Anti-Panopticon is the second B-Jazz finalist

On Friday, four Belgian jazz bands took to the stage at 30CC/Schouwburg during the second preliminary round of B-Jazz International Contest 2023. Knuets/Secula Quartet, KAU trio, Orson Claeys Quintet and Anti-Panopticon thrilled the audience at Leuven Jazz. So did the jury consisting of Nabou Claerhout, Louise van den Heuvel and Maarten Weyler. After careful consideration, while the musicians of Bus 5 got the Late Night Jam going, they cut the difficult knot. Anti-Panopticon goes as the second band to the finals of B-Jazz during Jazz in 't Park in September. Congratulations!

From the judges' report: "Wonderful: lots of different colours, varied places we were taken to. It was really a story. With a clear, distinct identity of its own, sometimes very intimate but sometimes popping dynamics, impressionistic (piano) with often classical touches, but all this in a beautiful and pleasant mix. Finally a bass solo too, all alone though... but very nicely blending into the composition back. Refreshing. Every musician had and got space, and in this way you made each other better. Rhythmically, melodically, harmonically... everything was covered."

With that, we already know the two Belgian finalists: Anti-Panopticon and Elias D'hooge Trio (who won the preliminary round in Harelbeke earlier this month). In the final from Thursday 7 to Saturday 9 September, they will compete against four international acts.