JAZZIZ Travel is a new podcast series hosted by JAZZIZ online editor Matt Micucci that explores jazz and creative music in all four corners of the globe. In this series, you will hear conversations with artists and people talking about the significance of jazz as an art form, the influence of folk music traditions of different cultures and backgrounds, or simply sharing their thoughts, ideas and insight on their multicultural projects.
Pianist/composer Bram Weijters is based in Antwerp, Belgium, and is certainly one of the most exciting voices on the contemporary Belgian jazz scene. He has led and participated in a wide range of projects, including his Crazy Men ensemble, which recently released their second full-length record, The Return, out now on Sdban Ultra.
The band consists of musicians from a wide array of contemporary jazz bands and offers thrilling reinterpretations of music from the Belgian jazz-rock and fusion scene from the 1970s, which was populated by both local and international talent. If you don’t know much about this historic scene, then The Return and this podcast conversation are two good places to start. The album, recorded live and remixed in the studio, is the band’s sophomore full-length and includes 14 reworkings of compositions from artists including Philip Catherine, Placebo, the Palle Mikelborg ensemble, Bob Porter, Bill Frisell and more.
Listen to our JAZZIZ Travel podcast conversation with Bram Weijters via the player below. The Return is available now on Sdban Ultra and you can order it HERE.
Featured photo by Maël G. Lagadec.