Jazz&mo' #37 - BRUSSEL

Brussels buzzes, clashes and connects! It is a place where cultures, generations and ideas constantly intersect. This sometimes leads to friction, but above all to plenty of creativity, entrepreneurial spirit and unexpected encounters. Together with our guest editor-in-chief, Werkplaats Walter, we delve into the capital for what is, for the time being, the final issue of Jazz&mo’.

On the cover: Swiss pianist Camille-Alban Spreng feels right at home in the Brussels music scene. Kris Defoort and YuTing Li met as teacher and student at the Royal Conservatoire of Brussels. At Werkplaats Walter, alongside jazz, there’s also space for the visual arts, performance and spatial installations by Kevin Trappeniers. Katy Saudmont tells us all about the fiftieth anniversary of Les Lundis d’Hortense. Quentin Stokart and Ghazal Faghihi guide us through Brussels’ avant-garde improvisation scene. And following on from our guides to the jazz scenes in Ghent and Antwerp, this time we’re mapping out all of Brussels’ jazz venues.

Also: photographer Laurent Orseau showcases his love for small, dedicated venues and DIY initiatives. The Sound of Brussels Orchestra brings together Brussels musicians from a wide range of cultural traditions. Wilson McLean is the new cover artist and Billy Collins the new jazz poet. We paid a visit to the Brussels-based label Off. We’re spotlighting the reviewers’ top five. Les Chroniques de l’Inutile are set to release a new album soon. If you’re good at puzzles, you could win a copy of the musical board game Tonaludo this time round. Meanwhile, Geert Clarisse, our in-house illustrator, along with Maarten Weyler and Leon Lhoëst, are venting their indignation through their drawings and writing.