Bios Band

Ben Sluijs Biography

Education

Ben Sluijs followed a 5-year classical saxophone training. During that period he participated in various classical summer-workshops and took lessons with Francois Danneels; Norbert Nozy, Willy Demey..... From the age of 15, Ben's fascination for jazz grew and after finishing the classical school in excellence, he started a 4-year training at the Antwerp Jazz-Studio where his teacher was John Ruocco. After, he studied with Steve Houben at the conservatory of Brussels and followed lessons with David Liebman in the US.
Ben teaches at the conservatory and the academy of Antwerp.

History as a performing musician

Experiences as sideman with: Octurn, BRT Big Band, Brussels Jazz- Orchestra, Myriam Alter Quintet, Act Big Band, Jean Warland's Sax No End, Ivan Paduart Septet, Radoni's Tribe.
Played (or plays) also with: Philip Catherine, Toots Thielemans, Stacy Rowles, Bert Van den Brink, Michel Herr, Bert Joris, Dre Pallemaerts, Hein Van De Geijn, Nathalie Loriers, Chris Joris, Joe Fonda, John Betsch, Serge Lazarevitch...
or solo combined with poetry and spoken-word with: Remco Campert, Jules Deelder, Peter Holvoet Hanssen, Don Fabulist, Pjeroo Roobjee, Tom van Bauwel, Michaël Pas, Rogert de Neef, Jan Decleir...
Besides his own bands and projects you can frequently hear Ben also with: Augusto Pirroda Quartet, Christian Mendoza Group...

In 1997 he represented Belgium in the European Big Band in Slovenia.
In march 2003 he was selected by the Flemish Community to represent Belgium at Euro Jazz Festival in Mexico.
He receives the Antoon Van Dijck-award in 1999 presented by the city of Antwerp. Nominations for: Zamu-Awards 2003, 2007 and d'Jango d'Or 2006. Klara Award 2019 with his Quartet recording "Particles".

Performed on various national and international festivals as: Jazz-Middelheim and Blue Note festival (Belgium), Knitting Factory (New York), festival de Montreal (Canada), North Sea festival (Holland), Tremplin Jazz (France)...

Ben Sluijs bio-nederlands:

Aan de Vilvoordse muziekacademie genoot Ben Sluijs (°1967) een klassieke saxofoonopleiding bij Rudy Haemers. Tijdens de zomervakanties volgde hij verschillende stages waarin hij les kreeg van ondermeer Francois Danneels, Norbert Nozy, Willy Demey en Ed Bogaert. Op zijn vijftiende groeide Bens interesse voor jazz. Nadat hij zijn klassieke opleiding voltooid had, begon hij aan een vierjarige opleiding aan de Antwerpse Jazzstudio. Hij kreeg er les van John Ruocco. Onder leiding van Steve Houben besteedde Ben daarna een jaar van studie aan het conservatorium te Brussel. Als "docerend - uitvoerend - musicus" studeerde hij af aan het conservatorium van Tilburg. In 2004 trok hij naar de VS voor vervolmakinglessen bij saxofoonmeester David Liebman. Ben doceert nu zelf aan het conservatorium en aan de muziekacademie van Antwerpen.

Traject als uitvoerend muzikant

Als uitvoerend muzikant deed Ben Sluijs ervaringen op bij groepen zoals Octurn, BRT Big Band, Brussels Jazz- Orchestra, Myriam Alter Quintet, Act Big Band, Jean Warland's Sax No End, Ivan Paduart Septet. Verder speelde hij met onder andere Philippe Catherine, Toots Thielemans, Bert Van den Brink, Michel Herr, Bert Joris, Dre Pallemaerts, Hein Van De Geijn, Nathalie Lorrier, Serge Lazarevitch, Chris Joris, Joe Fonda, John Betsch. In 1997 vertegenwoordigde hij België in de Europese Big-Band te Slovenie.
Ben Sluijs concerteerde op verschillende nationale - en internationale festivals: Jazz -Middelheim (Belgie), Knitting Factory (New York), festival van Montreal (Canada), North Sea festival (Holland), Euro Jazz-Festival Mexico, Tremplin Jazz (France),... De stad Antwerpen bekroonde hem in 1999 met de Antoon Van Dijckprijs. Nominaties ontving hij voor de Zamu Awards 2003 en 2007 en voor de d'Jango d'Or 2006. In 2019 won hij de Klara prijs met het Ben Sluijs Quartet.

