Cover art by A.L., pic by Emanuel Van Mieghem
OUI035: Mojo Jojo / Another Day In The Life
Mojo Jojo is a Brussels-based quintet founded by Emanuel Van Mieghem that invites lyrical melodies driven by deeply rooted pulsations. Fluctuating between open soundscapes and driving grooves, the band always creates music that is unpredictable and adventurous for the listener.
The members include Umberto Odone (drums), Roeland Celis (electric guitar, effects), Warre Van De Putte (tenor saxophone), Hyung Jin Ee (tenor saxophone, Ewi), and Emanuel Van Mieghem (double bass, composition).
Mojo Jojo was awarded the 'Prix de la meilleure composition' at the Avignon Jazz Festival 2023.
Featured in the best jazz album in July 24 on Bandcamp!
Bandcamp says:
"This is an ensemble that sets the scene. Melodic openings are merely a foreshadowing of the action that’s to come on a grand scale. Rhythmic outbursts are just plot twists in their infancy. An interlude of drone is the latent stage of epic denouements. The quintet Mojo Jojo—double bassist Emanuel Van Mieghem, tenor saxophonist Hyung Jin Ee, drummer Umberto Odone, electric guitarist Roeland Celis, and tenor saxophonist Warre Van De Putte—shift between free improv, modern post-bop, and cinematic nu jazz, utilizing each in service of the long view, developing toward a big picture, but with an emphasis on a journey that’s as thrilling as the destination."
Emanuel Van Mieghem: Double bass, Composer, Music Teacher
Born in Brussels (Belgium) on January 6, 1994, Emanuel Van Mieghem started playing the bass at the age of 15.
Emanuel pursued studies at the conservatory of Antwerp, where he was awarded the 'Oranjebeurs', an accolade for young talented musicians.
Emanuel has become a highly in demand double bass player in the jazz and avant-garde music scene of Brussels. He collaborates with a new generation of talented musicians such as Roeland Celis, Umberto Odone, Diogo Alexandre, Hyiung Jin Ee, Nicolas Van Belle, Joseph Nowell, Gaspard Six, Stan Maris, Yarno Hoedemakers, and many more.
He has also performed with established musicians such as Erik Vermeulen, Frans Van Isacker, Erik Bogaerts, Toine Thys, Daniel Stokart, Lieven Venken, and Free Desmyter.
He has recorded 3 albums between 2020 and 2023 before the release of his Mojo Jojo one.
Warre Van De Putte: Tenor saxophone
Born in Ghent (Belgium) in 1996. He is a jazz saxophone player and teacher, with his roots in the hardbop language, but also influenced by avant garde and different types of music. In the last years Warre played in many countries like Spain, Japan, Great Britain, Germany and the Netherlands with bands as the likes of Ghent Youth Jazz Orchestra, Screens, Don Marsh V, Jake Walker, Bigband ’86, SHHT and others. In 2018, as a member of SCREENS, he won the Concours XL-Jazz competition on Brussels Jazz Weekend. In the same year they recorded the debut-EP “Low”.
Hyung-Jin Lee: Tenor saxophone
Born in 1998 in South Korea. Plays play Tenor, Alto, Soprano, Bass Clarinet and EWI.
He played mainly in West Europe since 2014 and won a lot of rewards and prices from various places, conservatories and from the Maastricht Jazz Awards numerous times with different bands and projects.
He has also recorded with various bands.
Umberto Odone: Jazz Drummer, Composer, Music Teacher
Born in Treviglio - Italy in 1993, Umberto Odone starts to play drums at 6 years old, playing pop, rock and funk styles in the following years and eventually transitioning into jazz. In 2011, at 18 years old, he was the first Italian drummer to get the Scuderie Capitani Drum Academy Diploma with the score of 30/30 cum laude, which marked the beginning of his professional career in music.
He moved to the Maastricht in 201, where he played live concerts with WDR Big Band trumpeter Rob Bruynen and he recorded music with the great Belgian trumpet player Carlo Nardozza.
He moved to Belgium in september 2018. Since then Umberto has played with Fausto Beccalossi (Al di Meola), Rob Bruynen (WDR Big Band), Giulio Corini (Enrico Rava, John Abercrombie, ...), Stefano D’Anna (Ben Monder, Larry Grenadier, ...), Giovanni Falzone (Francesco Bearzatti, Massimo Colombo, ...), Carlo Morena (Kenny Wheeler, Paolo Fresu, ...), Tino Tracanna ( Franco D’ Andrea, Dave Liebman, ...), John Surman (Dave Holland , Jack Dejohnette, ...). He has different music projects between Italy and Belgium and he is working as a drum teacher in both countries.
Roeland Celis: Electric guitar, effects
Born in 1993, grew up in a musical family. His parents, both classically trained musicians, sent him to music school when he was 8 years old. There he discovered a passion for the guitar, improvisation, and all sorts of musical styles and genres. Afterwards Roeland continued his musical education and in 2016 he got to study in New York at the Aaron Copland School of Music.
During these years Roeland met numerous musicians, which lead to playing in several bands. He’s a sideman in HAST, Lennert Baerts’ Clocks & Clouds, Jelle Van Giel’s Close Distance, NABOU, Muriel Urquidi’s Ode, and he played as a featured soloist with the Brussels Jazz Orchestra. As a leader, he released the debut album of his trio “Celestial Planes” in 2022 and in 2023 his sextet, Ping O.D. album. This formation, featuring alto player John O’ Gallagher, combines elements from the rich jazz tradition with heavier guitar genres like progressive metal as well as math rock.
Digital release on the 21st of June 2024.
Track listing:
1: Ouverture
2: Cascade
3: Dragon Fly Pt 1
4: Glee
5: Dragon Fly Pt 1
6: Another Day In The Life
7: Mercurial
8: Richard
Itunes, Spotify, etc.:
And on Bandcamp:
Covert art by Domenico Solazzo
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