Collapse is probably one of the brightest jazz bands of these past few years, the combination of four young talents: Cédric Favresse on alto sax, Yannick Peeters on double bass, Alain Deval on drums and Jean-Paul Estiévenart on trumpet. Each member has already played with different bands in electro, blues, rock, Latino and a big band. Each is barely 30 and yet a remarkable musician.

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Favresse and Deval set the tone with the compositions. Peeters brings his sensibility while the younger Estiévenart brings inventiveness and a sound picked up playing with Al Orkestra and Joe Higham, notably. The group was formed in 2006 as Collapse and, despite the name, it is not falling apart – quite the contrary. They chose to bypass the harmonics of the piano – like the quartet of Ornette Coleman on “Tomorrow is the Question!” This indicates the freedom the musicians grant themselves, the freedom to go where they please. They mix the roots of jazz, bop and free jazz with Arabic, Balkan and Klezmer influences. It’s exciting, full of originality, dynamic and sparkling with bubbles of subtle inventiveness like quality champagne.

Collapse rejuvenates Belgian jazz. So feel free to serve yourself a glass. It feels good.

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