BRAND! 2025
26.11.2025 - 29.11.2025
On the tenth anniversary of the BRAND! jazz festival, we focused 100% on our vibrant Belgian jazz scene, with two central guests and a wealth of bands that embody the many faces of our scene. With Hanne De Backer and Mattias De Craene as central guests, BRAND! chose two voices at the forefront of jazz. As a bonus, BRAND! also offered a place to four bands in the Belgium Booms x JazzLab programme, selected by an international jury.
– line-up –
Alex Koo Trio • THE HEART, THE HEART, THE HEART, HERE, NOW! • Mattias De Craene & Black Koyo • Benjamin Sauzereau REMORQUE • Bodem • Joachim Badenhorst’s Youran • g a b b r o ‘s GROUNDSPEED • Dishwasher_ • SPACE Quartet • Woolvs - Large Ensemble • Mattias De Craene & Alex Zhang Hungtai • STUFF. • 'RAND!' programme:
Fred Van Hove, an improvised life + WIM Fanfare: Free Music (1975–1988) + Seppe Gebruers solo • Boekvoorstelling Mon Devoghelaere - Jazzlogboek.
FUELED BY OMER — In collaboration with Cultuurcentrum Mechelen. With the valued support of festival partners Brouwerij Omer Vander Ghinste, Eubelius and the National Lottery.
BRAND! 2024
24, 27, 28 & 30.11.2024
The ninth edition was a celebration of surprise and recognition, with an exquisite combination of domestic and international artists, united by their free and authentic voices.
– line-up –
James Brandon Lewis / Red Lily Quintet • aki • Merope feat. Shahzad Ismaily • The Ex • Han Bennink & Guro Kvåle + Zea & Xavier Charles • G.W. Sok • Terrie Ex • Ken Vandermark • Emma Fischer • Misale Legesse • Katherina Bornefeld • Frank Rosaly • Andy Moor • Marion Coutts • Lena Hessels • ‘In the spirit of Peter Brötzmann’: Hanne De Backer • Casper Van De Velde • Ornella Noulet • Adia Vanheerentals • Farida Amadou • Julien Desprez • Evan Parker • Camille Émaille • RAND! program: Film: Soldier of the Road - A Portrait of Peter Brötzmann • Book presentation: Daniel Spicer - Free-Jazz, Revolution and the Politics of Improvisation.
In collaboration with Cultuurcentrum Mechelen. With the valued support of Eubelius and the National Lottery.
BRAND! 2023
16 & 23 - 26.11.2023
The eighth edition once again showcased Belgium's diverse and vibrant jazz scene, combining it with talented artists from abroad. JazzLab celebrated its 30th anniversary together with W.E.R.F. Records and immediately signed up for three concerts. In addition, there was intriguing and exciting music from local stars. Two days were colored by top international jazz, while the festival closed with original combinations of dance and jazz.
— LINE-UP —
Superless • Linda Fredriksson • David Murray Quartet • Gert-Jan Dreessen Quartet • Chris Joris - Until the Darkness Fades • Trombone Ensemble Nabou Claerhout • Mirror Image • Joachim Badenhorst’s Zero Years Kid • schntzl • Beraadgeslagen • Anneleen Keppens - Blue Moon Spring • Dans Kapot - A Small World
BRAND! 2022
24 - 27.11 & 01.12.2022
BRAND! jazz festival 2022 gave center stage to Belgian talents and acclaimed international pioneers. Special guests Lara Rosseel and Vitja Pauwels presented various new bands and projects with international appeal.
— LINE-UP —
Superless • Lara Rosseel solo • Profound Observer feat. Bert Joris • Naima Joris band • Alexander Hawkins & Tomeka Reid • Gard Nilsen Acoustic Unity • aki feat. joachim Badenhorst • Lara Rosseel Orchestra - ARK • BOMBATAZ • Vitja Pauwels solo • Blind Io • Marc Ribot solo • Vitja Pauwels Carte Blache feat. Marc Ribot • Vinyl Sunday with Lara Rosseel
BRAND! 2021 - Nordic Sounds
25-30.11.2021
Mention the words ‘jazz’ and ‘Norway’ in the same sentence and many music lovers will associate them with the ‘Nordic Tone’: that characteristic mood of snow, mountains, and icy fjords. Norway's rich jazz heritage provided the ideal backdrop for a rock-solid Norwegian-flavored BRAND! Jazz Festival. The program was a cross-section of the best that creative Norwegian jazz has to offer today.
— LINE-UP —
Trondheim Jazz Orchestra • Arve Henriksen + Ruben Machtelinckx • Christian Wallumrød Ensemble • Jonas Cambien Trio • Waldemar4 • Lumen Drones • Skarbø Skulekorps • DONDER & S. Apeland • Thomas Strønen – Marthe Lea – Ayumi Tanaka • Warped Dreamer
In collaboration with Cultuurcentrum Mechelen
BRAND! 2019
04 - 06.12.2019
The fifth edition of the BRAND! Jazz Festival was undoubtedly the most international to date. In addition, we programmed a mix of young talent and established Belgian artists. BRAND! 2019 presented itself as a carefully curated series of concerts where intimate performances, rich compositions, daring improvisation, dazzling concrete jazz, and layered soundscapes all had their place.
