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All the compositions on this album are original works, created during a period of personal growth and artistic exploration. Each piece represents a chapter in a larger story — one that reflects not only my journey as a musician but also my evolving understanding of life, purpose, and meaning.

The opening track, “Wu Wei,” sets the tone. A central concept in Taoist philosophy, Wu Wei translates to “non-action” — not inaction, but effortless action, or moving with the flow of life rather than against it. As a musician, this idea resonates deeply: to be in harmony with your surroundings, to create without forcing, to live and express from a place of presence.

“One” speaks to the longing for unity in a divided world. Despite conflict, disagreement, and disconnection, there is always a deeper thread that binds us together — a shared humanity that transcends our differences.

“Home” represents the need for belonging, safety, and grounding. For some, home is a physical place; for others, it’s something they must find or create. But for all of us, the feeling of home is essential to live a fulfilled life.

“Reflections in the Water” is an introspective piece — a reminder of where we come from and who we are at our core. Influenced by classical and impressionistic traditions, it pays homage to the great composers who have shaped music history and continue to inspire me.

“Seven Virtues, Seven Sins” explores the dualities of human nature — the push and pull between good and evil, right and wrong, light and shadow. It’s a reflection on the moral questions we all face and the deeper quest for inner truth and balance.

In “Samsara,” the cyclic nature of existence is made audible: life, death, and rebirth — endlessly repeating. It reminds us that every end carries the seed of a new beginning.

“Blues for Sadako” is a tribute to Sadako Sasaki, a young girl who became a symbol of peace after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945. Her story, and the thousands of paper cranes she folded, speak of hope, remembrance, and the resilience of the human spirit. This piece is dedicated to her and to all victims of war.

The final track, “Healing,” is a hymn for humanity. In times of pain and turmoil, sometimes what the world needs most is a moment of collective healing — a return to compassion, empathy, and wholeness.

Throughout this album, I’ve tried to express something honest — something that reflects the complexity of being alive. We live in a world full of goals, distractions, and expectations. Often, we chase success or run from discomfort, forgetting to be present in the moment. But life is not a race to the finish line. It is a process of becoming, of unfolding — just like a flower grows, slowly and naturally, in its own time.

You cannot force growth. You cannot force mastery. The moment you think you’ve arrived, life will humble you. There is no final destination — only the ongoing path.

Obstacles will come. Resistance will arise. But perhaps the key is not to fight or flee, but to accept — to let go, and to allow life to unfold. This is the essence of Wu Wei. To move in harmony with the world, to follow your inner voice, to grow in all directions like a tree, to live fully in the present — this is not just a philosophy, but a way of life.

This album is an invitation to listen — not just to the music, but to yourself.

- Aseo Friesacher

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Master drummer Stéphane Galland (Aka Moon, The Rhythm Hunters, Ibrahim Maalouf…) presents Kanda, a fresh and polymorphous trio with Lúcia Pires (Steps, Edoardo Cimino, Tomorrow’s Warriors) on flute and EWI, and Louise van den Heuvel (Sonic Hug, Dishwasher_, Stéphane Galland & The Rhythm Hunters) on electric bass, samples and effects.

Kanda refers to many different concepts. In Sanskrit, the word means “chapter” and in South Indian music, Kanda Chapu is used to define a 5-beat cycle. In Thai, the word is a mark of affection for loved ones, and in Hatha Yoga texts, it refers to roots, both of plants and of the energy flows known as Nadis.

With these branching spiritual meanings, it’s no wonder that the project Kanda exists in many forms. It Is at once a purely acoustic trio with flute, bass and drums, and at other times more electronic with the addition of effects and keyboards to the bass and the use of the EWI (electronic wind instrument). The EWI can take over the role of the bass, while the bass plays the melodies and chords. 

Kanda is energetic and rhythmic as well as fragile and atmospheric all at once. Rhythmic complexity is used to pave the way towards new territories of sensation and groove. From its conception, the trio immediately started developing its unique essence.

With this project, master of rhythm Stéphane Galland aims to explore a new direction in his ever-evolving quest for fresh musical adventures.

- available as cd and vinyl
- Where Rhythm Meets Innovation: Led by master drummer Stéphane Galland, Kanda blends traditional rhythms with futuristic sound design to create an experience unlike any other.
- Featuring emerging talents Lúcia Pires and Louise van den Heuvel, Kanda bridges generations of jazz and experimental music to shape its forward-thinking sound.

