Fred Van Hove
Encyclopedia
Fred Van Hove is a Belgian
jazz
musician and a pioneer of European free jazz
. He is a pianist
, accordion
ist, church organist, and carillon
ist, an improviser
and a composer
. He is known for his work in the 1960s and 70s with saxophonist Peter Brötzmann
and drummer Han Bennink
and for his subsequent work in various duos and as a solo artist.
in 1966, playing on his early quartet and sextet recordings including 1968's Machine Gun album, and then as part of a trio with Brötzmann and drummer Han Bennink
. Van Hove has since played in a number of duos, notably with saxophonists Steve Lacy
and Lol Coxhill
and with trombonists Albert Mangelsdorff
and Vinko Globokar
. He has composed for film and theatre and taught local musicians in Berlin
. He has held workshops in Germany, France, England, Belgium, and the Netherlands, and has held studios at the University of Lille III
. Van Hove has collaborated with a number of his fellow Belgian musicians and in 1996 he was given the title of Cultural Ambassador of Flanders by the Belgian government.
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
musician and a pioneer of European free jazz
Free jazz
Free jazz is an approach to jazz music that was first developed in the 1950s and 1960s. Though the music produced by free jazz pioneers varied widely, the common feature was a dissatisfaction with the limitations of bebop, hard bop, and modal jazz, which had developed in the 1940s and 1950s...
. He is a pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
, accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
ist, church organist, and carillon
Carillon
A carillon is a musical instrument that is typically housed in a free-standing bell tower, or the belfry of a church or other municipal building. The instrument consists of at least 23 cast bronze, cup-shaped bells, which are played serially to play a melody, or sounded together to play a chord...
ist, an improviser
Free improvisation
Free improvisation or free music is improvised music without any rules beyond the logic or inclination of the musician involved. The term can refer to both a technique and as a recognizable genre in its own right....
and a composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
. He is known for his work in the 1960s and 70s with saxophonist Peter Brötzmann
Peter Brötzmann
Peter Brötzmann is a German artist and free jazz saxophonist and clarinetist.Brötzmann is among the most important European free jazz musicians. His rough, lyrical timbre is easily recognized on his many recordings.-Early life:...
and drummer Han Bennink
Han Bennink
Han Bennink is a Dutch jazz drummer and percussionist. On occasion his recordings have featured his playing on clarinet, violin, banjo and piano....
and for his subsequent work in various duos and as a solo artist.
Biography
Van Hove studied musical theory, harmony and piano in Belgium. He began an association with saxophonist Peter BrötzmannPeter Brötzmann
Peter Brötzmann is a German artist and free jazz saxophonist and clarinetist.Brötzmann is among the most important European free jazz musicians. His rough, lyrical timbre is easily recognized on his many recordings.-Early life:...
in 1966, playing on his early quartet and sextet recordings including 1968's Machine Gun album, and then as part of a trio with Brötzmann and drummer Han Bennink
Han Bennink
Han Bennink is a Dutch jazz drummer and percussionist. On occasion his recordings have featured his playing on clarinet, violin, banjo and piano....
. Van Hove has since played in a number of duos, notably with saxophonists Steve Lacy
Steve Lacy
Steve Lacy , born Steven Norman Lackritz in New York City, was a jazz saxophonist and composer recognized as one of the important players of soprano saxophone....
and Lol Coxhill
Lol Coxhill
Lowen Coxhill, generally known as Lol Coxhill is a free improvising saxophonist and raconteur...
and with trombonists Albert Mangelsdorff
Albert Mangelsdorff
Albert Mangelsdorff was one of the most accredited and innovative trombonists of modern jazz who became famous for his distinctive technique of playing multiphonics.-Biography:...
and Vinko Globokar
Vinko Globokar
Vinko Globokar is a French avant-garde composer and trombonist of Slovene descent.His work is noted for its use of unconventional and extended techniques, closely allying him to contemporaries Salvatore Sciarrino and Helmut Lachenmann...
. He has composed for film and theatre and taught local musicians in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. He has held workshops in Germany, France, England, Belgium, and the Netherlands, and has held studios at the University of Lille III
Charles de Gaulle University - Lille III
The Charles de Gaulle University - Lille III is a French university. Since 1974, the main campus of University of Lille III is located in Villeneuve d'Ascq in southern Lille, at Pont de Bois metro station, and includes 21,000 students.University of Lille III inherits from the humanities taught for...
. Van Hove has collaborated with a number of his fellow Belgian musicians and in 1996 he was given the title of Cultural Ambassador of Flanders by the Belgian government.
External links
- Improvised performance with Walter HusWalter HusWalter Hus is a Belgian composer and musician.Walter Hus studied at the music conservatories in Ghent and Brussels. In 1984, he graduated with excellence for piano with Prof. Dr. Robert Steyaert and soon became involved with new music in many different expressions...
for Radio FranceRadio FranceRadio France is a French public service radio broadcaster.-Mission:Radio France's two principal missions are:* To create and expand the programming on all of their stations; and... - Biography at the European Free Improvision Pages