Erwin VANN : biography

Erwin VANN

tenor, soprano sax / compositions

Born in Antwerp on December 17 1963, Erwin VANN tilts toward jazz since a young age.
After eight years of classic, he decides to devote himself entirely to jazz.

Studied with Steve COLEMAN, Dave HOLLAND, Muhal Richard ABRAMS, Kenny WHEELER, Julian PRIESTER...(1988 and 1991)

Jazz Workshop at the

Banff Centre for the Arts (Canada)
David LIEBMAN (Saxophone Master Class, Stroudsburg, USA)
Joe LOVANO, who recorded one of Erwin’s compositions on his album "Solid Steps"(1986, Jazz Club Records).

Since 1985, Erwin VANN works regularly for the Belgian Radio and Television (VRT/RTBF) as a soloist, composer, studio musician and member of the Jazz Orchestra.
He performed in clubs and at major festivals

in Canada (Festival International de Jazz de Montréal)
U.S.A. (New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles)
Argentina (“Mardel Jazz Festival” Buenos Aires)
Spain (“Expo’92” Sevilla)
Irak (International Festival of Babylonia)
Sénégal
France
Italy
Switzerland
Luxemburg
Sweden
Great-Britain
The Netherlands,
Germany
Belgium, ...

with musicians such as Toots THIELEMANS, Aldo ROMANO, Norma WINSTONE, Kenny WHEELER, Paolo FRESU (CD “Wanderlust” RCA/BMG), Eric LEGNINI, Marc DUCRET, Bruno CASTELLUCCI (CD “Stringtet” Quetzal), Michel BENITA, Karl BERGER, Michel HERR, Lindsey HORNER (CD “Mercy Angel” Upshot Records,CD “Believers” Koch Jazz), Jeff WILLIAMS, Rita MARCOTULLI, Paul VAN KEMENADE, Eric VAN DER WESTEN (CD “The Working Dreamer” BV Haast, CD “Diepkloof” HLM, Rush Hour etc...), Hein VAN DE GEYN (CD “The North Sea Jazz Tentet” September Records), Nugyen Lé, Simon GOUBERT, Bobby PREVITE,... In 1990, Erwin VANN forms his own Trio with Michel HATZIGEORGIOU on Fender bass and Dré PALLEMAERTS. on drums (‘91: “Some Sounds” Jazz Club Records ( (record of the month in "Jazz in Time" and the FNAC).), ‘96: “Eleven” Carbon 7 Records). Since ‘96, the trio invites guitarists such as Pete McCANN(USA), Marc DUCRET (F), Jacques PIROTTON (B) to join the band or becomes a quartet with the addition of pianist Christoph ERBSTÖSSER (D).

In December '98, Erwin VANN was voted “Best Belgian Tenor Saxophonist of 1998” (VRT/RTBF Jazz Referendum, Listeners Choice) .
Previously, he received the “SPES Prize” (1995) for ”Worlds”, a project for large ensemble featuring Kenny WHEELER and Norma WINSTONE (CD Worlds released in '99 on JAS records)
the “Sax of the Best Soloist of the Year 1991” (critics nomination).
In 1989, he was elected “Best Soloist” at the Brussels Jazz Rallye.

Erwin VANN was a former member of the faculty at the Royal Conservatories of Brussels and Ghent. He now teaches saxophone and harmony at the Conservatory of Luxemburg and is also regularly asked to teach at jazz seminars in Belgium and abroad.

In the fall of 1998, together with Dré Pallemaerts (drums, sampling, programming) and Otti (electric bass, effects), Erwin VANN forms the group MOTHER, an exciting drum’n’bass project.

Erwin VANN also recently presented solo concerts, combining the sax with live electronics and various effects, under the name "KO-YA".

Erwin is also known as a composer, a.o. for his own "Worlds" project, but also for various other bands, such as Bruno CASTELLUCCI's Stringtet, the Brussels Jazz Orchestra or even contemporary piano music.

ERWIN VANN's BANDS

SELECTED DISCOGRAPHY

"Extremes"	Act Big Band & Guests	(Igloo1987)
	North Sea Jazz Tentet	(September records 1987)
"H"	Pirly Zurstrassen Septet	(Igloo 1988)
"N Y Stories"	Jean-François Prins Quintet	(Gam 1991)
"Hautes Fagnes"	Pirly Zurstrassen Septet	(Igloo 1992)
"Medor Sadness"	Fabien Degryse	(Editions Collage 1992)
"Working Dreamer"	Erik Van der Westen	(BV Haast 1992)
"Mercy Angel"	Lindsey Horner	(UpShot Records 1994)
" Some Sounds"	Erwin Vann Trio	(Jazz Club, now reissued on September)
"Eleven"	Erwin Vann Trio	(Carbon 7)
"Towards the light"	Bruno Castellucci Stringtet	(Quetzal)
"Wanderlust"	with Paolo Fresu	(RCA Victor/BMG, 1997)
"Worlds"	with his band WORLDS	(JAS records, 1999)
"Me, myself and I"	with Eric Van der Westen	(Challenge records, 2000)
"It is what it is"	with Eric Van der Westen	(EWM 75007, released 2001)
"Rush Hour"	with Eric Van der Westen & Quadrant	(EWM Music, released Nov. 2002)

Compositions of Erwin VANN appear a.o. on the CDs "Solid Steps" of Joe LOVANO (Jazz Club/1986, now reissued on September), "Picture of a view" of Frank VAGANÉE and " Live" and The September Sessions" of the BRUSSELS JAZZ ORCHESTRA.

E-mail: erwinvann@skynet.be

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