Hilde Vanhove
© Jos L. Knaepen

Hilde Vanhove

Hilde VANHOVE started her music education at the music school in Genk, at age 11. She finished solfege in 1978 and classical piano (government medal) in 1990.
She completed her jazz vocal studies at the Conservatory of Maastricht in June 1997.
She released her first CD in 1997, and another one in 1998.
She works with different types of jazz bands ranging from duet to big band. She performs in Belgium, Holland, France, Germany and Italy, and already worked with Michel HERR, Pascal MICHAUX, Frank GIEBELS, Peter HERTMANS, Ivan PADUART, Roger VANHAVERBEKE, Al DE FINO, Joep VAN LEEUWEN, Jiggs WIGHAM, Reggie JOHNSON, Jean-Louis RASSINFOSSE, Sal LA ROCCA, John PETERSON, Lindsey HORNER, Henk HAVERHOEK, John WARD, Gianni BASSO, Bruno CASTELLUCCI, Marc MANGEN, Werner LAUSCHER, Félix SIMTAINE, John ENGELS, Kurt Van HERCK, Robert JEANNE, Nicolas FISSETTE, Johan Clement, Hans Van Oost, Uli Beckerhof, Oliver Strauch, Gunnar Plümer, Jan De Haas, Stefan Kremer, Lieven Venken....

Her repertoire ranges from swing to latin music, from dixieland and blues to bebop. Besides the standard repertoire , she also surprises audiences with her sparkling originals. Hilde has a warm sound and a uncomplicated, unique personal singing style.
Recently she was referred to as "one of the best jazz singers Belgium has ever known" (Het Nieuwsblad, Thursday, October 15th 1998).

She released a first CD, "Celeste", under her own name with a guest performance by American jazz guitar player Al DE FINO and in 1997, a second one , "You stepped out of a dream", in 1998. She also worked as a guest singer and arranger on recordings or other bands and projects. A.o. as singer with, arranger for and leader of the JCCM (Jazz Choir of the Conservatory of Maastricht) on a recording with Novelty Rouge in 1997. She also recorded "Gandharva" with the East-West-String Connection (Irek GRABOWSKI : violin, Al DE FINO : guitar, André KLENES : bass), in a style that is a mixture of oriental music, free jazz, new age and classical music. This recording is not released yet.

Her career culminates with the release of her album "Insense" in September 2003 featuring Michel Herr, Hein van de Geyn, Billy Hart and Bert Joris.