20x20
20×20 represents a swirling anniversary celebration. In 2008, BL!NDMAN is celebrating its twentieth anniversary with all twenty musicians from the collective (the original BL!NDMAN saxophone quartet plus the four ‘young’ BL!NDMAN [4×4] quartets) and the artists Jan Fabre, Anouk De Clercq and Kris Verdonck.
In 1988, BL!NDMAN played in factories and museums. Since then, the musicians, with their golden horns, have acquired their own place in the performing arts. Now they are celebrating their anniversary with a custom-made programme at the three venues where the ensemble feels entirely at home: the Kaaitheater, deSingel and the Concertgebouw.
20×20 – more of a happening than a concert – proceeds from Duchamps’ dadaistic idea of the blind guide who leads the public around the exhibits; incidentally, this is the metaphor from which the ensemble takes its name. In both contemporary and early music, BL!NDMAN attempts to develop concepts which give new insights and neutralise prejudices. This celebration takes place more than ever in the spirit of this quest. The artists Anouk De Clercq and Kris Verdonck created a strong and poetic image as a metaphor for “20 years breath”.
Eric Sleichim: artistic direction, concept, direction and arrangements
Anouk De Clercq and Kris Verdonck: stage design
Jan Fabre: performance with Eric Sleichim “white noise, white smoke”
Maarten Beirens: research and texts
Mijeong Jeong: costumes
Luc Schaltin (kaaitheater): lighting design
Veerle Vaes: assistant directing and production management
BL!NDMAN [sax]
Koen Maas: soprano & sopranino saxophone, table music
Roeland Vanhoorne: alto sax, clarinet, noise maker, table music
Piet Rebel: tenor sax
Raf Minten: baritone & bass sax, table music
BL!NDMAN [drums]
Tom De Cock: percussion, electric guitar, table music
Yves Goemaere: percussion, noise maker, table music
Hannes Nieuwlaet: percussion, noise maker, table music
Thomas Plessers: percussion, keyboard, electric guitar
BL!NDMAN [4×4]sax
Bertel Schollaert: soprano & double bass saxophone
Maarten-Jan Huysmans: alto sax, electronic drum, noise maker, turntable
Eva Vermeiren: tenor sax, noise maker, double bass
Thomas Van Gelder: baritone saxophone
BL!NDMAN [4×4]strings
Pieter Jansen: violin, table music
Liesbeth Baelus: violin
Kris Hellemans: viola, table music
Romek Maniewski: cello, table music
BL!NDMAN [4×4]vox
Emilie De Voght: soprano, bass guitar
Gunther Vandeven: counter tenor, flute
Dick Vandaele: tenor, noise maker, flute
Thomas Vanlede: bass, noise maker, keyboard
Jo Thielemans: sound technique
Brecht Beuselinck: assistant technique
Erwin De Muer: set production
Ilse Thienpont: administration / production
Kurt Deruyter: photos
Thanks to all the musicians, artists and partners who have contributed to the story over the past 20 years.
Thank you for their contribution to 20×20: Ali Askin, Association Internationale Adolphe Sax, Champ d’Action, conservatoires of Brussels, Antwerp and Ghent, Flagey, Godfried Wouters, Hugo De Greef, Jerry Aerts, Johan Reyniers, Kurt Deruyter, Kurt Sluyts, Maison de la Pataphonie in Dinant, Matt Wright, Mark Bisaerts & his crew, Peter Missotten, Nick Roseeuw, Rits Brussel, Ruth and the father of Brecht, Slagwerkgroep Den Haag, Spiegel Kwartet.
20×20 is a BL!NDMAN production, in co-production with deSingel Antwerpen, Concertgebouw Brugge and Kaaitheater Brussel
Press
“Their powerful 20th-anniversary concerts feature a continuous 90-minute performance that runs the gamut of virtuosic delicacy and precision to a tour de force of plangent, electronically enhanced sound. Like music, Bl!ndman keep evolving. Idiosyncratic, playful, provocative, they’re never dull …” Paul Stump, The Bulletin, 21.02.2008
