
CHAMBER JAZZ CONSORT
This project grew out of an idea to create a connection between my two musical worlds. Until I was 24 years old I dedicated myself to the classical music. After the age of 24 I got the urge to discover improvisation, mainly jazz music. Each time I am stunned by the sound of the strings and I feel that the experience I have accumulated in my life should be demonstrated with them. As a lover of the string quartets, I have always immersed myself in Beethoven's string quartets and I wanted to create an unforgettable musical experience with the rhythmic and lyrical swing pieces as well as contrasting pieces of my own.
The 1930s were the golden era for the clarinet in jazz music and I find that the most inspiring clarinetist of that time was Benny Goodman. He has played extensively with strings and collaborated with composers such as B. Bartok and I. Stravinsky. Also the composers such as G. Gershwin and C. Porter are my great sources of inspiration. Buddy DeFranco had also had a big influence on my musical development. He recorded a number of albums with strings such as “Buddy Defranco and Oscar Peterson Play George Gershwin”.
This ensemble as a part of the Brussels Muzieque platform, a versatile collaborative music platform based in the capital of Europe, consisting of artists carefully chosen from among international prize winners (namely the Queen Elisabeth competition), concertmasters and soloists of the most prestigious Belgian and European orchestras.
Chamber Jazz Consort creates a stunning and dynamic performance, blending the richness and elegance of classical string music with the rhythmic and melodic complexity of jazz. The ensembles repertoire includes a diverse range of pieces, from traditional swing pieces to modern and contemporary jazz.
The ensemble is a collective and works in different formations. As a trio, quintet or even more musicians. The ensemble as trio consist of accomplished musicians in both fields of classical and jazz music. Multiple award winner jazz violinist Oene van Geel brings his own style and approach to the ensemble, Eduardo Tonietto, cellist and artistic director of Brussels Muzieque, contribute their own exceptional skill and experience to the ensemble composition. Anton Jakimenko brings his own classical and jazz influences in to the group.
As a quintet formation the ensemble is expanded with two violins. Sarah Oates, concertmaster of the Ballet Orchestra Amsterdam and Nadja Nevolovitsch, Concertmaster of the Brussels Philharmonic are joining the group.
Our Music
'Divertimento' by Torrie Zito, arr. by Oene Van Geel
'Blood Count' by Billy Strayhorn, arr. by Oene Van Geel
'The Clarinet Connection' by Rolf Kuhn, arr. by Andy Miles
'Nights Lights' by Anton Jakimenko, arr. by Oene Van Geel