Alex Koo (BE)

Belgian-Japanese pianist and composer Alex Koo is currently making a name for himself as a promising young talent on the European jazz scene. Recenly, his CD ‘Appleblueseagreen‘, with American icons Ralph Alessi and Mark Turner, was praised by Downbeat Jazz Magazine and included in their list of ‘Best Albums of 2019‘, with 4 stars and the mention ” Stunningly original “ (Clever Tree Records, March 2019). Jazzism also praised his album with no less than four and a half stars: “Beautiful, touching, elevating“.

In his home country, the young pianist has steadily earned a status as an upcoming super talent, having been awarded with first prizes in the Prinses Christina Competition (NL), the SABAM B-Jazz Composition Award (BE), a Fulbright Award-Music Fellowship (USA-BE) and a Prins Bernhard Culture Prize (NL).

He has been complimented and praised by some of the scene’s biggest icons, such as Kurt Elling, Kenny Werner and Brad Mehldau and has studied with masters of the trade, such as Kris Goessens, Kenny Werner, Craig Taborn, Barry Harris and Jakob Bro.

Alex also performed all over the world, from Europe to the U.S. to Japan, with numerous internationally established artists, such as: Mark Turner, Kurt Elling, Ralph Alessi, Peter Bernstein, Benjamin Herman, Bert Joris, Mike Mainieri, John Ruocco, Jasper Blom, Martijn Vink, Dré Pallemaerts, …

ETUDES FOR PIANO
Commissioned by Bozar, Alex Koo composed a book of his own piano etudes, inspired by Debussy, Chopin, Rachmaninov, Taborn and Reich. The album will be released March 3rd 2023 on W.E.R.F.

IDENTIFIED FLYING OBJET (BE/HU/US)
Koo’s click with ECM icon Ralph Alessi is so special that a further collaboration between the two was inevitable.
Identified Flying Object was born as a duo with Attila Gyárfas, the young drummer par excellence of Budapest’s vibrant jazz and improv scene. Now the company presents as a reborn trio with Alessi their new album ‘Identified Flying Object’ on W.E.R.F. Records. Their music, a mix of lyrical compositions and improvisations on the border between film music, minimalism and soundscaping, can best be described as a trip through space.

KIMONO GARDEN (BE/NL)
New and electronic quartet featuring Lorena del Mar (vocals), Lennart Heyndels (bass) and Mark Schilders (drums). Album out now!

ALEX KOO TRIO (BE)
Alex’ trio with drum legend Dré Pallemaerts and young bass virtuoso Lennart Heyndels delivers a mix of Alex’s hypnotic compositions and lyrical improvisations. The high energy and floating sound of this trio, draw the listener into a mesmerizing musical adventure.