TOINE THYS TRIO
Active for 12 years of concerts and three albums, the Toine Thys Trio was born from the saxophonist's passion for the Hammond organ. Behind the mythical instrument, there was the Dutchman Arno Krijger, followed by the American Sam Yahel.
The last album, The Optimist, was recorded in New York with big names from Jazz and African music: Senegalese guitarist Hervé Samb, organist Sam Yahel, and Canadian drummer Karl Jannuska. The album's release tour took them all over Europe, to South Korea, Kenya, and West Africa.
GURU.FARM
GURU.FARM is a glossy-Jazz, electro, and groove project centered around the electrified saxophone. It features Dries Laheye on bass, David Thomaere on keyboards, and Patrick Dorcean on drums and production.
During a tour in Haiti, they encountered the Voodoo spirit Guédé, a traditional demon manifesting through sudden multiple incarnations. Without any hesitation, they chose its name as the title for their debut album.
LA MÉLODIE PHILOSOPHALE
LA MÉLODIE PHILOSOPHALE is a Jazz musical tale conceived by Toine Thys for children aged 4 to 12 (but also for a "general audience").
On stage, Toine Thys (saxophone, bass clarinet, narration), Jens Bouttery (drums, percussion, musical saw), and Eric Bribosia (keyboards) play and tell the story of a quest for a magical music! "Three explorer musicians - John, Jack, and Jay - set out in search of the Philosophal Melody, renowned for its curative virtues, its ability to eradicate wars and heal the world's ills."
RAKHAM
The principle behind RACKHAM was the first musical encounter project imagined by Toine Thys: bringing together Laurent Blondiau and Teun Verbruggen (later Steven Cassiers) from the world of jazz and improvised music, François Verrue (later Lucien Fraipont) from the 'Rock-Pop' scene, and Benjamin Clement from Balkan music. With improvised moments, a highly Rock energy, ambiences that are sometimes Mariachi, sometimes Techno-like, instrumental titles, and sung tracks, RACKHAM's music is like a free-orbit satellite in the Jazz, Pop, Rock, and Ethnoworld galaxies.
The CD albums “JUANITA K.” (2006) and «Shoot them all» (2010) marked Toine Thys's debut as a project leader in Belgium and Europe.
