The Laima Jansone Trio first appeared on stage at the Rigas Ritmi Festival in 2012, when Latvian folk instrument kokle player Laima Jansone performed together with percussionist Artis Orubs and bassist Andris Grunte. The trio revealed a new melodic synthesis; one that was unique and unprecedented in jazz music. The jazz magazine All About Jazz called the project “the find of the Festival”.
In their Zarbugans project, the trio impresses audiences with its unique synthesis of modern and traditional music in combination with an extraordinary stage layout and the visual presence of the musicians. The programme consists of original pieces that have been influenced by jazz, folk and experimental music.
Drummer Artis Orubs predicts that this project will provoke mixed reactions from the audience. Some will like it, but others will probably not understand it, because the musical synthesis and the sound solutions break new ground.
The Belgian audience was already enraptured by these musicians in January when, during the Brussels Jazz Festival, the Laima Jansone Trio performed together with the Māris Briežkalns Quintet. At the beginning of February, the Zarbugans project also opened the Latvian EU Council Presidency in Sweden.
Laima Jansone Trio. Photo: EU2015.LV
Laima Jansone trio. Photo: Embassy of Latvia to Belgium
This time, the Laima Jansone Trio is performing as part of the BOZARSUNDAYS concert series. The concert also features in the BOZAR Centre's Focus on Latvia programme dedicated to the Latvian Presidency, which has been organised by the Secretariat of the Latvian Presidency of the EU Council, the Embassy of Latvian to Belgium and the BOZAR Centre.