Momenteel is Ben als leider actief met een trio en een quartet en speelt hij ook regelmatig in duo met Erik Vermeulen (piano) alsook in duo met Pascal Mohy (piano). Als gastmuzikant is hij vandaag ook te horen in de groepen als: Augusto Pirodda Quartet, Serge Lazarevitch trio,.. Ook als solo - instrumentalist begeleidt Ben regelmatig schrijvers, dichters, acteurs en vertellers als: Remco Campert, Jules Deelder, Peter Holvoet Hanssen, Don Fabulist, Pjeroo Roobjee, Tom van Bauwel, Jan Decleir..
Tot belangrijke muzikale invloeden rekent Ben Sluijs: John Ruocco, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Peter King, Lee Konitz, Hank Mobley en Ornette Coleman.

Ben Sluijs bio Français: 

Ben Sluijs (1967) suit une formation de saxophone classique avec Rudy Haemers à l'Académie de Musique Vilvorde (Bruxelles). Pendant les vacances d'été, il participe à plusieurs stages où il suit l'enseignement, entre autres, de François Danneels, Norbert Nozy, Willy Demey et Ed Bogaert.

À quinze ans, son intérêt pour le jazz grandit. Après avoir complété sa formation classique, il se lance dans un programme de quatre ans au Jazz Studio d'Anvers, où il étudie avec John Ruocco. Sous la direction de Steve Houben, Ben passe une autre année d'études au Conservatoire de Bruxelles pour finalement obtenir le diplôme "Maître de Musique" au Conservatoire de Tilburg. En 2004, il voyage aux Etats-Unis pour les classes avancées avec le maître de saxophone David Liebman.

Trajet d'un musicien actif

Ben Sluijs a construit son expérience avec des groupes tels que: Octurn, BRT Big Band, Brussels Jazz-Orchestra, Myriam Alter Quintet, Act Big Band, Jean Warland's Sax No End, Ivan Paduart Septet...

Il a joué avec: Philippe Catherine, Toots Thielemans, Bert Van den Brink, Michel Herr, Bert Joris, Dre Pallemaerts, Hein Van De Geijn, Nathalie Lorier, Serge Lazarevitch, Chris Joris, Joe Fonda, John Betsch, le Big Band Européenne en Slovénie... 
Il a joué dans de nombreux festivals nationaux et internationaux: Jazz -Middelheim (Belgique), Knitting Factory (New York), festival de Montreal (Canada), North Sea festival (Holland), Euro Jazz-Festival Mexico, Tremplin Jazz (France),...

La ville d'Anvers lui a décerné en 1999 avec le prix Antoon Van Dijck et il a reçu des nominations pour le Zamu Awards en 2003 et 2007 et pour le D'Jango d'Or en 2006. Prix Klara 2019 avec Ben Sluijs Quartet.
Ben est actuellement surtout actif en tant que leader et co-leader avec son trio (3/4 Peace), et en duo avec Erik Vermeulen. En solo, Ben nous montre un jeu sonore poétique qui avec son timbre mélancolique se prête régulièrement aux mots d'écrivains, de poètes, d'acteurs et conteurs tels que: Remco Campert, Jules Deelder, Peter Holvoet Hanssen, Don Fabulist, Pjeroo Roobjee, Tom van Bauwel, Michaël Pas, Jan Decleir, Brechtje Louwaard...
Il joue comme sideman avec le quartet d'Augusto Pirodda, Christian Mendoza Group, Gabor gazdo Quartet, Pascal Mohy trio...
Ben enseigne au Conservatoire- et à l'Académie de Musique d'Anvers.

Discografie Ben Sluijs:

