BRAM DE LOOZE SOLO

Bram De Looze (°1991) is one of those musicians who is always on the lookout for new options, detours and possibilities to expand his art. His solo career began in a surprising way with ‘Piano e forte‘ (2016), a project for which he approached historical instruments from a contemporary perspective. The switch to Chris Maene’s Straight Strung Grand Piano for ‘Switch The Stream‘ (2018) indicated a renewed search for movement, evolution and introspection. With ‘Colour Talk‘ (2020), he continued this solo trajectory on an already revolutionary piano model, again seeking innovation from within.

His latest solo album ‘Spotting Gateways‘ (2024) is built around an eternal challenge and personal aim while creating music: daring to keep the music open enough in the moment itself and stay close and connect to the higher potential it can offer.

Bram De Looze on the album and creative process: “The title ‘Spotting Gateways’ refers to the creating process in the months prior to the recording dates. Many days I was spending time on finding musical material, without writing anything down, only listening to what the sound suggests. I started recording myself doing this and thus collecting all different kinds of seeds for making music with. The process of finding these musical seeds are very precious moments. Almost every time it comes as a surprise thanks to the subconscious mind. It is very addictive.

All these recordings, at home or elsewhere, were the beginning of creating this album. On purpose I tried to write down as less as I could so I didn’t loose the specific vibe I found due to changes in tempo or dynamics or energy. I was being very sensitive to the specificity of the music. As many musicians know, reading while playing makes you play very different, becoming less sensitive and less aware of the impact that certain ingredients in the music have

Mostly I don’t change much to the ‘seed’ or compose more out of it. Instead, I improvise with it. A seed functions as a gateway to enter a specific zone in music for a while. Deciding the form in the moment happens frequently, depending on where the take is going it is only possible because the seed is strong and clear enough. I felt this was the way to go, looking for a place through which you have to go in order to get to a very particular area”

‘Spotting Gateways’ was released on January 19, 2024 on the Dutch label DOX Records. After the release, Bram De Looze toured throughout Europe with his fourth solo album, while also heading to Australia in 2024. In January of 2025, he was the artist in residence at Brussels Jazz Festival in Flagey.