Jazz à Liège Jazz Fest features sounds from the Amazon Rainforest to modern R&B

His playing is muscular, and his improvisations are sometimes fast and furious. Yes, Amaro Freitas is a piano virtuoso, but he’s also a sound seeker between jazz improvisation and Brazilian folklore rhythms. But the pianist from Recife in north-east Brazil is much more than that, as he demonstrated in his impressive solo concert at the Jazz à Liège festival. A trip to the Amazon region a few years ago made a deep impression on Freitas. The nature there, the rivers, the people. These impressions have resulted in a kind of suite that takes the listener on an imaginary journey into the rainforest. The Brazilian creates this audio journey with prepared piano, rustling sounds, flute notes that imitate bird calls and cleverly sampled sounds. It is a touching, long trip where the virtuosity of Freitas' playing does not take centre stage for once. Emotions and images are created here. Great audio cinema! 

The Frenchman Paul Lay also plays the piano, but in a completely different way to Amaro Freitas. More elegant, more playful, more melodious. The Paul Lay Trio gave the Liège festival a marvellous hour of music composed by the bandleader in their very own way. With beautiful, lyrical melodies and sensitive interplay between the three musicians. Music to dream away to, if that wasn't too bad with these beautiful sounds. Exceptional pianists were well represented in Liège this year. In the Trocadéro, this beautiful, over 100-year-old cabaret theatre in the heart of Liège's old town, the Antonio Faraò Trio provided the festival with a highlight with a live rendition of the Italian pianist's latest album, ‘Tributes’, a self-composed tribute to his personal jazz piano heroes. With bassist John Patitucci and drummer Gene Jackson , Faraò shone with his virtuoso improvisation in the fiery post-bop numbers and showed himself to be a soulful master in the ballads. 

Anyone who wanted more piano jazz that evening had to walk the few minutes from the Trocadéro over to the Cité Miroir, a modern concert hall, to experience pianist Nduduzo Makhathini's revamped trio. The South African pianist (pictured above - photo by Luc Garnier) is such a different kind of artist. Spiritual, and he always sees his music as a healing power for everything that has happened not only to people in Africa, but also there in the past, from oppression and colonialism to slavery. And so, late at night, you immerse yourself in this charismatic artist's very own cosmos, in the warm, soulful sounds in which his homeland usually resonates and perhaps even sing along quietly at the end when Makhathini invites the audience to do so. 

As many concerts take place at the festival at the same time, unfortunately one can't hear everything. But with a festival or day pass, or with some of the free concerts on offer, you can still take a quick look at many of them. For example checking out Azymuth, the legendary trio from Brazil, with their feather-light funk-jazz-Brasil pop mix, even though bassist Alex Malheiros is the only original member still alive and on stage at the cool Club Reflektor. Or one could stop at the class trumpeters Erik Truffaz and Theo Croker, who have both created their own sound. Or listen to the French ladies' trio Nout, who go wild on flute, drums and electric harp, modifying the sounds of the instruments to sound even like a hard rock band. 

A visit to the chansonnier Dominique A (pictured above - photo by Luc Garnier), one of the founders of Nouvelle Chanson , was also worthwhile. In a trio with guitar, double bass and keyboard instruments, the Frenchman enchanted his vociferous fans from the very first note. Meanwhile, Brussels artist and singer Adja spoilt the audience with laid-back R&B, while the Liège trio Bread For Pigeons used their stage with its colourful neon lights as a fitting visual backdrop for their fresh, synthesiser-heavy fusion jazz. A wide range offered by Jazz à Liège. And, of course, once again in the city's most beautiful concert halls, as could be read on the programme cover.