Ruben Machtelinckx, Toma Gouband and Nils Økland + finissage

Three distinctive voices from the European improv, jazz and contemporary music scenes come together for a unique concert at the REFUGE pavilion, created by Ives Maes and Samyra Moumouh. For this special occasion, guitarist and composer Ruben Machtelinckx brings together two trusted musical allies: the French percussionist Toma Gouband and the Norwegian Hardanger violin player Nils Økland.

Although this trio is performing in this line-up for the first time, the three musicians share a long musical history. For years, Ruben Machtelinckx has been one of the most distinctive voices in Belgian and European improvisational music. His work has been praised for its subtle, evocative and boundary-pushing nature, and has brought him together on stage and in the studio with international musicians such as Evan Parker, Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, Arve Henriksen, Hilmar Jensson and many others.

He has been playing alongside Nils Økland for over ten years in a variety of projects, including Linus and Økland/Van Heertum/Zach. As a master of the Hardanger violin, he has developed a musical language entirely his own, in which Norwegian traditions, improvisation and contemporary music converge. Together with Toma Gouband, he forms the group Porous Structures, which was awarded the Klara Prize for Best Belgian Jazz Album in 2020. Gouband is internationally renowned for his unique approach to percussion, in which self-made instruments of stones, plants, and natural materials play a leading role – also those harvested from the Baron Casier park.

A new trio is currently being formed especially for the REFUGE pavilion: a first encounter between guitar, Hardanger violin and percussion. The pavilion’s unique architecture and acoustics not only provide the backdrop but also play an active role in the music. Expect a concert in which composition and improvisation, resonance and silence, tradition and experimentation constantly intertwine.

This event is part of the programme of the REFUGE pavilion.