Concert: Alex Koo (FULL)

Alex Koo is not an average jazz pianist. Jazz, contemporary classical music, indie pop, and film music flow into each other in his sound world, which is characterized by long improvisations, lyrical compositions, and unexpected silences. He started as a classical piano prodigy at the age of five and became completely captivated by jazz in his teenage years. Later he garnered praise from artists such as Brad Mehldau, Kenny Werner, and Kurt Elling and received international recognition as ‘stunningly original’ (Downbeat Magazine) and ‘of the same rare level as Keith Jarrett’ (Trouw). His breakthrough album Appleblueseagreen (2019) – a haunting trio with Mark Turner and Ralph Alessi – was named one of the best albums of the year by Downbeat. His latest album ‘Blame It on My Chromosomes’ moves even deeper into emotionally rich and genre-transcending territory: a highly expressive record, shaped by his permanent trio – drummer Dré Pallemaerts and bassist Lennart Heyndels. Live or on record, Koo's music feels like a film that has not yet been made. Sometimes it is tender. Sometimes chaotic. Sometimes subtly absurd. But always unmistakably his.