Diederik Wissels

Diederik Wissels

Diederik WISSELS was five years old when he first touched a piano keyboard. In 1982, at the end of a four year curriculum, he completed his studies at the world famous Berklee College of Music, in Boston, obtaining the Professional Music diploma with distinction.
Kenny DREW (who played with Miles DAVIS and John COLTRANE) and John LEWIS (Modern jazz Quartet) were just two of his famous teachers.

Since the early eighties, the Dutch pianist Diederik WISSELS is one of the prominant figures of the Brussels jazz scene, place of origin of numerous internationally recognized and admired jazz musicians.

In Belgium and elsewhere, critics are impressed by Diederik WISSELS' subtle and highly creative compositions, and by the virtuoso performance he gives at the piano. His style reminds somewhat of Bill EVANS, others find it reminiscent of Herbie HANCOCK, and others again compare the moving melodic quality of his creations to those of Jan GARBAREK - yet, in final analysis, all agree that Diederik WISSELS is unique.

With his music, which is too original for easy categorization, Diederik WISSELS has succeeded in amazing, delighting, in one word : winning by storm an ever larger audience, way beyond devout jazz fanatics.

Diederik WISSELS has an impressive CD production to his name : in the course of just a few years, he published six productions as a leader, and in co-operation with jazz greats, like guitarist Philip CATHERINE; eight productions as sideman, accompanying, among others, Philip CATHERINE and Isabelle ANTENA.

His CD (1994), THE HILLOCK SONGSTRESS has been awarded the "Choc de la Musique" award of the Monde de la Musique, the music supplement of the French daily newspaper "Le Monde".

Since some time now, Diederik WISSELS has teamed with Belgian jazz singer David LINX, whose poetic talent and dynamic performance have won him growing attention on either side of the Atlantic.

At the radio, Diederik WISSELS accompanied distinguished musicians, such as, a.o., Mark MURPHY, Sahib SHIHAB, Per GOLDSCHMIDT, Ernie WILKINS, Erling KRONER, Slide HAMPTON, Karin KROG, Albert MANGELDORFF and Nathan DAVIS. He also performed with the Belgian National Orchestra, with the Jazz quartet and with the jazz Orchestra of the Belgian national radio and TV station (as a soloist).

Concerts, tours led him to many different places in Belgium, The Netherlands, Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Poland, and the U.S.A. - with his own group, and as a sideman accompanying, a.o., Chet BAKER, Toots THIELEMANS, Philip CATHERINE, Bill HARDMAN, Junior COOK, Larry SCHNEIDER and Joe HENDERSON.

In the Belgian jazz referendum organized by Belgian radios RTBF and VRT, Diederik WISSELS was elected best Belgian composer of the year '98.

In '99, the album "Bandarkah" (Label Bleu), with David LINX, has been selected among the three nominees for the French Django d'Or '99, in the category "Europe".

In 2006, he receives the Django d'Or award (Belgium, category confirmed musician)

Diederik WISSELS has mainly perform with his band with David LINX and with his projects, STREAMS, a quartet with saxophonist Bart DEFOORT (CD "STREAMS"), SILENT SONG SEXTET (the music of Federico Mompou), PASARELA and with HOUBEN / WISSELS / DE HAAS.

As a leader he released some acclaimed albums and two solo piano recordings. Diederik Wissels has is also active as a composer for documentaries, short films and movies. Diederik Wissels has been a piano and composition teacher at the Royal Conservatory in Brussels since 1992.

ADDITIONAL DISCOGRAPHY
(See top of page for main discography)


as a leader or co-leader
1984JUVIA (with Steve Houben)
Reissued on Timeless SJP218/254 CD as "Crystals".
1985MILANKA
(with Larry Schneider)
1990TENDER IS THE NIGHT (his trio)
1995CRYSTALS
(with Steve Houben, Larry Schneider


miscellaneous
TRIO (Steve Houben)
BLUE CIRCUMSTANCES (Steve Houben)
COCODRILLO (Steve Houben)
IN THE GARDENS OF SILENCE (Guy Cabay)
PETIT POISSON DES MERS DU SUD (Isabelle Antena)
TRIANGLES (M. Cafierro)
PRINT COLLECTION (Gijs Hendricks)