NEW ALBUM
Profound Observer ft. Bert Joris
I CHOOSE NOT TO
BANDS
Profound Observer
Sound, intimacy and freedom. That is the best way to describe the new project of
saxophonist/composer Lennert Baerts. Together with Vitja Pauwels (BE, guitar) and
Daniël Jonkers (NL, drums) he formed the trio 'Profound Observer'. Baerts chose
Pauwels and Jonkers for their warm sound, intuition and unique musical identity.
Each of the musicians has his own contribution that far exceeds the boundaries of
jazz music.
With 'I Choose Not To' the trio presents their first show. To create room for
development, the compositions are usually stripped down to their absolute essence.
In the search for musical warmth, the trio resolutely chooses to make music with
great openness. That is why the listener can expect a unique and spontaneous
performance in every performance.
In addition to their trio, 'Profound Observer' will occasionally be expanded with
trumpet virtuoso Bert Joris. With him, 'Profound Observer' recently recorded their
first full album.
Lennert Baerts | Tenor Saxophone & compositions
Vitja Pauwels | Guitar & effects
Daniël Jonkers | Drums & percussion
Bert Joris (guest member) | Trumpet
Anti-Panopticon
Mystery and adventure are important motives for the musicians in Anti-Panopticon. They are exactly the qualities that founder Lennert Baerts is looking for in the interpretation of his compositions. The Flemish jazz saxophonist writes elaborate scores that can be categorised as contemporary classical and at the same time challenge the listener to improvise and be individual. That is why Baerts prefers to surround himself with strong individuals, who do not easily let themselves be manipulated by the abundance of information in daily life.
For this group, Baerts chose musicians who, like him, have a jazz background: the well-known Belgian drummer Jesse Dockx alongside Dutch pianist Floris Kappeyne and double bassist Tijs Klaassen, who have known each other since childhood. The debut album of Anti-Panopticon, Channeling the Flood, was released simultaneously with another album to which Lennert Baerts collaborated as saxophonist and composer, namely Times Change and So Must We, by Muze Jazz Orchestra.
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Lennert Baerts | Tenor, Soprano Saxophone & compositions
Floris Kappeyne | Piano
Tijs Klaassen | Double Bass
Jesse Dockx | Drums
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Clocks&Clouds
With the Belgian-Dutch collective Clocks&Clouds, saxophonist/composer Lennert Baerts (BE) brings together eight inspiring musicians who are very dear to him. Apart from his regular companions Floris Kappeyne (NL), Tijs Klaassen (NL) and Jesse Dockx (BE) (who also represent the band Anti-Panopticon) the ensemble is expanded with four musicians who have already made their mark on the European music scene. Together with alto saxophonist Mo Van Der Does (NL) and trumpet player Cedric De Lat (BE), Baerts forms a very cohesive and colorful wind section. To counterbalance this horn section, the rhythm section is enlarged with not one but two guitarists: Roeland Celis (BE) and Willem Heylen (BE).
It is not only the line-up that betrays that this is not the traditional, commonplace octet, but also the music. Clocks&Clouds is after all inspired by the essay of Austrian philosopher Karl Popper. In this essay, Popper examines the deterministic and indeterministic nature of our society in order to map out man's effective freedom (of choice). For this purpose, he uses the analogy of the chaotic cloud and the rigid clock. Just like Popper's favoured standpoint of indeterminism, the music of Clocks&Clouds is based on free choice and creativity. Their repertoire is about pushing boundaries through musical communication between the musicians and the score. It is a game of freedom and control in which the principles of the clock will always contain small deviations and the clouds never fall apart because of unpredictable laws.
Lennert Baerts | Tenor, Soprano Saxophone, Flute & compositions
Cedric De Lat | Trumpet & Flugelhorn
Mo Van Der Does | Alto Saxophone & Clarinet
Roelands Celis & Willem Heylen | Guitar & effects
Floris Kappeyne | Piano & Juno
Tijs Klaassen | Double Bass & Electric Bass
Jesse Dockx | Drums
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Artwork on this website is created by Ellen Vrijsen
Photographs are taken by Jordi Koninx