Music

Ashtabiez brings together distinctive musical voices through the compositions of Yamen Martini. Inspired by genres such as jazz and oriental music and influenced by encounters traversing the Middle East and Europe, the collective fuses genres with personal testimonies – and adds its contemporary touch. Since 2022, its members explored new avenues while building on both their classical and jazz backgrounds, shaping Ashtabiez into a borderless endeavour. The group’s first single, Expressions was released in May 2023 – and their full-length album was recorded during an artist residency at De Grote Post in Oostende, to be released in 2024.

Drums: Victor Khaddaj (1999) decided to study jazz at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels after spending most of his childhood playing drums in marching bands. 
Projects: BEX, Khassage, Underwater Fish.

Bass: Mehrad Hezarkhani (1988) got his master’s degree in jazz music at the Koninklijk Conservatorium of Brussel in 2022, after his Bachelor Diploma in Jazz Performance at Codarts Conservatory in Rotterdam.



Piano: Kuan Yu Chen (1999) delved into classical piano and oboe at the tender age of five. He has had the opportunity to perform with numerous orchestras and chamber music ensembles. He is currently pursuing his studies in jazz piano at Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel.
 Projects: EVIGS, KLP TRIO.

Guitar: Thomas Decock (1987) studied jazz guitar at the Lemmens Institute and the Antwerp Conservatory. Since then, he has been active in the Belgian jazz scene. In 2016 he released the album Light Travelers and today he still leads his own quintet with several prominent musicians.

“Almost every note evokes an image in itself. All very stylized like the soundtracks of the Greek Eleni Karaindrou for the films of Theo Angelopoulos. Music without excessive decibels or hip electronic effects – but with a sincere gut feeling.”

– Georges Tonla Briquet, Jazzenzo Jazzmagazine

Here’s a cult band that – with its explosive, urban mix of music genres, rhythms, languages and cultures – has evolved into a high quality brand, appreciated by both the international press and audiences all over. Add to that the typically Belgian pinch of self-derision and understatement and the result is a band with the energy of rock (without guitars!), the improvised twist of jazz, the open-minded approach of world music and the eagerness of a street band.

Well-rooted in their hometown Brussels Jaune Toujurs’ unique identity is yet enforced by their poetic and socially committed lyrics, celebrating the cultural melting pot of our modern day world. The optimistic undertone convincingly states that another world is possible, raising a fist rather than a middle finger. The band’s many live concerts have made them disciplined musicians, yet always ready to improvise. Jaune Toujours gigs are lively and festive, but avoid clichés and never lose musicality. Jaune Toujurs creates a musical universe that is rich, diverse, honest, modern and unique.

Yamen Martini joined Jaune Toujours for the recording of Europeana (2018) – and the following tour – alongside guests like Patrick Kabré (backing vocals), Jo Zanders (likembe), or Vincent Heirman (trombone).

“Europeana is the band’s invented equivalent of Americana – and it sounds a lot more fun. Lyrics are in French, Flemish and English, sometimes in one song, but musical influences range much wider on Ska-Man, with its Jamaican touches and Balkan Khan with its snakey clarinet.”

– Simon Broughton, London Evening Standard

Take a dozen crazy music lovers, add about thirty instruments and a touch of magic – and you will get an atypical world fusion big band.

A percussion group at the start, U-percut formation has gradually been enriched over the meetings, integrating new personalities – each bringing their own influences. The result blends a multitude of styles, offering a unique instrumental performance: Malian blues, funk, Arab-Andalusian music, Celtic music, Latin jazz or Mauritanian rock are the main trends expressed by this heterogeneous formation.
Encountering U-percut is more than a more than a concert: it is a meeting…