OCTURN

This season we offer 3 different projects

NEW PROJECT FEATURING DRE PALLEMAERTS (ELECTRONICS)
OCTURN DIMENSIONS PROJECT (8/9 musicians)
OCTURN QUINTET

NEW PROJECT FEATURING DRE PALLEMAERTS (ELECTRONICS)

Octurn recently took up residence with the prestigious venue in Brussels Flagey. This way, the collective can regularly show the public the latest evolution of their work. One of the first phases includes a brand new, electronic project with Dré Pallemaerts. Bo Van der Werf sets the tone with new compositions, in which Dré Pallemaerts gives his machines an absolutely organic part, processing sound and rhythm in real time. Even though this may correspond to the “needs of the composition and support the rhythmic structure, the machines could start a life on their own within the composition anytime, putting it in a completely different light. This project is closely related to "Dimensions", the latest Octurn CD, and is a faithful reflection of Octurn’s current musical orientation

- A complex, demanding music, but always moved by a fantastic rhythmic approach. This is what this 'dodecaband', made up of a group of musicians active on the Belgian scene, gives us.
(Arnaud Merlin, JAZZMAN, February 2001)

- Anyone concerned about the future of "little" big band - or big band music in general - could head off to Belgium where he or she will find that the 10-piece Octurn is doing an exceptional job. (Ken Waxman in JAZZWEEKLY, reviews, February 2001)

BIOGRAPHY
Unpredictable. Such are Octurn, who have, over ten years, swum so many musical currents and absorbed myriad influences, yet never at the expense of their searching, inventive brand of originality. The arrival of Octurn on the Belgian scene coincided with the emergence of a new and passionate generation of musicians, but at the heart of their musical adventure from the beginning, seemed to be a new orchestral concept.

This first impression is one that Octurn, an eclectic collective of compositions, musicians and various guest performers have never ceased to confirm. With their first five albums, Octurn accustomed their audience to ambitious, original music that never failed to push the boundaries of traditional musical reflection.

Their latest opus, "Dimensions", reflects their current artistic orientation; compositions from Geoffroy De Masure, Bo Van der Werf and Antoine Prawerman that match their original personalities and instrumentation.

Octurn is now working on a new project featuring Dré Pallemaerts on electronics. This new repertoire will be played in 2004. Octurn is currently in residence at ’ Flagey in Brussels.

Recent press:
Fresh writing copuples with strong ensemble work from saxophonist Zimmerli. Each song, much like the one that precedes it, is a marvel of group cohesion, at times to the point of distraction (John Ephland ***1/2)

The Belgian group group Octurn commissioned this hour-long suite from composer/saxophonist Patrick Zimmerli to tour and ultimately record. Only it had originally been commissioned as a 20 to 30-minute piece, it grew in composition with the blessing of Octurn leader Bo Van der Werf - but the extended length and complexity became a burden in rehearsal. It's a fascinating back-story to an extraordinary complex and wonderful recording and highlights the extraordinary accomplishment of the musicians. The suite is a musical approximation of the different times of the day, from morning to night, based loosely on a monastic prayer tradition where different prayers were said at different times of the day. 'The book of hours' is most likely field in the jazz section of your discriminating record store as it's designed as a kind of small big band jazz suite. But in actuality it's closer to the distinctly Belgian undertakings of the progressive rock group Univers Zero, particularly their album 'Ceux du dehors'. Both feature heavily composed music of with a classical sensibility, but the main similarity lies in the use of the electric bass ( in the case of Octurn, two ) with modern percussion juxtaposed with more traditional instruments. They also share the same production aesthetic : bright, crisp presentation with a very tight, nearly inaudible room sound. It's as if the score is jumping off the page. Yet there is one fundamental difference : 'The book of hours' traffics in the light, as opposed to the dark side of the force. The rhythms are full of light and balance, and the sonorities and solos are colorful and richly textured. A highlight is Van der Werf's craggy baritone solo on 'Noon', even more impressive when one considers that it was invented according to the composer's difficult method of 'array improvisation'. Overall, a fascinating and worthwhile release that deserves a place in any music collector's "Belgian" or "?" section.(James Beaudreau in 'Signal to Noise", spring 2003)

LINE UP:

Electronic project
(this project is only possible if the band can get a proper soundcheck!!)

Laurent Blondiau: trumpet
Jozef Dumoulin: fender rhodes
Fabian Fiorini: keyboards
Jean-Luc Lehr: bass
Guillaume Orti: alto
Chander Sardjoe: drums, percussion
Bo Van der Werf: baritone
Otti Van der Werf: bass
Pierre Van Dormael: guitar

+ Dré Pallemaerts: elektronics

Octurn Nonet project

Octurn Quintet “Tribu”

Fabian Fiorini: keyboards
Jean-Luc Lehr: bass
Chander Sardjoe: drums, percussion
Bo Van der Werf: baritone
Geoffroy De Masure: trombone

(with the support of the Vlaamse Gemeenschap)

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