Nardozza/Pierreux/Gerstmans/Vitacolonna Quartet

Four experienced musicians from four different corners of Belgium unite.

The four join forces to play swinging acoustic mainstream jazz for the sheer enjoyment of it, free from contemporary trends. Together, they improvise around blues, bebop, and beautiful melodies of standards and some own original pieces. Infectious playing and listening pleasure guaranteed.

Trumpeter Carlo Nardozza has been very active in the Belgian music scene and beyond for two decades, and is highly respected both as a soloist and section player. Besides various projects under his own name (including Trio in Boca al Lupo and in duo with accordionist Philippe Thuriot), he is a much sought-after sideman (Raymond van het Groenewoud, OTO Machine, Brussels Jazz Orchestra, Jelle Van Giel Group, Bram Weijters Quartet, and others).

Ewout Pierreux (piano) is best known as the musical partner of singer Tutu Puoane, but also does a lot of sideman work (Rebirth::Collective, Bart Defoort, Marjan Van Rompay, Close Distance, and others) and has played with Bert Joris, Brussels Jazz Orchestra, Toots Thielemans, and Eva De Roovere. Together with South African trumpeter Marcus Wyatt, he led the South African/Belgian improvisation collective Small World.

Bassist Sam Gerstmans has been a key figure in the southern Belgian scene for years. He played in Melanie De Biasio’s band for a long time and has collaborated with artists such as Philip Cathérine, Jean-Paul Estiévenart, Steve Houben, Rick Margitza, and Deborah Brown. In Flanders, he is currently most active as a member of the Vaganée/Gerstmans/Verbruggen Trio.

Toni Vitacolonna is best known in jazz circles as the drummer for the now-immortal Brussels Jazz Orchestra, but his versatility and broad interests have increasingly led him to other musical areas in recent years, such as Kommil Foo and Frank Deruytter’s Minimachine.