• "Till Next time", with Stacy Rowles (1991)
• "Reminiscense", Myriam Alter Quintet (1994)
• "Chromatic History", Octurn (1994)
• "Silent Walk", Myriam Alter Quintet (1996)
• "Ocean", Octurn (1996)
• "Hamp Digs Ham", Francois Descamps octet (1997)
• "Food for Free", Ben Sluijs Quartet (1997)
• "Coast To Coast", Paolo Radoni Quartet (1999)
• "Candy Century", Ben Sluijs Quartet (1999)
• "Round", Octurn (2000)
• "Stones", duo with Erik Vermeulen (Jazz Hallo 2001 and reprinted by the Werf 2010)
• "Seasounds", Ben Sluijs Quartet (2001)
• "Flying Circles", Ben Sluijs Quartet (2002)
• "Ancesthree", with Hendrik Braekman & Piet Verbist (2002)
• "True Nature", Ben Sluijs Quartet (2005)
• "Somewhere in between", Ben Sluijs Quartet (2006)
• "Harmonic Integration", "The Unplayables" Ben Sluijs Quartet meets E. vermeulen (2008)
• "Let Me Hear A Simple Song", Radonis Tribe (2009)
• "Brick Quartet" with Brick Quartet (2009)
• "Parity", with Erik Vermeulen (Werf 2010)
• "Arbr' en ciel", with the Christian Mendoza Group (Werf 2011)
• "3/4 Peace", in trio with Christian Mendoza en Brice Soniano (el NEGOCITO Records 2012
• "Decades" in duo met Erik Vermeulen (WERF 2014)
• "A Turkey Is Better Eaten" with the Augusto Pirodda Quartet (el NEGOCITO Records 2014)
• "Rainy Days On The Common Land" with 3/4 Peace (el NEGOCITO Records 2015)
• "Solo Recordings" (Off-Records 2018)
• "Particles", Ben Sluijs Quartet (On Purpose Records/Off-Records 2018)
• "Still Three Still Free" with Free Three (Serge Lazarevitch trio-RAT-Records 2020)

• "The Monkey and the Monk" with the Augusto Pirodda Septet (el NEGOCITO Records 2023)

• "Free Four" Serge Lazarevitch Quartet (release: 2024)

Lennart Heyndels-biography NL

Lennart Heyndels (°1990) is een Belgische bassist/componist. Hij woont in Brussel vanwaar hij samenwerkt met een grote verscheidenheid aan zowel nationale als internationale artiesten. Lennart is actief in bands zoals Hi Hawaii, How Town, Ben Sluijs Quartet, Kaja Draksler Octet, Pit Dahm Trio, Les Chroniques de l'inutile. Hij studeerde aan het Koninklijk Conservatorium in Den Haag (NL), het Conservatorium van Amsterdam (NL) en het CNSMDP te Parijs (FR). Hij won reeds een reeks prijzen waaronder de Keep An Eye 'The Records' award 2017 (met How Town), Theater Aan Zee Jong Muziek prijs 2014 (met How Town), Dutch Jazz Competition 2014 (met Loran Witteveen Quintet), European Young Artist's Jazz Award Burghausen 2013 (met Matiss Cudars Quartet) en het Prinses Christina Jazz Concours 2010 (met Alex Koo/Lennart Heyndels Trio én Matiss Cudars Trio). Als componist en leider van de experimentele band How Town bracht hij reeds vier albums uit.

English:

Lennart Heyndels (°1990) is a bassist/composer from Belgium. He is currently based in Brussels from where he collaborates with a wide variety of national and international artists. Lennart studied at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, the Conservatory of Amsterdam and CNSMDP in Paris. He has been awarded several prizes among which Theater Aan Zee Jong Muziek 2014 (with How Town), Dutch Jazz Competition 2014 (with Loran Witteveen Quintet), European Young Artist's Jazz Award Burghausen 2013 (with Matiss Cudars Quartet) and Prinses Christina Jazz Concours 2010 (with Alex Koo/Lennart Heyndels trio and Matiss Cudars Trio). He has performed all over the world (including Belgium, The Netherlands, France, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, Poland, Latvia, Kenia, South-Korea, China, Canada, ... ) and has performed at major festivals and concert venues such as Bimhuis, Flagey, Ancienne Belgique, Handelsbeurs, Bijloke, Lantaren/Venster, North Sea Jazz, Jazz Middelheim, X-Jazz (Berlin), Safaricom Jazz Festival (Nairobi), Vancouver Jazz Festival, ...

Dré Pallemaerts 

DRUMMER, COMPOSER, TEACHER AND SOUND ENGINEERIs born on 14 July 1964, gets his first drum set at the age of 5, starts playing dance music with his brother Jacky Pallemaerts when he was 10 and gets into Jazz at the age of 14.

Studies with drummer Jeff Hamilton in Los Angeles.
Joins the Jack van Poll 3 and accompanies lots of soloists like Dee Dee Bridgewater, Etta Cameron, Dee Daniels, Arnett Cobb, Dave Pike, Spike Robinson...
Lives in Seattle and played with Art Farmer, Ernestine Anderson and James Williams.
Played and records with Joe Lovano, Michel Herr, Bert Joris.
Lives in New York and played with several artists like Fred Herch, Judy Niemack, David Kikosky...
Joins the Phillip Catherine 3, the Toon Roos 4 and the Serge Lazarevitch 4.
Records, played and studies with Bob Brookmeyer.
Starts teaching in the Lemmens institute Leuven.
Is a member of the Brussels Jazz Orchestra
Is part of many Michel Herr, Bert Joris, Kris Defoort, and Erwin Vann, Frank Vaganee projects.
Performs with artists like John Scofield, Mal Waldron, Tom Harrell, Steve Grossman, Mark Turner, John Ruocco, Kenny Werner, Kenny Wheeler, Chris Potter...
Works on an electronic music project under the name DP.
Records and tours with Bill Carrothers 3, Andy Scherrer 4 and plays regularly with Toots Thielemans.

