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It has been a pleasure and an honor seeing Le Delta, Namur, flood with all of you – artists, managers, bookers, promotors, programmers and enthusiasts – during the weekend of 11 and 12 February. One of the rare live events during these online mandated times, we have enjoyed every minute of the Meeting and are looking forward to see the results of the many fruitful conversations that filled the Foyer. This event could not have taken place without you all, and hence we would like to sincerely thank you for making BJM2022 one to remember! For pictures we refer to our Facebook page which will be updated with more reviews, live-video’s and an after-movie over the next couple weeks. Additionally, we would like to have your opinion about the event in order to even further improve the quality of our showcase and networking event in the future.

Thank you, we look forward to seeing you all again!

Unfortunately, Anneleen Boehme’s Grand Picture Palace will not play during the Belgian Jazz Meeting, taking place in Le Delta (Namur) in two weeks. Luckily we could add the new project of pianist Alex Koo to the line up, a true worthy alternative!

‘Belgium is too small for pianist Alex Koo,’ praises De Tijd. ‘Stunningly original,’ celebrates the American Downbeat Magazine, which promptly selected his album Appleblueseagreen in their Best Albums of 2019. No wonder that the Belgian-Japanese sound wizard has already worked with international heavyweights such as Craig Taborn, Kurt Elling, Mark Turner and Ralph Alessi.

Commissioned by Bozar, he composed a series of piano Études inspired by Debussy, Chopin, Rachmaninov, Taborn and Reich. Touching storytelling, narrated through conventional and not-so-conventional piano techniques. This program will be presented in premiere on May 8th 2022 at Bozar’s Main Hall. The album recording is set for Spring 2022, at Bozar, with the CD release planned for season 22-23.

More information on the program & showcasing bands here.

The fifth edition of Belgian Jazz Meeting, a renowned Belgian network meeting & showcase festival organised every two years by JazzLab, Museact, VI.BE and Wallonie-Bruxelles Musiques, was originally scheduled for February 2021. Unfortunately, the event had to be postponed due to COVID. Our first objective was to reschedule the event to June 2021. However, the bad COVID-19 situation in Belgium forced us to – again – delay the meeting.

We are now pleased to announce that the next Belgian Jazz Meeting will take place on 11 and 12 February 2022 in Namen at Cultural Centre Le Delta. Save the date!

More information will be shared very soon.

Are you a professional Belgian artist/band, interested in showcasing during the fifth edition of the Belgian Jazz Meeting? Keep reading!

The Belgian Jazz Meeting is an international network meeting and showcase festival for the professional jazz sector taking place every two years, with as its primary aim: promoting the Belgian jazz scene abroad. As every time, the Belgian Jazz Meeting offers international professionals a taste of Belgian jazz by inviting them to showcase concerts of some of our finest musicians. Bands & musicians can apply below to be a part of the showcase program.

The next edition will take place in Namen at Cultural Centre Le Delta from 5 to 6 February 2021.

Who should apply for this call?

This call is aimed at Belgian professional jazz groups and musicians with a project original and successful enough to interest the international scene.

Some important conditions, read them carefully before applying:

• The musician(s) must be available on February 5 & 6, 2021.
• The musician(s) must be willing to play a showcase concert (40 minutes) for a lump sum of €150 (per musician). 
• The musician(s) want(s) to develop his/her (their) project on the long term.
• The submitted project has released at least one album/EP (or has an album release planned in the near future).
• The submitted project has the required professionalism (e.g. management or other entourage) to tour internationally. It has a strategic long term plan (e.g. which territories, which programmers it wishes to meet …).

The programming of the showcases will be established by a committee of Belgian jazz programmers and journalists with an in-depth knowledge of the national and international scene. Diversity will be an important parameter in the evaluation and selection process of the jury. There are two calls (NL & FR). Eligible projects on both the Flemish and Walloon sides are invited to choose one or the other (non-binding criterion: the native language of the band leader). In the event of a double entry, the organizers reserve the right to transfer a group in the applications from the other community. Each community will do a pre-selection and the programming will be finalized by a national jury.

Apply here!

NL – open call: Belgian Jazz Meeting 2021
FR- open call: Belgian Jazz Meeting 2021

Please choose the right language/part of the country.

!! Deadline application: Sunday May 24, 2020 (midnight) !!

We’re excited to inform you that the fifth edition of the Belgian Jazz Meeting will take place at Le Delta in Namen from Friday February 5 to Saturday February 6, 2021. Save the date!

The registrations for international guests and Belgian professionals are closed now. All places are filled. We are looking forward to greeting a lovely crowd of people in Ghent.

If you still want to join us for the concerts, you can, by buying a ticket via Handelsbeurs:
https://www.handelsbeurs.be/nl/concert/belgian-jazz-now–dag-1
https://www.handelsbeurs.be/nl/concert/belgian-jazz-now–dag-2

And after the official BJM selection, you can continue the jazz vibe with the Belgian Jazz Late Night. Two nights of jazz clubbing in Ghent, spread throughout the city.

See you there!

With great pleasure we ask you to mark Friday 5 and Saturday 6 April 2019 in your agendas for the 5th edition of the Belgian Jazz Meeting!

This meeting, which will take place in the Handelsbeurs Concerthall in Ghent, will give you the chance to discover the richness of the contemporary Belgian jazz scene. with 2 days of showcases and network opportunities for Belgian and international jazz professionals. Watch the aftermovie of the previous edition of the Belgian Jazz Meeting (2017) here.

The international invitations will be sent out the coming month, and in January Belgian professionals can expect an invite. With this invitation you can register, but be aware that places are limited.
This time, however, there will also be tickets available for non-professional jazz lovers. Keep you eyes peeled for the ticket sales on the Handelsbeurs website.

These are the selected bands: Dijf Sanders, Donder, Eve Beuvens-Mikael Godée Quartet, Fundament, Jean-Paul Estiévenart Trio, Julien Tassin Trio, Les Chroniques de l’Inutile, Lynn Cassiers’ Imaginary Band, Ottla and The Wrong Object.

We are looking forward to meeting you!