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With Peace Orchestra, saxophonist Yuri Honing presents a new musical chapter where boundaries blur and sounds connect. This unique ensemble brings together a rich palette of influences, rooted in the spiritual jazz of the 1960s and ’70s, yet infused with modern electronics and an open, contemporary sound.

Inspired by legends such as Pharoah Sanders (The Creator Has a Masterplan), Charles Lloyd, and Sun Ra, the album is a tribute to musical freedom. The Peace Orchestra defies stylistic labels — it is a breathing, evolving entity where tradition, innovation, and improvisation continuously embrace each other.

Together, Yuri Honing – tenor saxophone, Remy van Kesteren – harp & electronics, Ella Zirina – guitar, Tony Overwater – double bass & bass guitar, and Yoràn Vroom – drums, create a sonic universe that feels contemplative, powerful, and wide open. Live recordings such as For a Script, Kaïn & Abel, and a surprising reinterpretation of Imagine showcase their dynamic energy and collective freedom.

- An all-star lineup of top-tier musicians, spearheaded by internationally acclaimed saxophonist Yuri Honing, offering a fresh, boundary-pushing sound.
- Rooted in the freedom-driven jazz of the 1960s and ’70s (Pharoah Sanders, Charles Lloyd, Sun Ra), the album merges vintage spirit with contemporary electronic textures.
- Peace Orchestra transcends genres — a fluid, evolving musical experience where tradition, innovation, and improvisation intertwine seamlessly.
- 180 grams gatefold vinyl

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Jaggat is a band that builds virtuosic sound bridges between chamber jazz and musical traditions from around the globe. Spanish, Indian, Arabic, African, and Latin American influences merge into a powerful and cohesive sonic tapestry, transcending cultural boundaries.

The name Jaggat—derived from Sanskrit for “world”—reflects the ensemble’s mission: uniting the rich sounds of diverse cultures into a captivating musical journey rooted in openness and respect for diversity. Their new album demonstrates how tolerance and cultural exchange can give rise to something truly new and beautiful—in music as in society. By weaving together global rhythms, melodies, and traditions, Jaggat creates a sound that is unmistakably their own.

At the heart of this musical dialogue are original compositions by guitarist Markus Conrad and double bassist Caspar van Meel, seamlessly intertwined yet unmistakably marked by their individual voices. Percussionist Afra Mussawisade enriches the music with his unique instrumentation, laying down both a vibrant groove and a refined sonic foundation.

Whether performing as a trio or expanding into a quartet with guest violinist Christoph König, Jaggat unfolds a colorful and wide-ranging spectrum of sound. Their music reveals that diversity not only enriches but also inspires.

- 180 grams vinyl
- Jaggat blends classical music, jazz, world music, flamenco, and Indian music into a unique and vibrant whole
- The album celebrates tolerance and cross-cultural dialogue, showing how diverse traditions can unite into new artistic expressions
- The trio is joined by Christoph König on four tracks

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With this duo, Jeroen Van Herzeele (Ben Sluijs, Mâäk’s Spirit, Toots Thielemans, Chris Joris, Philip Catherine) and Stéphane Galland (Aka Moon, Ibrahim Maalouf, Tigran Hamasyan, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Malcolm Braff) are opening another chapter in their musical experimentation and improvisation.
 
Jeroen and Stéphane crossed paths many times during their storied musical careers. One of their mutual projects was called Greetings from Mercury, a fusion group that mixed jazz, acid jazz, rock and rap. With their new duo, they continue to blend genres and soundscapes.
 
Using different settings and combinations of saxophone, modular synths, EWI, drums and electronics, Jeroen and Stéphane experience live music in an interactive context. The multiple horns, overdubs, drums and electronics are the platform for exhilarating dialogues about themes and metrics. The result is both heady and groovy, music that can be analyzed or danced to.
 
The duo has played live in several venues, including Sounds Jazz Club in Brussels and Ghent Jazz Festival. In 2025, they will play festivals such as Jazz à Liège and Jazz Middelheim in Antwerp. 
 
Their debut album is titled ‘Songshan’, after one of China’s five sacred mountains, the centre of heaven and earth.