Works with several French musicians like Frank Amsallem, Stephan Belmondo, Alex Tassel, Franck Avitabile...
Starts teaching in the Superior Conservatory of Paris.
Is a member of the Baptiste Trotignon - David El Malek group,
the Yusef Latief - Belmondo Brothers project.
Starts improvisation project "Let's Call Ed" with Erwin Vann and electronic project/remix "21 Emanations" with Octurn.
Releases 1st album "Pan Harmonie" on Bflat with Mark Turner, Stéphane Belmondo, Jozef Dumoulin and Bill Carrothers.
Ia a member of the Robin Verheyen 4, Belmondo 5 and Belmondo "Hymne Au Soleil",
co leader of Andy Sheppard - Bart De Nolf - Dré Pallemaerts 3 project,
member of the Alexandra Primal 4, Octurn's "Songbook of changes" and "Gyoto" project,
Paul Lay 3 & 4, Melanie De Biasio Band,....
Creates the record label and mix/mastering studio company 25creations.
Releases 2nd album "Coutances" on 25creations with Mark Turner, Jozef Dumoulin and Bill Carrothers.

Side activities:
Works as sound engineer for recording, mixing and mastering.
Teaches at "CNSM" de Paris, France and "Lemmens - LUCA" Leuven, Belgium.

Bram De Looze

Belgian pianist and composer Bram De Looze (°1991, Knokke-Heist) founds his way to music throughout his teens. In 2007 he starts off with LABtrio together with drummer Lander Gyselinck and bassist Anneleen Boehme. In its early existence, several prizes and awards give LABtrio new opportunities as in 2013 when the prestigious Tremplin Jazz d'Avignon festival pulls off a first album recording 'Fluxus'. The 2015 album 'The Howls Are Not What They Seem' and 2017 album 'Nature City' represent their ongoing high level of musical experience.

After studying at the Lemmens Institute and the Artesis Conservatory in Antwerp he moved to New York in 2012,granted a BAEF scholarship to work his way through the New School For Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York with in­ternationally renowned musicians as Uri Caine, Marc Copland, Reggie Workman. Following up this intense period Bram De Looze launches a new international septet in 2014, carrying the name 'Septych' and hosting the sound of two cello's, three horns, drums and piano. This new explora­tion of Bram De Looze's composing is performed and recorded by very diverse and astounding improvisers: Daniel Levin, Lester St-Louis, Robin Verheyen, Gebhard Ullmann, Bo Van Der Werf and Flin Van Hemmen.

In 2016 Bram De Looze starts to work on the project Piano e Forte in which he reinvents jazz composition and improvisation through the unique decision to play on three pianofortes from the collection of the instrument maker Chris Maene, each of which necessitates a very different stylistic approach. In building his complex musical structures, which mingle jazz and contemporary styles, Bram chooses to mould his playing style to the response, timbre, resonance, harmonics and dynamics of each instrument. Navigating between the warm, rounded sonorities of an original 1838 Erard, the precise and crystalline dynamics of a reproduction eighteenth-century Anton Walter, and the transparent sound of a copy of a 1843 Pleyel Concert Grand, Bram De Looze mixes fragments of nineteenth-century works or idiomatic expressive devices with off‑the‑cuff ideas, achieving a harmonious range of moods while allowing the specific character of each instrument to shine through. Living up to his reputation as a free spirit, Bram De Looze has produced a deeply personal work that is at once innovative and profound. The premiere of this music was presented in an acoustic setting at the Henry Le Boeuf hall, Bozar, Brussels.

Based in Brussels, Bram De Looze is a jack of many trades who travels and performs frequently with Piano e Forte, LABtrio, Robin Verheyen duo, and multiple ensembles alongside Dre Hocevar, Stephanos Chytiris, Stephane Galland, Samuel Ber, Mark Schilders, Antoine Pierre.

Recently he was granted a SABAM Jazz Award for 'Young Talent' at the Gent Jazz Festival.