Elias D'hooge Trio

Pianist Elias D’hooge is still only twenty-two but it looks as if this young musician has a very promising future ahead of him. He met his companions, who make up the trio, at KASK in Ghent, where he is currently completing a Master's degree in jazz piano. His studies are supervised by none other than Bram De Looze, Christian Mendoza, Seppe Gebruers and Erik Vermeulen. Bassist Zjef Van Steenbergen - the oldest of the trio at twenty-eight - finished his Master’s degree on bass guitar but decided to spend another year focusing on the double-bass. After all, 'highly versatile’ will always be a sought-after talent. Drummer Tom Peeters began drumming when he was seven and developed a style that appealed to the youngest generation of Belgian jazz artists throughout his studies. This adaptability led him to groups such as Kin Gajo, Screens and John Ghost. Et voilà, the Elias D’hooge Trio!

Creating is in the blood of these three talented individuals. As a trio, they depart from original compositions with dreamy, inspiring threads where tradition and the future are blended via improvisations packed full of rhythmic variations and scintillating interventions. Within their jazz-based voyages of discovery, the musicians not only converse with one another but also with themselves and the wider audience. In February, the trio was selected as first finalist in the B-Jazz International Contest. The Jury then spoke of a "powerful, original set - a story or suite - that takes you to various atmospheres. [...] Everything is perfected, to the tiniest detail.” Come and see for yourself at the Bijlokesite during Gent Jazz!

Line-up:

Elias D’hooge - piano
Zjef Van Steenbergen - bass
Tom Peeters - drum

This concert is a collaboration between Gent Jazz and the Jazz, Pop and Music Production courses of KASK & Conservatorium (HOGENT - Howest).