Download AN OLD MONK – BIOGRAPHIES JOSSE DE PAUW (°1952

AN OLD MONK – BIOGRAPHIES
JOSSE DE PAUW (°1952) has built up a considerable oeuvre, one that is widely known for its variety
and originality both at home and abroad. As an actor in plays and films, a creator of performances
that combine words and music, movement and art, a writer of plays and scenarios, and of
monologues and columns, for Josse De Pauw creation is a wide-ranging occupation in which the
various disciplines and media enter organically into constantly shifting alliances. De Pauw has never
tried to form a group with himself at its centre, but a number of names crop up regularly in the
‘organisation’ of his career. When it comes to his film work, we often saw him in the company of
Dominique Deruddere and Marc Didden. In the theatre, apart from Peter Van Kraaij he was often
seen to be associating with Jan Decorte, Tom Jansen and the musicians and composers Peter
Vermeersch and Jan Kuijken. In recent years, he has also been one of Guy Cassiers’ favourite actors
and associates. “It all started with Radeis, as a silent actor onstage. In the beginning there were no
words. Today there are words galore: words that can be spoken, written, sung and read. But there is
also music, and images, there is film and there is movement. The ground Josse De Pauw has covered
so far is one in which he, as an artist, has gained his voice, in every sense of the phrase. In the
beginning there were no words; today there are not only many, many words, there are simply many
languages too. How could it be otherwise: anyone who sees life as a journey and his artist hood as an
amble through the undergrowth, will after all come across many creatures, and if you want to
communicate with people and things you find you plainly need lots of languages.”
KRIS DEFOORT (°1959) studied recorder and early music at the Antwerp Conservatory and jazzpiano,
composition and free improvisation at the Liège Conservatory Between 1987 and 1990 Kris Defoort
lived in New York, the birthplace of jazz. After his return to Belgium he continued on his musical
odyssey, as a composer, pianist and improvisor, and leader of the sextet KD's Basement Party, his trio
KD's Decade, Octurn, Dreamtime and more recently Sound Plaza. Kris Defoort also worked with
performers and ensembles in the contemporary jazz scene (Jim Black, mark Turner, AKA Moon,
Vegetable Beauty, Garrett List, Paul Rodgers, Han Benninck etc.) Since 1998 Kris Defoort is a resident
composer at LOD. At the end of 2001 Kris Defoort was commissioned by LOD, Ro theater, deSingel, La
Monnaie and others, to compose the opera The Woman Who Walked into Doors, based on Roddy
Doyle’s book of the same name. In 2002 Kris Defoort created Conversations with the Past, a work for
wind instruments, piano, harp, double bass and percussion, commissioned by the Filharmonie
(Antwerp). In 2003 he created his String quartet n°1 together with ConVerSations/ConSerVations, a
project based on Renaissance music. As an artist in residence at the arts centre BOZAR in the 20062007 season, every aspect of his musicianship has been shown: as an improvising pianist and a
composer. In 2009 the world premiere of his second opera House of the Sleeping Beauties
(production LOD, Toneelhuis, la Monnaie), directed by Guy Cassiers, took place at La Monnaie
Brussels. In 2010 Kris Defoort created his next LOD project, Brodsky Concerts, a piece based on the
writings by Joseph Brodsky, in which he was on stage together with the actor Dirk Roofthooft.
NICOLAS THYS (°1968) currently lives in Brussels, after having spent seven years in Amsterdam and
seven years in New York. He can be seen performing at large festivals all over the world (Japan, the
United States, Canada, Africa, Europe) with artists such as Toots Thielemans, Kenny Werner, Lee
Konitz, the Brussels Jazz Orchestra, Mal Waldron, Philip Catherine, Thomas Sztanko, David Linx and
Zap Mama. He is also a member of Tuur Florizoone: MixTuur, Kris Defoort Trio and Tutu Puoane
Quartet. In 2009 a personal project with Chris Cheek resulted in the CD Virgo, produced by his own
record label Pirouet. He also has several film tracks to his name (Love the hard way with Adrien
Brody, Diamant 13 with Gérard Depardieu and The Visitor, in which he also played a role). Nick
teaches master’s students at the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp and the Conservatorium Leuven.
LANDER GYSELINCK (° 1987) has transformed from an emerging young talent to an established and
respected name on the Belgian jazz and improvisation scene in a relatively short space of time. He
derives his inspiration, not only behind the drums but also as a composer for his own bands LABtrio
and STUFF, from contemporary electronic music. His inventive and exploratory drumming style has
accorded him a broad and individual sound palette that is appreciated by a wide range of musical
fields. This means he thrives in very diverse artistic environments ranging from jazz, contemporary
electronics to experimental improvised music. He is a member of the Kris Defoort Trio, Jazz Plays
Europe and Network of Stoppages (Sanne Van Hek). In 2010 he won the Toots Thielemans Jazz Award
and in 2012 he received the SABAM Youth and Music Award at the Ghent Jazz Festival. Lander
currently lives in New York.
TEUN VERBRUGGEN (° 1975) studied at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels where he was taught by
Hans Van Oosterhout. When he completed his studies in 1999, he distinguished himself by his driven
search for an approach to the medium of music and his instrument that transcended boundaries,
that was personal and innovative. As a result he soon became one of the most sought after musicians
around, in demand from various bands and for diverse styles of music including the Alexi Tuomarila
Quartet and Trio (Warner Music), the Jef Neve Trio (Universal), FES (Ipecac; Crammed), Hilmar
Jensson, Kris Defoort, Jozef Dumoulin, Toots Thielemans, Jeroen Van Herzeele, Marc Ducret, Marc
Helias, Andrew D'Angelo, Nate Wooley and many more. Meanwhile he has recorded over seventy
albums, has his own record label (Ratrecords) and has founded several bands (B.O.A.T., Othin Spake,
Gowk, and Chaos of The Haunted Spire).
BENOÎT VAN INNIS (° 1960) studied at Sint Lucas in Ghent. In the Eighties he was known for his often
absurd humorous drawings in publications such as De Morgen, De Standaard, De Volkskrant, Paris
Match, Lire and The New Yorker, etc. His paintings fit in with the tradition of the innovative pictorial
form such as that which appeared in Flemish painting at the end of the Eighties. His work has been
exhibited in numerous art galleries and museums, such as Museum Dhondt-Dhaenens in Deurle
(2008–2009) or the Roger Raveelmuseum in Machelen (2010).
BACHE JESPERS (° 1970) started working for the fashion designer Dries Van Noten after he
completed his studies at the RIKSO art school and Sint Lucas. He is still there, responsible for visual
imagery and music coordination. His passion for music and photography has resulted in long-term
joint ventures with Belgian musicians. Bache has supplied images for artwork of for example Zita
Swoon, El Tattoo Del Tigre, Flowers For Breakfast and Rudy Trouvé (Dead Man Ray, Kiss My Jazz,
Lionell Horowitz and other Heavenhotel projects).