Thompson/Bral/De Waele/Jukič
Bio
This is an ensemble resulting from a 2023 residency at Werkplaats Walter featuring some of the brightest artists in Belgium. At Werkplaats Walter I investigated the artists experience of reality. The residency lead to the creation of two ensembles both of which are quartets of tenor saxophone, piano, double bass and drums. For this ensemble, two bodies of work have been written called Trinity: Consciousness, Art and Hypostasis (recorded in July 2023) and Infinite reflections (recorded in January 2024.) Trinity: Consciousness, Art and Hypostasis has been presented at several venues in Belgium. Infinite reflections is a more experimental work that uses sections of prepared piano and focuses on much shorter fragments of music. A flautist was also invited. Below you can watch recordings from the recording session of Trinity: Consciousness, Art and Hypostasis.
Trinity: Consciousness, Art and Hypostasis
A video recording from the first album recording with a tune called “Rushing Images.”
Infinite Reflections
A small preview recording from the second album with a tune called “Love and Limerence.”
The ensemble
This ensemble features Andreas Bral on piano, Matthias De Waele on drums and Robert Jukic on double bass.
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Andreas Bral is a Belgian pianist and composer, mainly active in the jazz and impro-scene. He studied jazz, classical piano and composition at Ghent and Antwerp conservatories. He played his solo debut at the age of 17 at Handelsbeurs, with the Belgian royal family present. He has played with artists such as Joe Morris, Jakob Bro, Tomeka Reid, Sam Shalabi, Martin Kuchen, Alan Bishop, Michael Zerang, Wiliam Greene, Teun Verbruggen, Peter Jacquemyn, Lander Gyselinck etc.He currently leads a trio (ft. Nathan Wouters and Raf Vertessen) and co-leads the chamber-impro ensemble Ocean Eddie. As a sideman he is currently active with Hanne De Backer’s g a b b r o (As We Walk, film & album release 2023). He works as a guest teacher piano at the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp.
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Matthias De Waele was an early music adept. At the age of seven, his grandfather, an accordionist and music enthusiast, encouraged him to enrol at the Academy of Music and Word in Oudenaarde. There he learned solfège, clarinet before he discovered a profound love of the drums. Matthias has had the pleasure of studying with Dré Pallemaerts and Marek Patrman at the Lemmensinstitute (Leuven), Hans Van Oosterhout at CODARTS (Rotterdam), and with Lionel Beuvens at the Royal Conservatory (Brussels).In 2015, Matthias was awarded with the prestigious BAEF fellowship (as a van Itallie fellow), making it possible for him to go and study at The New School For Jazz And Contemporary Music in New York, where he was awarded with the Provost Scholarship. During his period of study at New School he had the opportunity to study with Reggie Workman, Billy Harper, Dan Weiss, Joanne Brackeen, David Gibson, and John Hollenbeck. He is a member of bands such as: Gwen Cresens Quartet, Anemic Cinema, Grand Picture Palace, Roeland Celis Trio, Ode., Rebirth::Collective, Rapidman, Serendip Quartet, et al.
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Robert Jukic was born and raised in Slovenia. He started out as a teenager playing acoustic guitar before switching to electric bass and later to double bass. He obtained his Master degree in double bass at the jazz department of the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz.Robert has been performing live and recording since high school. He has a wide variety of musical interests, that’s why he is called for playing by many artists across different genres. In his projects he continues to open new doors to find fresh inspirations. Robert plays with and writes music for small and large ensembles (Jazzon Compostional Award 2008), theater, dance productions and interdisciplinary artists.
