Touring the USA with his quartet (1990), Denmark with Torben WESTERGAARD
(1991), Belgium with Luigi TESSAROLO (1991), "H" (1993), Chris JORIS (1994),
Sénégal, Burkina Fasso, etc with "l'Âme des Poètes" (1993, 1997) ...

Pierre VAIANA recorded several of albums as leader and as a sideman, a.o. with percussionnist Chris JORIS.

In 2009, he receives the Belgian Django d'Or award in the category "confirmed musician".