Kristen Cornwell (AUS) Vocals
Christophe Devisscher (B)Bass
Dennis Frehse (d) Drums
Frederik Leroux (B) Guitar
Pascal Schumacher (LUX) Vibraphone
NB. Since recording the CD Dennis Frehse has moved to Japan and has been replaced in the band by Belgian drummer Toni Vitacollona.
Since moving from Australia to Europe in 2004 Kristen Cornwell has fast been establishing herself in the jazz scene not only in Belgium but further afield. Shortly after her arrival in Belgium she was asked by Michelino Bisceglia and Jean Blaute to perform in the successful program ‘History of Jazz’ which toured in culturel centers throughout Flanders. In the meantime she has also established her own quintet. This quintet features some of Europe's finest musicians: Luxembourg Pascal Schumacher (who leads his own internationally acknowledged quartet) on vibraphone and Belgian Frederik Leroux on guitar create a wonderful musical colouring that mixes and blends perfectly with the warm voice of Kristen. The rich palette of melodies and harmonies is supported by the energetic drive of a solid rhythm section which is composed of Belgian Christophe Devisscher on bass and German Dennis Frehse on drums . This group is a powerful and inspiring outlet for original compositions as well as personal arrangements of jazz standards and boasts eclectic influences.
For this text in Dutch please click here.
Contact - email k.cornwell@telenet.be
The musicians...
Christophe Devisscher
Christophe Devisscher was born on Nov. 28, 1971, in Nieuwpoort (Belgium).
After experimenting with classical music and heavy metal he went on to study bass guitar and double bass with Bart De Nolf at the Jazz Department of the Royal Conservatory of Music, Brussels. He graduated in June 1998.
Christophe also followed workshops and master-classes with Salvatore LaRocca, Michel Hatzigeorgiou and Hein Van de Geyn.
For several years he was mainly active in pop and folk music, with artists and bands such as Stef Bos, Wigbert, KiMiz, Neeka and Sarah but gradually turned his musical attentions towards jazz.
His main focus became the Alexi Tuomarila Quartet with which Christophe recorded two albums and won several prizes:1st Prize at the 21st International Jazz Contest 1999 in Hoeilaart, Belgium, at the 10th European Jazz Competition 2001 in Avignon, France, and at the International Contest for Jazz Groups (competing recordings) 2005 in Granada, Spain.The band performed extensively in Benelux, Germany, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Australia, Spain, France, Portugal and Greece. This continued until 2003 when Christophe left the band.
In 2003 Christophe joined the quartet of Luxembourg vibraphone player Pascal Schumacher. Over the years the band has built up an impressive resumé, including four successful albums and concerts in Benelux, Germany, France, Portugal, Greece, South-Africa, Australia, Vietnam and Canada, China, Portugal, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and South-Africa.
The Pascal Schumacher Quartet won the 2004 European Jazz Competition in Avignon, France, receiving both Prize of the Jury and Prize of the Public.
Other projects in which Christophe is/was involved are: Belgian Mahieu/Vantomme Quartet, German Frank Sackenheim Quintet, Dutch Mike Roelofs Quartet (1st Prize at the 2002 Frazz Crossover Competition in Leeuwarden, northern Holland), Luxembourg Interchange and the Belgian big band ‘TuesdayNight Orchestra’.
In 2005 Christophe joined the quintet of Belgian based Australian singer Kristen Cornwell and the band recorded an album in December 2007 which was released in April 2008.
Over the years Christophe has been involved in numerous projects as a sideman, including: Eric Vloeimans (Gatecrash), Johan Verminnen, Lee Konitz, Tony Christie (featuring Martin Taylor and Guy Barker), Judy Niemack.
Christophe teaches bass guitar, double bass and ensemble at the Music Academy of Grimbergen.
www.myspace.com/christophedevisscher
Frederik Leroux
Frederik Leroux (born 1980, Gent, Belgium) started playing guitar at the age of twelve. He started out taking some lessons at the local guitar store. It didn't take long before he started playing in high school rock bands where he got his first experiences in group playing.
From the age of sixteen on he began listening to jazz and discovered the likes of Jim Hall, Miles Davis, Wes Montgomery,… Faithfully attending the Jazz Summer Courses in Dworp (B), only strengthened his ever growing appetite for this music.
