Tars Lootens

We are saying goodbye before the summer holidays with a performance by Tars Lootens . I hear you thinking that we don't need to introduce Tars, because every music lover knows him. But do we also know the versatility of his work? To this day, he has remained in motion in a search through musical genres and continents. With his performance at the Geuzenhuis, we are not getting easy youth sentiment, but a concert by a musician for whom lifelong discovery and development are self-evident.  On Tars' own website you will find more info and fun clips: https://tarslootens.be Here is a short overview: Tars Lootens ( Ghent , December 22 , 1952 ) is a Belgian pianist , composer , and accompanist for, among others, Toots Thielemans , Zjef Vanuytsel, Jo Lemaire , Will Tura , Maurice Jarre , I Fiamminghi , Rocco Granata, Salvatore Adamo, Johan Verminnen, ... In jazz, he was mainly active with the formation Jazzcircle. The group appeared on the jazz scene in 1977, under his impulse and that of bassist Marc Van Garsse. Philippe Venneman played saxophone and Jean-Luc Van Lommel was the drummer. Zowel Lootens and Van Lommel were active with Zjef Vanuytsel at the time. One year after its founding, Jazzcircle was already a laureate at the International Jazz Concours van Laren (Netherlands). Marc Van Garsse received the award for best soloist. The group toured at home and abroad and played at Jazz Middelheim in 1979. They were a fixture in the Belgian jazz circuit of the seventies and eighties and performed several times with Toots Thielemans . In 1980, the group was described in Knack as 'one of the best jazz groups in Flanders'. In 1982, 'Sungames' was released, the only record by Jazzcircle on the Dutch label Timeless. Lootens composed no fewer than seven songs for this album. He was also the producer. On 'Swimming Pool', a composition by him and Van Garsse, Toots Thielemans played as a guest musician on harmonica. After the sudden death of saxophonist Philippe Venneman, also called the Flemish Stan Getz , due to a car accident in 1993, the group ceased to exist. On his CD 'Tarsando Ma Non troppo' (Eufoda), Tars pays tribute to Venneman with the song 'The Spring of '93'. Tars Lootens composed a number of theme songs for television and radio programs and performed at festivals in Mexico, Canada, Russia, Japan, France, the Verenigde Staten, and Algeria. Although he loves jazz music the most, he has also earned his stripes in cabaret and pop and rock music. He was also the "on the fly" accompaniment pianist in the VTM television program, "Kinderacademie" where he provided live musical support to children during their performances.