Erwin Vann

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Erwin Vann (born December 17, 1963 in Antwerp ) is a Belgian jazz musician ( soprano and tenor saxophone , also flute , composition).

Live and act

Vann has been interested in jazz since his youth. After eight years of training in classical music, he decided to devote himself entirely to jazz. In 1988 and 1991 he studied with Steve Coleman , Dave Holland , Muhal Richard Abrams , Kenny Wheeler and Julian Priester . He also took part in workshops and master classes at the Banff Center for the Arts (Canada), with David Liebman and with Joe Lovano , who recorded a composition by Vann on his 1986 album Solid Steps (1986, Jazz Club Records ).

Vann has been working as a professional musician since 1985; he was regularly active for the Belgian radio and television companies VRT and RTBF as a soloist, composer, studio musician and member of the jazz orchestras. He worked with musicians such as Toots Thielemans , Aldo Romano , Wayne Shorter , Eric Legnini , Michel Benita , Karl Berger , Michel Herr , Nguyên Lê , Simon Goubert , Bobby Previte , Rita Marcotulli and Paul van Kemenade and performed at major festivals such as Festival International de Jazz de Montréal or the North Sea Jazz Festival .

In 1990 Vann founded his own trio with Michel Hatzigeorgiou and Dré Pallemaerts ; His first album Some Sounds (Jazz Club Records) was rated “Recording of the Month” by Jazz in Time and the French retail chain FNAC. Since 1996 the trio has invited guitarists like Pete McCann , Marc Ducret or Jacques Pirotton or worked as a quartet , expanded by the pianist Christoph Erbstösser , and later by Jozef Dumoulin . In 1998, together with Dré Pallemaerts (drums, sampling, programming) and Otti Van der Werf (e-bass, effects), the group Mother emerged as a drum 'n' bass project . Under the title Ko-Ya he presented solo concerts in which he combined the saxophone with live electronics and various effects. He can also be heard on albums by Paolo Fresu ( Wanderlust ), Bruno Castellucci ( Stringtet ), Lindsey Horner ( Mercy Angel , Believers ), Eric van der Westen ( The Working Dreamer ), Hein van de Geyn ( The North Sea Jazz Tentet ) .

As a composer he also worked for the Brussels Jazz Orchestra ; he also wrote film music and contemporary piano music.

Vann initially taught as a university professor at the Royal Conservatories in Brussels and Ghent. Today he teaches saxophone and harmony at the Conservatories of Luxembourg and Antwerp and is regularly invited to jazz seminars in Belgium and abroad.

Prizes and awards

Vann was voted "Best Soloist" at the 1989 Brussels Jazz Rally . In 1995 he received the SPES Prize for Worlds , a project with his own compositions for a large ensemble with Kenny Wheeler and Norma Winstone (CD was released in 1999 on JAS Records). He was voted “best Belgian tenor saxophonist of 1998” in the Belgian radio audience poll.

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Vann, Erwin
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Belgian jazz musician (saxophone, composition)
DATE OF BIRTH 17th December 1963
PLACE OF BIRTH Antwerp