Chopsticks - Chopsticks (Chopsticks Records, 2007) ***

Chopsticks is a new Belgian jazz label, and their first release carries the same name. It's a compilation of music by four bands that all partly consist of the same musicians, bringing music that is related like distant cousins, all jazz, all adventurous without taking too many risks, some more avant, some more world, some more fusion. The musicians are very good, and we can only encourage their new initiative, even if the record lacks a little coherence. The individual bands sound promising (although I really don't like rap music, as Barkin' does on one track), and the next thing they will have to do is to create a little more of a unique style. Dare let go, guys...find your own voice.

Moker is :
Mathias Van de Wiele (guitar-composition)
Bart Maris (trumpet-flugelhorn-electronics)
Zeger Vandenbussche (tenor saxophone)
Dajo De Cauter (double bass)
Giovanni Barcella (drums)

Brick Quartet is :
Mathias Van de Wiele (guitars, alto horn)
Dimitri Simoen (drums, bass clarinet)
Lode vercampt (cello)
Ben Sluijs (sax, flute)
Joachim Badenhorst (clarinets, tenor sax)

Barkin' is :
Steven Segers (vocals)
Mathias Van de Wiele (guitars, alto horn)
Dimitri Simoen (drums, bass clarinet)
Zeger Vandenbussche (tenor sax)
Tom Callens (alto sax)

Prak is :
Mathias Van de Wiele (guitars, alto horn)
Dimitri Simoen (drums, bass clarinet)
Bart maris (trumpet, electronics)
Dajo De Cauter (double bass)
Giovanni Barcella (drums, poetry)
Zeger Vandenbussche (tenor sax)
Lode vercampt (cello)

Listen to
Brick Band : Zoonomia
Prak : Deformita' e Constanza
Moker : SOS
Barkin' : Smells Like ...

(I must add that these samples do not really do much credit to the quality of the music on the CD)