Life is a cycle. Art is a cycle. Time is a cycle. Ideas of the past fuel the present, and ideas of the present help us to understand the music of the past. Feelings, experiences and dreams, shared by us and our predecessors. A fusion of feelings, this musical adventure traces a lifetime of emotions in a sound-world never before presented in this way.
Created in 2015 by Adam Woolf for the Flanders Festival in Mechelen, Belgium, Let The Music Speak brings together world-class musicians from Jazz, Baroque, Classical and World Music backgrounds in a fusion of many styles and colours.
Based on the popular themes of New Life, Youth, Love, Loss and Death, this concert programme follows the path of human life. Drawing on a repertoire spanning 400 years we feature brand new arrangements and compositions designed to stir the emotions in every way.
Adam Woolf - direction / trombone
Kristen Cornwell - vocals
Frank Vaganée - saxophone
Jon Birdsong - trumpet / cornettos
Lambert Colson - cornettos
Jeff Miller - tuba / serpent / didgeridoo / electronics
Anthony Romaniuk - piano
Christophe De Visscher - bass
Mattijs Vanderleen - drums / marimba / percussion / electronics
PROGRAMME
Prelude:
Kapsberger/Woolf - Toccata Arpegiata
New Life:
Landini/Woolf - Ecco la Primavera
Youth:
Cullum - Twentysomething
Anon/Woolf - Joris, moet je steeds rinkinken
Wolf - Ballad of the Sad Young Men
Love:
De Rore/Cornwell - Anchor che col partire
Anon/Woolf - Daphne
Loss:
De Konick - Ik kan uw schoon gezicht niet langer derven
Lawson/Ashley/Cornwell - Past Carin'
Death:
Dowland/Woolf - Come Heavy Sleep
De Visscher - Amaranthine
Let The Music Speak brings together an international, eclectic band of world-class musicians from the jazz, baroque, classical and world-music scenes.
About The Band: The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. - Aristoteles
Let The Music Speak (LTMS) brings together musicians from around the world. Specialists in Jazz, Baroque, Classical, and World Music, each a virtuoso in their field, realising that a good musician is an ever-evolving, flexible entity. For example, when jazz musician Frank Vaganée duos with cornettist Lambert Colson, the result is a unique mix of freedom and ideas: a dialogue speaking across four centuries in a common language. Kristen Cornwell’s musical personality and sensitivity shines through regardless of the style. Bass players Jeff Miller & Christophe Devisscher co-inhabit every nuance, every beat. They underpin each emotive shift with harmonic foundation. Musical kaleidoscope Anthony Romaniuk is the ‘orchestra within the orchestra’. His improvised musical commentary supports, leads and inspires. The heartbeat of the band is Mattijs Vanderleen, conjuring up a rich timbral mix of rhythmic groove & harmonic colour. His use of space and time induces momentum at times, and at others, brings us to rest. Jon Birdsong’s playing emanates from his core. Musical lines flow from both trumpet and cornetto, connecting with emotions, speaking to the listener.
Let The Music Speak was created and is led by trombonist and arranger, Adam Woolf. Once described in the media as a musical chameleon, he is a leader in the worlds of both new and old music and sees music as a medium without boundaries - THE international language of timeless charm and resonance which can touch the soul of anyone willing to listen.
A desire to bring these strong personalities together to create a unique experience, an organic project with a life of its own, means every piece has been specially arranged or composed for this project, is sensitive to the original textures of the music and instrumentations, and presents new ways to hear these instruments.
Collectively, the LTMS band has played with
Brussels Jazz Orchestra, Scherzi Musicali, Hackney Colliery Band, BOX, His Majestys Sagbutts & Cornetts, Black Flower, Beck, Arpeggiata, Aka Moon, James Morrison, Arno, English Baroque Soloists, Bl!ndman, Tommigun, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Australian Art Orchestra, Frank Deruytter. Eric Vloeimans, Holland Baroque Society, Bollywood Brass Band, Mardi Brass, Black Mango, Ensemble In Alto, Caecilia-Concert, and many, many others….
"The audience were spoilt with beautiful, colourful sounds, brought by top class musicians, top performances and absorbing solo work.
‘Let the music speak’ is a fine project with a varied and fascinating programme.
Leo Teughels, JazzZolder.be"