— LINE-UP —
Jakob Bro Trio feat. Mark Turner • Robin Verheyen Quartet • De Koffie van Morgen “Le Ravage d’Ali baba” • Eric Boeren 4tet • Porous Structures • Hanne De Backers g a b b r o • Kim Myhr “You I me” • The Bureau of Atomic Tourism • The Milk Factory
BRAND! 2018
22 - 23.11.2018
For the fourth edition of BRAND!, arts center nona and Mechelen Cultural Center once again focused on a country with a vibrant musical scene: Portugal. There is so much more to discover there than just fado. Especially since the turn of the millennium, everything has been caught up in an Atlantic acceleration, with festivals such as Jazz ao Centro and Jazz em Agosto. And a label such as Clean Feed Records has grown within the adventurous flank of jazz to become one of the most influential in the world. At BRAND! 2018, Susana Santos Silva was the central musician. The trumpeter from Porto quickly became the ambassador of flourishing Portuguese jazz and improvisation, and shone in Mechelen with various musical projects.
— LINE-UP —
Santos Silva / Pitsiokos / Zetterberg • RED Trio feat. Susana Santos Silva • Slow Is Possible • Susana Santos Silva (solo) • Sei Miguel / Fala Mariam / Bruno Silva • Gebruers / Antunes / Lovens • Chamber 4
In collaboration with Cultuurcentrum Mechelen
BRAND! 2017
09 - 11.11.2017
The central guest of the third edition of BRAND! was the young Belgian euphonium player Niels Van Heertum, one of the most exciting voices of a rapidly developing generation. In addition to Van Heertum, who performed several times himself, the program offered a dive into the best jazz and improvised music of 2017, with attention to small and larger ensembles, intimacy and exuberant emotion, established artists and up-and-coming talents from home and abroad.
— LINE-UP —
Niels Van Heertum (solo) • Steiger • Octurn • Veder • Ifa Y Xango ft. Eric Thielemans • Vernere Pohjola Group plays Pekka • Angles 7 • Christian Wallumrød Ensemble • Ragini Trio ft. Bojan Z & Sawani Mudgal • Vvolk • RAND! programma: 100 jaar jazz / Lezing door Joris Preckler • film premiere Juul’s Ears
In collaboration with Cultuurcentrum Mechelen
BRAND!NL! 2016
12 & 13.11.2016
BRAND! became a Dutch special in 2016, featuring jazz from the Netherlands. The specific reason for BRAND!NL! was the celebrations surrounding 200 years of the United Netherlands/20 years of the Cultural Agreement between Flanders and the Netherlands under the banner of Beste Buren (Best Neighbors) on the one hand (at the regional/national level) and Hollandse Maatjes (Dutch Friends) on the other (at the Mechelen level). BRAND! concluded these festivities in Mechelen with a jazz festival focused on Dutch jazz musicians, with concerts in St. Rumbold's Cathedral, the nona arts center, the Mechelen Cultural Center, and a RAND! program at various locations throughout the city.
— LINE-UP —
Kaja Draksler & Lennart Heyndels • André Goudbeek & Fred Van Hove • Eric Boeren, Wilbert De Joode & Teun Verbruggen • ICP Orchestra • Kapok • Jasper Blom Quartet feat. Bert Joris • Reijseger, Fraanje & Sylla • The Ex feat. Wolter Wierbos & Ab Baars • Dj Herr Seele • RAND! program: FILMHUIS | Film with live jazz • DE ZONDVLOED | Freek Vielen & The Ambush Party • Kafee ZAPOI | Cactus Truck • STADSSCHOUWBURG | Hans Liberg - Jazz & Pop-up Comedy • JAZZZOLDER | Dash! • JAZZZOLDER | Marzio Scholten Trio
In collaboration with Cultuurcentrum Mechelen
BRAND! 2015
17 - 21.11.2015
With BRAND! new jazz festival, arts center nona and Cultuurcentrum Mechelen presented a brand new jazz festival in 2015. The first edition of BRAND! provided a stage for a new and exciting generation of jazz musicians from Belgium and abroad. The focus was on the up-and-coming generation and crossover with other genres. The guest of honor was reed player Joachim Badenhorst.
— LINE-UP —
Han Bennink Trio • Hauschka • Nordmann • Joachim Badenhorst, Michael Moore & John Ruocco • BRZZVLL feat. Antony Joseph • Nanook of the North: filmscreening with live music of the Nanook-quartet: Bart Maris, Remko Devroede, Kris Duerinckx & André Goudbeek • Joachim Badenhorst (solo) • Walabix feat. Bart Maris Bart Maris & Lode Vercampt • Baloni feat. Dre Pallemaerts • Ruben Machtelinckx & Karl Van Deun • LABtrio feat. Michael Attias & Christopher Hoffman • Carate Urio Orchestra • RAND! program: pop-up jazz at BazArtcafé, 't Ankertje aan de Dijle, Honoloeloe, BRAND!-blus party with jazz dj's
