Ancienne Belgique

Because tradition just happens to be important: following on from ‘Live at the Ancienne Belgique’ (from ’05) and ‘Live at the Ancienne Belgique II’, here comes – yo...

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Because tradition just happens to be important: following on from ‘Live at the Ancienne Belgique’ (from ’05) and ‘Live at the Ancienne Belgique II’, here comes – you guessed it - ‘Live at the Ancienne Belgique III’! Indeed, at the start of September, it is once again time to make a live-recording of the (in their own words) seven-member terror jazz-combo Franco Saint De Bakker. Franco Saint – established as the graduation project of guitarist Elko Blijweert for the Jazz Studio in Antwerp – has now been around for 10 years this year. Initially starting out as a band that concentrated on jazz standards from the likes of Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, Mal Waldron or Sonny Clark, more and more pig-headedness, idiosyncrasy and also own compositions seeped into the repertoire. Their interpretations of ‘No One Knows’ (Queens Of The Stone Age) and also ‘Blue Monday’ (New Order) have now become classics of a Franco show too. Franco's players also appear to be more impressive than ever, with the likes of (obviously) establishing member Elko Blijweert (see also: Wim Vandekeybus, Tip Toe Topic, Rudy Trouvé Sextet,…), Karel De Backer (Flip Kowlier, Novastar,…) Joris Caluwaerts (Zita Swoon,…) and with Rudy Trouvé as regular guest. Those who already want to know what ‘Live at the Ancienne Belgique III’ - to be released in February 2010 via Heavenhotel – will sound like: 9 September is the pre-tasting moment.