- Using different settings and combinations of saxophone, modular synths, EWI, drums and electronics, Jeroen and Stéphane experience live music in an interactive context
- Debut album for the duo Jeroen Van Herzeele and Stéphane Galland
- Available as cd and lp

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In this day and age, who still writes love songs for a chosen woman of yesteryear? With sounds that whistle deep blue and remind you of the blues - the origins of jazz? - in his new composition Robin Verheyen takes colors from Jean Fouquet’s ‘Madonna’ and assigns them to his tenor and soprano, the three musicians of the Goeyvaerts String Trio and the 88 keys of Marc Copland’s piano.

The masterpiece ‘Madonna’ in the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp dates to around 1452 and is the right half of a diptych. The other piece, in Berlin, depicts the client of this work of art and his patron saint. Together, they form the so-called Melun diptych. In Antwerp you can see a ‘Maria Lactans’: the intimate theme of a mother breastfeeding her child. Because the subject was always updated to the fashion, taste or insights of the time, it continues to give new meaning.

In Master Fouquet’s version, seraphs and cherubs appear. Throne and crown also replace the old-fashioned Gothic gold aureole. But the Madonna remains exalted with all good things: ‘de tous bien plaine’. That is certainly how the coveted chanson by Hayne van Gizhegem from Fouquet’s time sounds (which was incorporated by Robin Verheyen into his composition). They both free their art from devotion and cautiously put the autonomous aesthetic experience first. Mary becomes heavenly and profane, simultaneously. Her ivory skin remains unblemished, but - so the gossip of the time wants: “Isn’t that Agnes Sorel”, the mistress of the French king? Is the most beautiful woman of the beau-monde a model for the Mother of God?

In ‘Blues, Reds and Other Songs’, Robin Verheyen draws inspiration from the characteristic harmony of the budding renaissance with quotes (such as the hymn Ave Maris Stella), canon techniques and faux-bourdon. Could the musical ornaments and fugal imitations of that period already have predicted the uniqueness of jazz?

A composition is made up of different layers. In a painting, this is represented by the harmony between horizontal, vertical and the suggestion of depth with a front, middle and back plan. Mary with child, the throne and the angels, especially the blue ones, in the depths can be translated into the polyphony of the music. In contemporary music we may too often listen to what’s on the surface: the highest voice, the melody. Polyphony, on the other hand, is an exercise in a continuous interaction between all voices that shift in a virtuoso way between foreground and background. Verheyen’s composition makes the connection between all these voices and layers in an organic way.

Tempo and rhythm is the flow with which the eye explores the composition. The exposed bosom probably lingers on many retinas a little longer. Let’s not view that perfect geometry by today’s standards lest this noblewoman be suspected of plastic surgery. The idealized form fits within a Platonic perspective and is even a compelling moral exhortation to relationships stripped of sensuality or desire. The mysterious appeal of the painting and this newly created music corresponds precisely within the search for what perfection and aesthetics mean in a given time.

- in his new composition Robin Verheyen takes colors from Jean Fouquet’s ‘Madonna’ and assigns them to his tenor and soprano, the three musicians of the Goeyvaerts String Trio and the 88 keys of Marc Copland’s piano
- Available as cd and lp

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Empty Empty is Cinema Paradiso's 3rd album.
Cinema Paradiso functions as a trio without a leader, consisting of Kurt Van Herck (Brussels Jazz Orchestra, Dizzie Gillespie Big Band, Bert Joris Quartet), Eric Thielemans (A Snare is a Bell, EARR, Talking About the Weather) and Willem Heylen (KRAKk, Aki, Sargam).

After his guest contributions on several tracks during the recording sessions that resulted in the compilation of the first two albums (Volume I and Volume II), Jozef Dumoulin (Lidlboj, The Red Hill Orchestra, True Company) was involved in the entire creation and recording process of Empty Empty.

Now focusing on original compositions (along with some Indian chants and a piece by Claude Debussy), this album also distinguishes itself from the previous two albums by presenting a new sonic landscape.  Blending the rich timbres and textures of both the acoustic and electric sonic worlds of the musicians, we were looking to get a strong, direct, full sound that still retains enough detail and acoustic warmth.

The album was recorded and mixed by Joris Caluwaerts (Stuff) at his Finster Studio in Antwerp.

- Available as CD and LP
- The album was recorded and mixed by Joris Caluwaerts (Stuff) at his Finster Studio in Antwerp.