After finishing high school Frederik began his studies at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels (B) (1998) where his main teachers were Fabien Degryse and Peter Hertmans. He also studied at the Royal Conservatory of Den Haag (NL) with Eef Albers (2002). In 2003 Frederik graduated at the Conservatory Cum Laude. He was granted the prestigious BAEF (Belgian American Educational Foundation) scholarship to follow a master program at the New School University in New York (2003-2004). At the New School University Frederik studied with Ben Monder and Paul Bollenback. Especially interesting were his composition sessions with Kirk Nurock and the eye opening classes of tenorman George Garzone. He also attended quite some masterclasses : Jim Hall, Joe Lovano, John Scofield, Steve Coleman, Michael Brecker, Mark Turner, Jesse Van Ruller, Dave Liebman, Chris Cheek, etc… Apart from constantly keeping track of the lively contemporary music scene, Frederik played with local musicians and frequently jammed at numerous sessions at places like the Up Over Jazz Cafe (Brooklyn, NY) and Cleopatra's Needle (NY).
Over the years Frederik Leroux has played/performed with the following people either as a leader or as a sideman : John Ruocco, Peter Hertmans, Michel Bisceglia, Bruno Castellucci, Bruno Vansina, Teun Verbruggen, Jean-François Prins, Bart De Nolf, Christophe Devisscher, Yves Peeters, Lieven Venken, Dirk Schreurs, Roman Korolik, etc…
Since June 2004 Frederik has been mainly working with his own band. The Frederik Leroux Quartet tries to diversify the approach to each tune as much as possible and tries not to rely on standardized structures and forms too much. Besides improvisation, composition plays a crucial role in the concept of the band. The bandmembers are Frederik Leroux on guitar, Peter Ehwald on tenor- and sopranosaxophone, Robert Landfermann on bass and Jonas Burgwinkel on drums.
When Frederik is not playing guitar or composing, you might bump into him at some small movie theatre at a late night viewing…
Pascal Schumacher
Pascal Schumacher was born in Luxembourg on 12 March 1979.
He started his studies as a percussionist at the Classical Music Department of the Conservatoire de Musique de la Ville de Luxembourg (h) and obtained the Prix Supérieur in 1999. In 1996 he is accepted at the Conservatoire National de Région de Strasbourg (F) (teacher: Emmanuel Séjourné) where he received the diploma for “Specialising Mallets”, with distinction from a unanimous jury in 2000.
In 1997 he continued his studies with jazz vibraphone player Guy Cabay, first at the Jazz Department of the Conservatoire de Luxembourg, where he obtained the Prix Supérieur with distinction in 2001, and later at the Jazz Department of the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles (B), where he obtained a Bachelor Degree in June 2003. In 2005 he graduated at the Koninklijk Conservatorium of The Hague (NL) with Frits Landesbergen (Master’s Degree)
He also received a Master’s Degree in Musicology at the Université des Sciences Humaines de Strasbourg (F) in 2002.
Pascal has followed master classes and workshops with, among others, David Friedman, Stefon Harris, Mike Manieri, Gary Burton, Franck Tortiller, Wolfgang Lackerschmid, Jean Geoffroy…
In 1995, he co-founded the ensemble Interchange with saxophonist Nadine Kauffmann.
In 1998, he received the IKB Jugend-Förderpreis.
In 1999, he was laureate of the Prix Norbert Stelmes des Jeunesses Musicales Luxembourg.
In 2001, he was co-founder of the experimental percussion group Stroke X.
From 2001 to 2003 he co-led Greg Lamy - Pascal Schumacher Quartet.
In 1997 Pascal stared to concentrate more on improvised music, in particular jazz music, and performing regularly with different bands, such as Chroma, Kristen Cornwell Quintet, Marc Demuth Quartet, Oliver Strauch Regio Band, Gasz3, Radio Lume…
In 2002 he forms his own quartet: Pascal Schumacher Quartet with Jef Neve on piano, Christophe Devisscher on bass and Teun Verbruggen on drums, replaced in 2006 by Jens Düppe. The quartet released three albums: Change Of The Moon (2003), Personal Legend (2005), Silbergrau (2007) for IGLOO Records and toured in Australia, Vietnam, South Africa, Portugal, Greece, France, Germany, Benelux...
Since 2003, Pascal orientates himself more and more towards composition and writes for film, theatre, dance, chamber music, children, big band and percussion ensembles.
In august 2004, Pascal Schumacher Quartet wins the First Prize as well as the Public Prize at the famous Tremplin Jazz Avignon (F).
In november 2005, he wins the belgian Django d’Or Award in the category “New Talent”.
Pascal Schumacher is an appointed teacher at the Conservatoire de Luxembourg and gave clinics and workshops in the conservatories of Sydney, Canberra (AUS), Hanoi (VIE), Antwerp (B) and Echternach (h)