Friday, September 10, 2010, 20.30: ISBELLS (B)
Gaëtan Vandewoude (voc, g), Naïma Joris (keys, perc, eb, voc), Bart Borremans (g, ukelele, keys, b cl), Gianni Marzo (voc, g, mandolin, lapsteel)
10 euro (advance booking) / 12 euro
Organized by Noir de Noir in cooperation with Hnita vzw. Please book in advance on noirdenoir@hotmail.be.

Every now and then, Hnita takes to a band which is not jazz, but has affinities with the genre. As far as Isbells goes, a band which will perform at the Hnita-Jazz Club on the initiative of Noir de Noir, the affinities concern two of its members. As a saxophonist, Bart Borremans played at the Hnita-Jazz Club many times, amongst others with his own quintet, Millenniums, Jef Neve and Ewout Pierreux; Naïma Joris in turn performed as a guest with her father, percussionist Chris Joris.
Possibly the revelation of Belgian music over the past year, Isbells is first and foremost the brainchild of singer and guitarist Gaëtan Vandewoude. Isbells' selftitled debut album on Zeal Records led to comparisons with Bon Iver. Its collection of folk and americana songs received praise, for instance from Christophe Verbiest in Humo: "Enchantingly sung songs in which hope and despair dance together. Truly beautiful!"
In the past couple of weeks, Isbells played at some major Belgian festivals such as Dranouter and Pukkelpop. At the Hnita-Jazz Club, they can be listened to from up close.
More info on www.isbells.be and www.myspace.com/theisbells.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010, 20.30: ULLMANN/SWELL 4 (D-USA)
Gebhard Ullmann (ts, bcl), Steve Swell (tb), Hilliard Greene (b), Barry Altschul (dr)
11 (students and –26) / 14 (members) / 16 euro

The Ullmann/Swell 4 is a super group which is deeply influenced by the free jazz of the sixties – leaving a lot of space for collective improvisations of the two frontmen: German tenor saxophonist and bass clarinettist Gebhard Ullmann (°1957, Bad Godesberg) and American trombonist Steve Swell (°1954, Newark, New Jersey). To some, it is one of the most exciting jazz ensembles around. Six years after its debut album, Desert Songs and Other Landscapes (CIMP Records) (2004), the quartet has just released its second cd, News? No News!, on the German Jazzwerkstatt. On jazzreview.com, critic Dave Wayne described it as follows: "an informal, rumbustious, free-wheeling summit meeting of four of the most skilled jazz improvisors around."
One of the main assets of the group is the telepathic understanding between Gebhard Ullmann and Steve Swell. Ullmann played at the Hnita-Jazz Club twice before, in 2007 and 2009, with the quartet of American guitarist Scott DuBois. For many years, he has been a leading figure of European jazz and improvised music. He has worked with artists as diverse as Paul Bley, Bobby Previte, Alexander von Schlippenbach, Han Bennink, Lee Konitz and Ivo Papasov. In total, he recorded 40 cd's of his own. Swell started his career in the big bands of Lionel Hampton and Buddy Rich, after which he got involved with the avant-garde scene, working amongst others with Tim Berne, Anthony Braxton, Cecil Taylor and John Zorn. Swell recorded 30 cd?s of his own. His main example is Roswell Rudd, whom he shares a thorough understanding of the history of the jazz trombone with – from the old New Orleans players up to the contemporary European improvisors.
The lesser known member of the quartet is probably American double bassist Hilliard Greene (°1958). Nevertheless, his career is nearly as impressive. Since 1994, he has been the musical director of The Jazz Expressions, the backup band of singer Little Jimmy Scott. He also worked with amongst others Dave Douglas, Charles Gayle and Cecil Taylor. Last but not least, the quartet features legendary New York drummer Barry Altschul (°1943), back in business after a silent period and still playing as strong as before. A key figure in the development of jazz drumming, "from ragtime to no time", as it was sometimes called in those days, he was a member of several historic ensembles such as the Paul Bley Trio and the quartet Circle (1970-1) including Anthony Braxton, Chick Corea and Dave Holland. Altschul played at the Hnita-Jazz Club once before: in 1977 with the Sam Rivers Trio which further included Dave Holland, 33 years ago...
More info on www.gebhard-ullmann.com, www.myspace.com/gebhardullmann, www.steveswell.com, www.myspace.com/steveswell, www.myspace.com/hilliardgreene and www.myspace.com/barryaltschul.

The following jazz concerts have been scheduled at the Hnita-Jazz Club as well:
- Thursday, October 21, 2010, 20:30: ELECTRIC QUARTET (B) with Glenn Magerman (tp, flh, FX), Nick Puylaert (Rhodes, Hammond, FX), Juan Manssens (eb, FX) and Diederik Van Remoortere (dr).
- Friday, November 5, 2010, 20:30: EWOUT PIERREUX QUINTET (B-NL) with Jean-Paul Estiévenart (tp, flh), Bruno Vansina (as, ss), Ewout Pierreux (p), Clemens van der Feen (b) and Lieven Venken (dr).
- Friday, December 3, 2010, 20:30, in cooperation with CC Zwaneberg: MASSOT / FLORIZOONE / HORBACZEWSKI (B) with Michel Massot (tuba), Tuur Florizoone (acc) and Marine Horbaczewski (cello).
- Saturday, February 12, 2011, 20:30, in cooperation with CC Zwaneberg: TUTU PUOANE "IT BEGAN IN AFRICA" (ZA-B-MOC) with Tutu Puoane (voc), Marcus Wyatt (tp), Tony Paco (perc), Ewout Pierreux (p), Nicolas Thys (b) and Lieven Venken (dr).
- Monday, February 28, 2011, 20:30: DAVE PIKE, BENJAMIN HERMAN & REIN DE GRAAFF TRIO (USA-NL), with Dave Pike (vib), Benjamin Herman (as), Rein de Graaff (p), Marius Beets (b) and Eric Ineke (dr).

In a different genre, the following concert has been scheduled as well:
Friday, October 8, 2010, 21.00: THE DROOGIES, Belgian garage rock. More info on www.myspace.com/zdroogies.