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CLEVJA COLLECTIVE
Brussels Vocal Project
1.
Claude Evence Janssens
alto & bass clarinet, flugelhorn, trombone
Claude E. Janssens composed repertoires for several ensembles and rock-soul bands that he formed in the 80s and 90s and which took place on Belgian and European stages (In the Ginza - winner of the contest Rock this town and Marcel Hicter, Trombonize yourself, Somewhere Anytime, ...). He also performed in duo with the English saxophonist Geoff Leigh, in an electro-jazz-contemporary repertoire. After an interruption due to a career as cultural manager, Claude Janssens has fully returned to music. Trained in the trombone, he today mostly plays bass clarinet, alto clarinet and flugelhorn. Among numerous projects, Claude Evence is right now giving concerts and recording albums with the groups that play his compositions, either in the world-jazz sphere (Blue World Quintet) or "soundtrack jazz" (Close up 5) or soul jazz (Connected by grooves), bringing together top musicians, most of them being young talents, from Belgium and abroad.
2.
Fabrizio Graceffa
guitar
Born in 1979 in Belgium, Fabrizio Graceffa started the guitar at 13. At 17, he plays with many rock and blues bands. Two years later he discovered jazz music.
The same year he attends the Brussels Music Academy and tooked lessons with drummer Bruno Castellucci and the guitar player Paolo Loveri. Then he joined the Luxembourg’s Conservatory and three years later he was graduated with a first prize in Jazz Guitar and Composition.
In 2004, he formed the Fabrizio Graceffa Quartet. In 2010, he recorded his first album “Stories” with Belgian Label Mogno Music. In 2014 he founded “The Fabrizio Graceffa Band” with some of the best Belgian and French jazz musicians like Jean Paul Estiévenart, Teun Verbrugge, Nicolas Kummert, ... , inviting great guests like Toine Thys, Reggie Washington, Erwin Vann... Today Fabrizio Graceffa is about to record his second album as a leader with the Fabrizio Graceffa Band.
3.
Federico Pecoraro
bass
Federico Pecoraro was born in Schlieren (Ch) on September 26th, 1994 of Italian mother and father. They return to Italy, Lecce (Apulia), where he grew up rocked by music. His father, a musician too, is Federico's first influence. He starts playing drums but chooses to play bass guitar at the age of 10. Federico begins to play with many musicians from his region. He is mainly self-taught, rarely attending music schools or conservatories. Nevertheless, in September 2015 he is admitted to the Koninklijk Conservatorium in Brussels, in the jazz department. His main project is the trio 'Mynah' with Gabriele Di Franco (guitar) and Antonio De Donno (drums). This trio toured throughout Europe to promote the release of their first album "Intro". Federico plays also in different bands, meeting musicians such as Toni Mora, Abel Jednak, or with Philip Catherine in whose quartet he played with Nicola Andrioli and Antoine Pierre.
4.
Jérôme Baudart
drums
Born in 1984, Jérôme Baudart began studying music at age 7 and drums at age 13. From 2002 he joined the Brussels Conservatory in jazz drums in the class of Bruno Castellucci and at the Royal Conservatory of Mons in classical percussion in the class of Gilles Ansciaux. He has been licensed in classical percussion and jazz drums since 2007. He plays in various musical formations and with many musicians in the field of jazz and song, including Fanny Bériaux, Pierre Lafontaine, Olivier Stalon, Sabin Todorov, Sam Gerstmans, Jean-Paul Estiévenart, etc.
1.
Anu Junnonen
mezzo-sopran
Armed by the famous Finnish guts and an uncompromising attitude the earlier jazz freak has turned into a mature song writer. She manages to bridge the gap between jazz, pop, folk and tango and electronic. But she is also a performer for various projects such as "Modern Tales" on the basis of compositions by American composer John Hollenbeck, with Brussels Vocal Project, the collective she founded with François Vaiana and Elsa Grégoire.
2.
Elsa Grégoire
alto
Elsa Grégoire, born in Belgium, brought up in New Orleans, and now living in Germany has a natural passion for languages and the expression with words. She studied the violin, the cello and later obtained her Bachelor’s degree in jazz singing with David Linx at the Brussels Royal Conservatory. She participated to many workshops with artists such as Diederik Wissels, Michael Blake, Scott Colley, Tim Berne and Bill Carrothers. Elsa is now living in Berlin where she is active as a singer, composer and teacher.
4.
François Vaiana
baritone
After studying in New York with Gloria Cooper, François Vaiana obtained a Master's degree at the Koninklijk Conservatorium in Brussels where he focused on the study of jazz singing, improvisation and writing with David Linx. He then received an Erasmus grant to study for one year at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Paris in the department of jazz and improvised music.
François is the singer of his band "Blue Monday People" and is also involved with Elsa Grégoire and Anu Junnonen in the collective he founded with them : Brussels Vocal Project.