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Where would a painter paint if it were not on a white canvas? Where would a composer compose if it were not on the stave and the spaces in between the lines? How would a musician play his instrument if there were no melodies composed, written down, painted for him to follow?

The magic of art needs a frame, a somewhat solid container to hold the freedom that can only be found once we integrate some form of structure. And that also holds in every other area of life. We all need a frame, a structure, a rhythm, or else, we fall apart. This human form needs the body, and yet it transcends the limitations of the body - through art.

Consistency being one of them seems oftentimes less tangible, for it resides more in the act of doing, and showing up for the practice, for devoting energy and presence. Strangely, if we consistently show up for our practice, regardless of its form, the solid frame of the hour we devote to playing the instrument, learning a language, doing the sport, sitting silently for that meditation: It feels different every single time. It feels new every single time.

The repetitive consistency in being present again and again allows for nothing short of magic to happen. Magic feeds consistency. Consistency feeds magic. Consistency sets a foundation that strengthens over time. It allows us to slowly but surely develop any kind of skill, to find and hence to embody expertise. On the fertile grounds of such a solid foundation, creativity fosters, and innovation blossoms.

Establishing consistent rituals and routines can bring a sense of comfort and safety into every-day-life. For routine beholds repetition and its frame enables our experience within to change. In the familiar, we dare to explore, maybe even experiment, merely because a part of us remembers we depart from, and always return to, a safe space. We do not get lost. We do not fall apart. As we practice, again and again, we build resilience in overcoming obstacles or literally persevering through challenging situations and stretches of time.

While consistency gifts steadiness and stability, its overdose risks to result in what may appear as uniformity. It feels like constantly - consistently - dancing on the fine line of freedom within a structure. Life is filled with unexpected twists and turns, adjustments need to be made to accommodate change and avoid rigidity. By striking a balance between consistency and flexibility, we can create harmony in our lives, just like a beautiful melody that flows smoothly from one note to the next.

Within the magical waves of music, skills are needed, too. Consistency is key to show up and do the work. It frames the freedom of magic that resides beyond and only beyond effort. Learning to play an instrument, learning to sing, does never happen within the blink of the eye. It takes time. Time to show up for the practice, to do precisely that: practice. Again and again, every single time, again and again. Precision feeds perfection that falls apart inside the structure of a song, a line, a rhythm, dissolving into magic.

Consistency in practicing, in composing and sharing music with the world regardless of the form allows any musician to refine his style, to carve out his uniqueness. For any artistic expression is, after all: Unique. And this uniqueness is born inside the vessel of any structure, over and over again. Sharing music in the form of new releases and public performances nourishes the bond between artist and audience. And for that to unfold, both parties need to show up - while the underlying beat of this never-ending practice is presence fuelled by consistency.

- Featuring Seamus Blake on Saxophone, Julius Peter Nitsch on Bass and Peter Gall on Drums
- Available as Cd and LP

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Quiet Dreams, the debut album of the Ramon van Merkenstein Trio, was released at the end of 2021. At that time, the world was recovering from the COVID lockdown, and we hadn’t been able to play live music for quite some time. Fortunately, we were able to go on an extensive release tour to promote our music, growing closer as a band along the way. We learned a lot about each other, both musically and personally. Our trio has always been about connecting — with the audience, with the music, and with each other. This intense period strengthened these connections, resulting in a powerful band that is elevating the music to new heights.

During this time, I began composing new music specifically tailored to our trio’s chemistry. I knew exactly how to write to bring out the best in Lieven, Gabriele, and the band. This is the new music on Waiting for a Summer Storm.

The album became a collection of moods, reflecting the deep connection between music and emotions. Each track tells a different story: from the excitement of sudden insight in Epiphany to the calm acceptance of fate in Waiting for a Summer Storm. Reflecting captures moments of introspection, while Green Garden celebrates joy. Apollo’s Daydream is about chasing your dreams, and Shadow Song is my tribute to my wife, Inge. Dauntless embodies the feeling of being unstoppable, and Chez Lydia captures the thrill of playing live with an audience.

Waiting for a Summer Storm is more than an album; it’s a reminder of how strong music is. Each piece serves as a portal into the collective consciousness of the trio. It’s a tribute to new beginnings, to adventures yet to come, to dreams waiting to take flight.

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