Leuven Jazz: Merope & KMRU / Abel Ghekiere

• Abel Ghekiere

Abel Ghekiere creates a highly fragile sound stemming from minimalist jazz, traditional folk and field recordings. The Antwerp-based musician is a guitarist by training but takes clarinet and banjo into the studio and onto the stage. His 2021 debut album Voor Het Verdwijnt, En Daarna told the story of grief and comfort. His new music has more openness, gentleness and euphoria, with nods to songwriters like Sufjan Stevens, Nils Økland and Caroline. Abel Ghekiere's second album In De Verte, Dit Uitzicht will be released in February 2025 by the Rotkat label. Live, he plays in quartet with Tobias Vockaert (saxophone), Orlan Ghekiere (drums) and Hendrike Scharmann (violin). Always movingly beautiful.

• Merope & KMRU

Merope offers a contemporary take on traditional Baltic music. The kanklės (a type of stringed instrument) and voice of Lithuanian Indrė Jurgelevičiūtė are the basis of their folk interpretations, enriched with experimental guitar and electronica sounds by Bert Cools. The result is a wonderfully warm tapestry of sound that has cosmic dimensions as well as deep roots in the earth and its ancient traditions. Their third album Naktės and fourth album Salos with the Vilnius Chamber Choir brought them international acclaim. Vėjula, Merope's fifth album and released on the label Stroom, is a self-proclaimed musical rebirth. It is their most adventurous album to date and features collaborations with luminaries such as Shahzad Ismaily, Laraaji and Bill Frisell. And although still rooted in Lithuanian folk, Vėjula mixes ancient themes with contemporary philosophy and technology. Merope has never sounded so universal, so vital.

For the occasion, Merope invites Kenyan-born, Berlin-based sound artist Joseph Kamaru (a.k.a. KMRU). For KMRU, sound is a sculptural medium that makes us aware of our surroundings and can carry social meanings. He carries a wealth of field recordings and listening experiences from Kenya, Europe and far beyond. With these, he brings concerts and creates installations and albums, not infrequently in collaboration with other clappers such as Kevin Richard Martin, Aho Ssan or Jessica Ekomane. Today, KMRU is one of the most innovative composers in electronic ambient music.

Merope and KMRU together on a stage: that can only be exciting and moving at the same time.

Indrė Jurgelevičiūtė: vocals, kanklės
Bert Cools: guitar, electronics
KMRU: electronics