Bart Defoort
saxophones

Born 1964, in Bruges.

Studies classical Music Theory, Harmony and History at the Ghent conservatory between 1984 - 1987.
From 1987 to 1990, studies saxophone at the Brussels Conservatory with Steve HOUBEN, harmony, history.
Jazz workshops and private lessons with Pierre VAIANA, John RUOCCO, Joe LOVANO, Jerry BERGONZI, Paul MOTIAN, Dave HOLLAND, Bill FRISELL.

Received his jazz prize at the Conservatoire de Bruxelles in 1991.

Between 1984 - 1987 : First steps as a professional musician, in theatre projects and avant-garde music projects.

Plays and works within the Belgian jazz-scene since 1988. He has played in a wide variety of musical contexts, from straight ahead jazz over contemporary classical music to free improvisation :
As a freelance musician and with Richard ROUSSELET, Paolo RADONI, Mal WALDRON, Peter HERTMANS, Erik VERMEULEN, Félix SIMTAINE, Jean-Louis RASSINFOSSE and many others.

He performed throughout Europe with the BLINDMAN saxophone quartet.
In October 1993 he is sent by the B.R.T.N. to participate in The European Radio Jazz Big band (E.B.U.) in Budapest.
In 1997 he went to India to play with Amit HARI (guitar), Louis BANKS (piano) and the Karnataka College of Percussion, one of the most important ensembles of the Karnatic music of South India.
With OCTURN, Bart has performed at the festivals of Montréal and New York (Knitting Factory).

Bart DEFOORT was/is a member of different bands, with which he plays intensively in clubs and festivals in Belgium, The Netherlands, France, Germany as well as radio recordings by the BRTN (Flemish community radio), RTBF (French community radio), German WDR and NOS in The Netherlands :

K.D.'s BASEMENT PARTY
OCTURN
SAX NO END
BRUSSELS JAZZ ORCHESTRA

Festival appearances :

* North Sea Jazz Festival (1994)
* Middelheim (1991 / 93 / 95 / 97)
* Lundis d'Hortense (1993 / 94 / 95 / 96)
* Terneuzen (1994)
* Gaume (1996)
* Liège Jazz Festival (1994 / 95 / 96) etc...

In 1995 Bart starts his own group - the BART DEFOORT QUARTET with Erik VERMEULEN on piano, Nicolas THYS on double bass and Gene CALDERAZZO on drums - with which plays his own compositions.

Bart met American drummer CALDERAZZO in New York, while spending there 2 months in 1995 and 1 month in 1996, studying composition and playing jam sessions.

He also did a series of duo concerts with various Belgian pianists, which led to the creation of a new band, STREAMS, with Diederik WISSELS. The band has released its first album in 2001, Streams (Igloo igl157)
He also participates in the Diederik WISSELS project SILENT SONG SEXTET (The Music of Federico Mompou).

He plays with the Chris JORIS EXPERIENCE, and with Ernst VRANCKX's band (CD a.o. with Kenny WHEELER.)