Who doesn’t like it cosy when winter approaches. And some storytelling through jazzy vibes from a brand-new Belgian album to go with it. Thank you Don Marsh to treat us to your debut called Marshland!🎼
Congratz first of all! Must be exciting to release your firstborn in front of a live audience 🙌By now there have been quite a few occasions to play. Tell us how that went.
Yes very excited indeed! We played some small try-out concerts before, but it’s the first time for me leading the band for a bigger audience.
We played a few outdoor festivals & some clubs, which made me realize again how different the music comes across in those settings. Because of the broad stylistic palette there is not one ideal concert experience, but I look forward to playing in medium-size halls with some more natural reverberation which will be great for the chamber-like music we play.
Anyway, it’s a real blessing to play my own music with these great musicians. It’s something that I have been looking forward to for a long time.
We’re also curious what the rhythm section has to say. How are they involved in the creation process for instance?
Our bass player Janos Bruneel has written some compositions for the group, so that’s an obvious contribution. On rehearsals he often pinpoints weak spots in my compositions and he helps to think about arrangements. His clear lines bring a direction to the music that is really helpful for keeping the whole thing together. This direction is important as the music often shifts between composition and improvisation, and it can be hard to keep track of the bigger structure that I want to convey.
Our drummer Matthias is more pragmatic. He will try to understand what I want the music to say and make his contributions along the way. Matthias has a very broad taste and that’s something you can hear in his playing. He can be a supportive player, adding colors, but there are enough moments where he takes the front stage as an improviser too.
Can you tell us about the first bricks of this record? Which track came first and triggered all the others?
Not all compositions are linked to each other. Some pieces were written years ago (Very Late & ILVM I-II), when we first started playing with the band as a quartet. Somewhat later – when I was very much into the music of Mingus- I wrote some swinging pieces (Rhytmicus & Bermuda). This was when I really heard an extra horn in my head, so I got the idea to add at trumpet to the group, which offered more arranging possibilities. The idea for the sonata came later. I already wrote the track “Dawn” without having the intention of making it part of a multi-movement work. It was clearly a different side of my musical identity, one that I wanted to explore more.
The mentioning of the name Beethoven in the bio kind of stayed with us…What exactly inspires you within this classic grandmaster?
During the covid- lockdown, I got a little bit discouraged playing jazz and improvising. For me, the most important aspect of this music is the rhythmic interaction with other musicians, and with that absent I just wanted to play aesthetically pleasing music. I was drawn to classical repertoire and especially the Beethoven sonata’s.
What I like about this music so much is the intricate architecture and the storytelling on a bigger scale, which is rarely present in jazz. It made me wonder if I could combine this kind of narrative with my own musical language.
Wouter Van den Broeck, pianist/composer and founder of the acoustic quintet Don Marsh V
There were a lot of challenges, for example as how to find spots for improvisation and spontaneity, but in the end I’m quite happy with the result. It’s still a work in progress however. My understanding of Beethoven’s music and the sonata form is still basic and I will probably never perform any of the sonata’s for an audience. But that’s part of the fun for me, having this new world to discover.
Other music heroes who made you grow as artists?
Most of my influences are Black American artists. My first hero was Ray Charles. Oscar Peterson was a big reference for swing feel and a meticulous execution. Bud Powell was the blueprint for my bebop language, I like his ‘in the moment’- playing and raw energy. I love Mingus for his use of form and the historical awareness in his music.There are countless others of course..
What can we expect from don Marsh V in the months ahead? And 2023?
We are finishing the first part of our tour in October. In November me & my wife are expecting our first child, so I didn’t plan any concerts then. We start playing again in February 2023. We hope to play some summer festivals and I would like to start writing a second album, probably expanding on the idea of this ‘jazz sonata’. Maybe I would like to add other musicians, but we have to see if it’s doable.
What would you say to convince new (international) potential listeners and audiences To come and check you out live?
The band consists of some of the finest improvisational talent Belgium has to offer. I already talked about the rhythm section, but the horn section alone would be enough to attract curious music- fans. Saxophonist Warre Van de Putte is the youngster of the group and still a well- hidden secret in the Belgian scene. He has incredible technique and imagination and he plays with a maturity far beyond his years. Jean-Paul Estiévenart on the trumpet is a fantastic player at home in lot’s of different musical styles. He just released a record with the ensemble ‘Il Gardellino’, playing music of J.S. Bach. You should definitely check that out as well!
In What kind of ways you are able to promote a debut album? Do you feel you get enough support from organisations?
I contacted label manager Joshua Dellaert from Solidude records for the release of the album. He helped to get me some financial support from Sabam for Culture (Belgian supportsystem for creators ed. note), which gave me the opportunity to work with promotor Bram Moony (Vermeersch). He’s doing a fine job bringing the music to a broader audience, but of course it’s not an easy task these days. Budgets are tighter than ever, concert spots are scarce and there is a growing pool of excellent musicians who are eager to bring their project to the limelight. I’m aware that my music is not the next ‘hip thing’ and that it’s not for a niche audience, but I just want to make music that makes me feel good. Honesty to oneself is the most important thing in the long run I think.
Marshland is released by Solidude Records.
Discover Don Marsh V live in Belgium on these dates⬇️
February 16, 2023
Academiezaal, St-Truiden, 20:30 pm
February 23, 2023
CC Mol, 20:30 pm
February 26, 2023
Maene HQ, Ruiselede, 11H
ArtistCongratz 