Marc GODFROID : biography

Django d'Or 1995

Born in 1960.
His musical career takes off in June 1981 with the BRT (Flemish radio) jazz orchestra after being invited to join by the leader Etienne VERSCHUEREN.

In 1982 he was requested to and became a permanent member of the TONY BAUWENS SEXTET.
That same year he won the soloist price at the Tros Big Band Festival in Amersfoort (NL) with the BIG BAND SOUND of Wetteren.

Since 1981 he is serving as leader of EUROJAZZ, a youth jazz orchestra of the European Union with tours in England, Ireland, Benelux, Germany, Italy, and Scandinavia.
At the meantime also leading his own Big Band and the Fanfare St.-Cecilia of Geraardsbergen.

In 1985 he was nominated as Belgian representative, by the BRT, for the EBU BIG BAND (European Broadcasting Union), to participate in the International Jazz Festival at Pori, Finland.

In 1986 follows a soloist performance in the AVRO T.V. programme : "JAZZ MET JACOBS". After this programme he was invited three times, in succession, to play as soloist with the Metropoolorkest (NL) led by ROGIER VAN OTTERLOO. During one of these performances he played solos aside CARL FONTANA.

Since September 91 he is member of the famous international Big Band : "PETER HERBOLZHEIMER RHYTHM COMBINATION AND BRASS", the JOE HAIDER BIG BAND and the JOE HAIDER SEXTET (CH).
In 1992 he played a solo recital at the trombone-workshop of the INTERNATIONAL TROMBONE ASSOCIATION in Detmold (DL).
In November 1992 he performed aside BILL WATROUS as part of the project Two Bones and Big Band, together with the WDR Big Band under leading of Jerry VAN ROOYEN.
Since 1995 he is a permanent feature of the SWR (Sud West Rundfunk) Big Band of Stuttgart, having had the opportunity to play with Slide HAMPTON, Frank FOSTER en Clark TERRY.

He is at the same time one of the co-founders of the THE BRUSSELS JAZZ ORCHESTRA, which recorded 2 CDs and appeared un numerous concerts and festivals, a.o. at the Jazz Middelheim festival as well as the Brosella Jazz in July 1994 and August 1995.

In April 1995 he was selected by SABAM as the first Flemish musician for the Belgian edition of "DJANGO D'OR" ("Golden Django") award. Following which he performed aside the late Stéphane GRAPELLI at the famous "Salle Pleyel" in Paris.

In 1996 he recorded his first album as leader with The Concord Jazz Ensemble.

In May 1999 he played with Bob MINTZER and the SWR Big Band.

In 1986 he became a teacher of Jazz Trombone at the Conservatory of Gent and in 1993 took responsibility as co-ordinator of the Jazz Department and also teacher of didactics at the Conservatory.
Since September 1998 he is teacher at the Sweelinck-Conservatory of Amsterdam.

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MARC GODFROID

trombone