Created around the Brussels pianist Victor Abel, ANANKE carries on the tradition of contemporary jazz initiated by ground-breaking musicians such as Aka Moon, Greetings from Mercury or Pierre Van Dormael.

For this album, two extra musicians transform the band into a quintet: Quentin Manfroy (MikMâäk, Orange Kazoo, Fanfare du Belgistan) on flute and Yann Lecollaire (MikMâäk, Black Light Orchestra, Fonetic) on bass clarinet, instruments that bring a very particular colour to the album.

“Stop That Train” is an album of modern jazz, with in-your-face but occasionally off-beat rhythms that support bewitching melodies played in turn intimately and with fire. Well-written and structured, the music nonetheless leaves plenty of room for improvisation and inventive solos.

In ancient Greek, ANANKE meant “need”. The word indicates the power and vigour that the 5 musicians express through the music, and share with the audience. For them, music is a means of expression and not a goal in itself. Its role is social, unifying – and even religious and contemplative.
More than anything else, ANANKE offers the music of a group, with energy, contrasts and interactions that draw on Aka Moon, Danny Elfman, Led Zepplin, Monk and Mingus.

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