Aaron Parks

Nova ft. Félix Zurstrassen and guests Aaron Parks & Jeff Ballard Bassist Félix Zurstrassen leads the prestigious international quintet NOVA, at the crossroads of modern and contemporary jazz. Besides regular partners Nelson Veras and Ben van Gelder, he also invites pianist Aaron Parks and drummer Jeff Ballard for a set full of virtuoso improvisations. As an opener, pianist Orson Claeys presents his debut album, with influences from musicians such as Herbie Hancock, Shai Maestro and Brad Mehldau, as well as melodies from the Middle East and hip-hop. Opener: Orson Claeys Pianist Orson Claeys is a refreshing newcomer to the Belgian jazz scene, although that was not a foregone conclusion. “I don't come from a musical family, although it did play an important role. My parents had a large collection of cassettes, CDs and vinyl records. A wide variety of music was played at our home, from hip-hop to jazz and from classical music to rock.” Fascinated by the appeal of the piano, Claeys went to art school, where his more in-depth exploration really began. However, it was only later in life, when he discovered the melodies of Herbie Hancock, that he felt drawn to jazz and changed his musical course. He completely immersed himself in this new sound and developed his own style, seamlessly combining jazz with compelling Middle Eastern and hip-hop melodies. Influenced by renowned musicians such as Aaron Parks, Brad Mehldau, Ambrose Akinmusire, Shai Maestro and Dhafer Youssef, Claeys is constantly searching for his own unique sound within contemporary jazz. At Leuven Jazz, he will present his debut album. Previously, he was given a spot at Lefto presents Jazz Cats with the hottest of the Belgian jazz scene and already released his first EP with five tracks.