Upcoming shows
In his teenage years Jan Swerts was mesmerized by Wim Mertens, Philip Glass and Keith Jarrett. More recently, neoclassical composers such as Max Richter and Jóhann Jóhannsson, but also singer-songwriters like Joni Mitchell, Nick Drake and Mark Hollis had a profound impact on his music.
Weg (Gone or A way – released in 2010) was a nostalgic journey through dark streets of his past, only escorted by a sparse piano and a thin voice. Humo, Knack, De Morgen, Radio 1 and Klara…all showered the album with praise. And they repeated this acclaim when Swerts released Anatomie van de Melancholie (Anatomy of Melancholy – 2013), a collection of gorgeous songs inspired by gloomy artists like Luc De Vos, Patricia De Martelaere, Johan Heldenbergh and Jotie T’Hooft.
In September Swerts will display the post-apocalyptic world that is Schaduwland (Shadowland): the soundtrack of a zombified existence after the great catastrophe, the musical score of his horror year 2014. On stage the voyage through Shadowland will be a long, final convulsion: from a whirling and sweltering opening, past a decaying and airy electronic mid section to an extremely desolate ‘piano no man’s land’…
Musicians
– Kevin Imbrechts (Illuminine): guitar & elektronics
– Gianni Marzo (Marble Sounds, Isbells): guitar
– Karen Willems (Inwolves, Zita Swoon, Yuko): drums
– Beatrijs De Klerck (Illuminine, DadaWaves): violin
– Cedric Murrath (Hooverphonic): violin
– Sam Faes: cello
– Joeri Vaerendonck: double bass
– Jan Swerts: piano & voice