De Werf
De Werf is a Belgian arts center based in Bruges. It organizes concerts and records CDs for jazz musicians. The first record it released (in 1993) was Sketches of Belgium by K. D.'s Basement Party, a band led by Kris Defoort. The next year, Octurn's first album went out on this label. In 1995, it released Variations On A Love Supreme (compositions by Kris Defoort and Fabrizio Cassol). In 2002, an 11-CD box was edited by De Werf under the name The Finest Of Belgian Jazz. It contained CDs by Greetings From Mercury, Aka Moon, Brussels Jazz Orchestra, Octurn and Kris Defoort Quartet.
Rik Bevernage, De Werf's main collaborator, received a special prize at the 2002 Golden Django ceremony.
In February 2009, the public funding for the venue was removed, it being felt that the club didn't produce relevant or up-to-date concerts and theatre performances, making a closure of De Werf from 31 December 2009 likely. However, new productions kept being programmed and also in 2014, the season is filled with creations and new programmes.
Live acts
De Werf has its own concert hall where many jazz bands perform. There are also theatre pieces and events for children.
Records
1993 release
- K. D.'s Basement Party : Sketches of Belgium
1994 releases
- Octurn : Chromatic History
- K.D.'s Decade : K.D.'s Decade Live
1995 release
- Kris Defoort and Fabrizio Cassol : Variations On A Love Supreme
1996 release
- Joe Fonda, Carlo Morena and Jeff Hirshfield : What We're Hearing
1997 releases
- Octurn : Ocean
- Bart Defoort Quartet : Moving
- The Fonda/Stevens Group : Live From Brugge
1998 releases
- Laurent Blondiau Quintet : The Queen Of The Apple Pie
- The Chris Joris Experience : Live 1997
- Ernst Vranckx Quartet featuring Kenny Wheeler : A Child's Blessing
1999 releases
- Kris Defoort Quartet and Kris Defoort & Dreamtime : Passages (2CDs)
- Frank Vaganée Trio featuring John Ruocco : Two Trios
- Ode For Joe : Caribbean Fire Dance
- Brussels Jazz Orchestra : The September Sessions
2000 releases
- Ben Sluijs Quartet : Candy Century
- Octurn : Round
- Joe Fonda, Carlo Morena and Jeff Hirshfield : Step-In
- Mark Dresser and Mark Elias : The Marks Brothers
2001 releases
- Ernst Vranckx Quintet : Songs & Dances
- Ben Sluijs Quartet : Seasounds
- Erik Vermeulen trio : Songs of Minutes
- Rêve d'éléphant Orchestra : Racines Du Ciel
- Christoph Erbstösser Trio : Vive Les Etrangers
- Trio Grande : Signé Trio Grande
2002 releases
- Various artists : The Finest In Belgian Jazz (11CDs box) with :
- Brussels Jazz Orchestra : The Music Of Bert Joris (2CDs)
- Greetings From Mercury : Heiwa
- Aka Moon : Guitars
- Nathalie Loriers Trio + Extensions : Tombouctou
- Octurn : Dimensions
- Ben Sluijs Quartet : Flying Circles
- Philip Catherine : Summer Night
- Bert Joris Quartet : Live
- Erik Vermeulen trio : Inner City
- Kris Defoort, Mark Turner, Nicolas Thys and Jim Black : Sound Plaza
2003 releases
- The Chris Joris Experience : Out Of The Night
- Bart Defoort Quartet : The Lizard Game
- Jan De Haas Quintet : Doing My Thing
2004 releases
- Mahieu-Vantomme Quartet : Whatever
- Rêve d'éléphant Orchestra : Lobster Caravan
- André Goudbeek, Xu Fengxia and Joe Fonda : Separate Realities
- High Voltage : Hoppin' Around
- Koen De Cauter, Fapy Lafertin, Patrick Saussois, Joop Ayal, Tcha Limberger, Waso De Cauter and Dajo De Cauter : Django!
2005 releases
- Ben Sluijs Quartet : True Nature
- Kris Defoort, Koen Kessels, Claron Mc Fadden & Dreamtime : ConVerSations/ConSerVations
- Hendrik Braeckman, Bert Joris, Kurt Van Herck, Piet Verbist & Jan de Haas : til now
- Bart Maris, Zeger Vandenbussche, Mathias Van de Wiele, Dajo De Cauter & Giovanni Barcella : Konglong
2006 releases
- Fabrizio Cassol, Bart Defoort, Michel Massot, Stéphane Galland & Kris Defoort : Live at The Werf
- Robin Verheyen, Harmen Fraanje, Clemens van der Feen & Flin van Hemmen : Narcissus
- Nathalie Loriers, Sal La Rocca, Hans Van Oosterhout : Silent Spring
- Peer Baierlein, Ewout Pierreux, David Petrocca & Yves Peeters : Open Questions
- Brussels Jazz Orchestra : Countermove
- Nathalie Loriers & Chemins Croisés : L'arbre pleure
- Ben Sluijs, Jeroen Van Herzeele, Manolo CAbras & Marek Patrman : Somewhere in Between
- Eric Person, Bob Stewart, Fabian Fioriini, Reggie Washington, Chris Mentens, Baba Sissoko, Junior Mthombeni & Chris Joris : Rainbow Country
- Bart Quartier, Nico Schepers, Bart Defoort, Jean-Louis Rassinfosse & Jan de Haas : Thank You
- Laurent Blondiau, Jeroen Van Herzeele, Jean-Yves Evrard, Jozef Dumoulin, Sébastien Boisseau, Eric Thielemans, guest(s), Sophie Kokaj & Samanta7 : 5
2007 releases
- Pierre Van Dormael & Octurn : North Country Suite
- Saxafabra & Cezariusz Gadzina : Saxafabra
- Songs for Broadcoast : RadioKUKAorkest