Fabrizio Cassol

FABRIZIO CASSOL

° 1964, Ougrée, Belgique

Fabrizio Cassol studied at the “Conservatoire Royal de Liège” (under the guidance of Henri Pousseur) from 1982 until 1985 where he received first prize for saxophone, along with a higher degree in chamber music. He also worked in the department of contemporary music.  At the same time, he is actively involved in the jazz-scène, mainly with saxophone player Jacques Pelzer and rapidly establishes bands, allowing him to incorporate the different elements of his work.
“Trio Bravo” (1984-1992) is the most representative of this approach.
In 1989 he becomes one of the founding members of “Kaai”, a Brussels jazz club and laboratory for musical improvisation.
In 1992 Aka Moon was created (with Michel Hatzigeorgiou and Stéphane Galland) after a significant stay with the Aka Pygmies in Central Africa.  This ushers in a new chapter, characterised by numerous field trips to India, Africa, Cuba…
They experience crucial encounters with the Indian master Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman, the Senegalese master Doudou N’diaye Rose, as well as with a number of musicians such as M. Ducret, B. Delbecq, D. Gilmore, J. Lovano, R. Eubanks, M. Malik, P. Catherine, M. Turner, D. Linx, F. Fiorini, Toots Thielemans, …
In 2000 Aka Moon collaborates on “Wintermärchen”, a Philippe Boesmans and Luc Bondy opera.  Aka Moon was invited in more than thirty countries and has officially produced thirteen CD’s.
With the support of “La Monnaie/De Munt”, the band sets up different projects, focussing on various vocal expressions.  They partner with David Linx, Santhana Gopalman (India), Miguel Cerro (flamenco), Marie Daulne (Zap Mama), Kris Dane and in 2006 Oumou Sangare (Mali), Me’ Shell Ndégéocello (USA) and recently with a choir of 600 children (2005).
In 1995 Fabrizio Cassol composes “Variations on a Love Supreme” along with Kris Defoort, and performs it in a duet with Joachim Kuhn.

He also works together with Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker’s dance company Rosas for two shows: “I Said I” (1999) and “In real time” (2000) along with Aka Moon and TG Stan.
Fabrizio Cassol is regularly asked to compose for performers such as the Ictus ensemble, the Danel quartet, Bernard Foccroulle, the symphonic orchestra of “La Monnaie/De Munt”…
In consultation with instrument builder François Louis, Fabrizio Cassol creates a new polyphonic wind instrument called ‘L’aulochrome’.  He is a soloist in the SWR (Baden-Baden) orchestra’s “Fanfare III” of Philippe Boesmans, composed especially for this instrument and conducted under the direction of Sylvain Cambreling on “Radio France” in 2002 and of Ono Kazushi in “Bozar”, Brussels.

In 2003 he rewrites Philippe Boesmans’s “Reigen” opera for a 22 soloist chamber orchestra.

Since 2004 he collaborates with DJ Grazzhoppa in the first 12 DJ bigband.Fabrizio is now the resident artist of “La Monnaie/De Munt” and regularly works with KVS.
He shares his musical experience, stemming from both oral and written tradition, in numerous workshops all over the world (G.A. Royal Academy of London, the Madras Music Academy, the Conservatory  of Jeruzalem, the Conservatory of Hanoi, …).

Source : Les Ballets C. de la B.

Update : January 2012