In the recent ‘The New York City Jazz Record’ magazine about the contemporary jazz scene in New York, Paul Van Gysegem appears on the cover (issue 231, July 2021). Here are some excerpts:

He had the chance to perform with a wide cross-section of Europe’s finest jazz players: Willem Breuker, Willem Van Manen, Albert Mangelsdorff, Gunter Hampel, Han Bennink, Misha Mengelberg, John Stevens and Derek Bailey and expatriates such as Mal Waldron, Noël McGhie, Steve Potts and Jeanne Lee. Of Waldron, Van Gysegem says, “He had this special magic drive, so essential in avant garde jazz music. He was a friend, brother and soulmate. From 1970 until 1998 we had several concerts mostly in duo, sometimes in trio with Noël McGhie, Kenneth Tyler or Pierre Courbois on drums.”

As to why he didn’t record for so long, Van Gysegem speaks simply and with no bitterness: “After Aorta there were always concerts on a regular basis but I lacked the support and somebody to take care of the organizational and practical side, the management side, so to speak. Besides I was busy in different other areas.” Prior to the Square Talks album, Van Gysegem had two other albums on El Negocito, the Ghent-based label founded by Rogé Verstraete in 2009.
(Andrey Henkin, The New York City Jazz Record).

Bernaerts Gallery is honoured to host this icon, accompanied by four other top musicians, in its Platform venue. Amidst some of his paintings and sculptures – the intention was to have this concert take place at the opening of his recent passage at Bernaerts (from 16-31 January 2021) – his quintet will perform the internationally acclaimed album ‘Square Talks’. 

With thanks to the Flemish Community.

PAUL OF GYSEGEM QUINTET
Overberghe Cell (tenor and soprano saxophone)
Patrick De Groote (trumpet, flugelhorn)
Erik Vermeulen (piano)
Paul Van Gysegem (double bass)
Marek Patrman (percussion, trumpet)

Release new CD/ LP: SQUARE TALKS