Laurent Blondiau
trumpet, flugel

Laurent Blondiau plays the trumpet and bugle. He is also the original instigator of MâŠkÕs Spirit and is an energetic manager for the collective.
He went to the Brussels Royal Conservatory where he studied with Bert Joris and Richard Rousselet and graduated with a first prize in 1990.
Before initiating MŠâkÕs Spirit, Laurent was the leader of the Laurent Blondiau Quintet with Nathalie Loriers, Peter Hertmans, Otti Vanderwerf et Bilou Doneux (ÒQueen of the Apple PieÓ 1996). He is, and has been, a member of numerous groups including: Octurn, Kris DefoortÕs Dreamtime, Love Supreme, Rêve dÕEléphant Orchestra, Thot (Fr), Moiano, Sa•ma,, Kris DefoortÕs Opera, Passages (a choreography by Fatou Traore), Nathalie Loriers Extension, Le Gros Cube (Alban Darche Fr), Vegetal Beauty, Seven Wheels ( Fabrizzio Cassol and lÕaulochrome), Jean-Luc Lher Quartet (Marc Ducret, Franck Vaillant), Brussels Jazz Orchestra, Magik Malik Orchestre,...
He has collaborated on a wide variety of other projects with many other musicians such as: J-L Rassinfosse, Michel Herr, Eric Van den Westen, Dre Pallemaerts, Nic Thijs, Aka Moon, Garrett List, Lee konitz, William Sheller, Steve Houben, Joe Lovano, Toots Thielemans, Greg Osby, Maria Shneider, Ghalia Benali, Mahmoud GuinéaÉ
Pierre Vaiana, Mamady Keita, Momo Wandel, NÕFaly Kouyaté, Baba SissokoÉ for the project Anye Ben Kafo.
Laurent also teaches at the Brussels conservatory.