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Venue: Aviva Studios (The Social)

N∆bou

Aviva Studios (The Social)

Nabou Claerhout trombone / Gijs Idema electric guitar / Trui Amerlinck double bass / Daniel Jonkers drums 

UK debut 

N∆BOU is a breath of fresh air on the Belgian jazz scene. Band leader and composer Nabou Claerhout is looking for a sound all her own: by means of all sorts of effects, she creates a dreamy musical framework with a strong atmospheric and melancholic resonance. 

After their debut EP Hubert – for which Claerhout was nominated for Jazz Composer 2019 at the Sabam for Culture Award – the band refined their special sound further on their album You Know. 

Lush and intimate sounds alternate with strongly rhythmic compositions, whilst groovy bass riffs, elaborate drum patterns and virtuosic guitar all add to the musical adventure.  Claerhout’s distinctive trombone playing “sings, cries, pulsates, tells and knows how to make many hearts weak, through well-constructed contemporary pieces.” 

The total musical picture is endlessly intriguing and truly kaleidoscopic from the very first listen. 

“…creates a transcendental mood and is a stunning offering from a brilliant composer and bandleader.” – Jazz Sensibilities

Date: sunday 25 may

Time: 12:30 pm - 1:45 pm

Price: Free

Sanem Kalfa’s Miraculous Layers

Aviva Studios (The Social)

Sanem Kalfa voice, cello, electronics / Marc Alberto saxophone, electronics / Chaerin Im piano / Sun-Mi Hong drums 

UK debut 

Sanem is a Turkish vocalist living in Amsterdam, and if you caught her mjf 2019 duo set with violist George Dumitriu, you’ll recall her virtuosity, effortlessly blending technical ability with free, raw passion. Her performances always touch on the primal grounds of the human soul. 

Originally commissioned by Amsterdam’s pioneering jazz club, the Bimhuis, to explore the conflicting emotional shifts encountered during lockdown, Miraculous Layers has evolved – with contributions from artists each born in different countries – to explore the spectrum of human feelings, yearnings, fears and delights contained in and expressed by the human voice. Delicate, intimate and powerful, the results are spellbinding.  

The ensemble’s sound and concept are compelling enough, but Miraculous Layers also boasts enthralling performances from some of the strongest international voices on the Dutch contemporary music scene. Sun-Mi Hong and Chaerin Im – both South Koreans resident in The Netherlands – lead their own projects and are fast becoming the most in-demand players across Europe; the uncategorisable Euro-Caribbean sound artist and musician Marc Alberto adds drama and texture through impassioned saxophone and spoken word, bringing a highly personal searching stamp into any setting.  

“… the most convincing testimony to the power of the musical voice ….” – All About Jazz 

Date: sunday 25 may

Time: 3:00 pm - 4:20 pm

Price: Free

International triple-bill: Sylvain Rifflet: We Want Stars

Aviva Studios (The Social)

Sylvain Rifflet tenor saxophone, clarinet / Bettina Kee keyboards, synthesizers / Vincent Taeger drums, percussion  

Rounding off our international debut triple-bill, French saxophonist, clarinetist and composer Sylvain Rifflet is a remarkable musician on the European jazz scene – one who likes to explore unchartered territories and side roads. Building an unlikely bridge between his hero Stan Getz and the minimalist influences of Philip Glass and Steve Reich, his music is always daring, conceptual, and entirely rewarding.  

For this new sax-synths-drums trio, Rifflet joins forces with two indie pop figures trained in jazz, to create fantastical, energetic landscapes of high-octane saxophone and clarinet, swirling synths, and poly-rhythmic grooves. Jazz with pop energy – for the body and the mind! 

Since graduating from the Conservatoire de Paris, Rifflet has won several prestigious awards, including the Victoire du Jazz and a Django d’or, and has performed and recorded with some of the most famous performers on the European scene, including Henri Texier, Paolo Fresu and Louis Sclavis, as well as American musicians Joey Baron, Jon Hollenbeck and Jim Black. 

“One of the most beautiful records of the autumn. An ode to inventiveness, melody, and fertile repetition.” – Jazz News 

Date: sunday 25 may

Time: 5:30 pm - 6:45 pm

Price: Free admission, no ticket required