Idle Moments wins the B-Jazz International Contest 2025

Over the past three days, Muziekmozaïek hosted the grand finals of B-Jazz at Jazz in ’t Park in Ghent. Six finalists – representing seven different countries – brought their very best to the stage, impressing both audience and jury with outstanding performances.

After the final notes faded, the jury faced a tough decision, given the exceptionally high level of all participants. In the end, the ‘Grand Prix Albert Michiels’ was awarded to Idle Moments. The prize was presented live at the festival in the presence of Joris Vandenbroucke, Alderman of Festivities for the City of Ghent.

The quintet features Emiel Verneert (trumpet, Belgium), Nikita Sipiagin (alto saxophone, USA), Genius Lee Wesley (drums, USA), Joan Codina (double bass, Spain) and Max Teakle (piano, Australia). They secured their spot in the finals as one of the two Belgian selections from the preliminary rounds. The five young musicians first met in Basel (Switzerland), where they study and rehearse daily at the renowned Jazz Campus Musik Akademie – the creative ground where Idle Moments was born.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to all the bands – Răzvan Florescu Quartet, Elena Stamatopoulou Quartet, Anja Gottberg Quartet, The Green Mean Machine, Andrea Cardone 4tet and Idle Moments – to our international jury Aygül Günaltay-Weyler, Irja Zeper, Leon Lhoëst and Maarten Weyler, to Jazz in ’t Park, and to our partners Getxo Jazz (Spain), Saint Louis College of Music (Italy), Brașov Jazz & Blues Festival (Romania), Conservatorium Maastricht (the Netherlands), De JazzOntspooring, Rataplan, Jazz at Felix and Pelt Jazz, for making this 45th edition another resounding success!