Kris Defoort is a major figure in the European jazz music scene. He created a highly individual musical language that redefines the musical traditions in a highly original way. His music can be characterised as a meeting between classical and jazz music, and between written compositions and improvisation.

Since 1998 he has been working as composer in residence for the music theatre company, LOD. He wrote the operas The Woman Who Walked Into Doors and House of the Sleeping Beauties (2001 and 2009, both directed by Guy Cassiers). These operas toured successfully throughout Europe (festival of Avignon, Salzburg, Ruhrtriennale,…). Kris Defoort was commissioned by the 2007 Queen Elizabeth Competition to write the compulsory contest piece for solo piano: Dedicatio VI. Currently, he is composing a symphony for the ‘Koninklijk Concertgebouworkest Amsterdam’ (creation March 2014).

In his latest trio he gathers together three generations of jazz musicians. On the one hand there is Kris Defoort himself, on piano, joined by one of Belgium’s most sought-after bassists, Nic Thys. Add to that young gun, Lander Gyselinck on drums and this unique trio is complete. By uniting the idiosyncratic visions of each musician, they manage to create a thoroughly new sound, while maintaining sincerity and the greatest respect for each other and the music.

(c) JazzLab Series 2013