Poor Isa
Members: Ruben Machtelinckx, Frederik Leroux
Porous Structures II
Tip! *200 copies limited edition* In 2019, ‘porous structures’ was released, the first album by the quartet Machtelinckx/Badenhorst/Cools/Gouband. The album won the Klara for ‘Best Belgian Jazz CD’. In September 2024, ‘porous structures II’ will be released, a new album by a quartet led by Ruben Machtelinckx, this time in the company of Fredrik Rasten, Frederik Leroux and again Toma Gouband. What remains is the choice for acoustic and fragile sounds, comprehensible to the listener but with an u…
This Here Empty Room
*150 copies limited edition* ‘This here empty room’ is a collection of thirteen miniature compositions for solo acoustic guitar and solo piano. Pieces i until vii are played by Frederik Leroux on steel-string acoustic guitar, pieces viii until xiii are played by pianist Heleen Van Haegenborgh.
This album is another exploration of the acoustic space, as you might expect from Leroux. What is new is the purely composed nature of the music, giving Leroux full control over the soundworld he wants to …
dissolution of the other
Tip! Banjo and woodblocks are the scarce ingredients of Poor Isa's second album, ‘dissolution of the other’. The instruments can be used not only in their usual form, but in alternative tunings, with preparations and additional attributes. This creates an otherworldly vacuum, rich in silence and shadow, with sounds that seem equally familiar as mystical. The music is broken up from its classical form and sounds like an instrumental eld recording or a musical ceremony. In contrast to the rst al…
Als Ik Niets Meer Van De Kano Zie
*Limited Edition of 100 hand-numbered copies.* Improvisation is a universal non-verbal language. For many of us it is a practice, not a music genre, one that knows no boundaries. Personally I’m really interested in the locality of an improvisational recording. I find it much more intriguing to listen to someone who improvises and lives outside of the big hubs for free jazz and free improv of the western world. It might seem trivial to many of you, but the fact that the titles and bandcamp notes …
A Short Story
For almost ten years, Ruben Machtelinckx has followed an extraordinary path in Belgian and European improvised music. As a guitarist, but equally as a composer. It began in 2013, when the quartet Machtelinckx/Badenhorst/Jensson/Wouters released their debut, ‘Faerge’. The album was praised by international press and was listed ‘Best Belgian jazz release’ by Knack magazine. In 2020 he won the Klara Award for Best Belgian Jazz release for his latest record: Porous Structures (Aspen 009). In between…
Shapes
** 2021 Stock ** Karl Van Deun has been active as a musician/composer since the late 80's. He has been involved in a.o. jazz, folk, rock, blues, and contemporary music. As a professional musician he was especially active in the late 80's and early 90's and played with musicians like Mal Waldron, Philip Catherine, Erwin Vann, Pierre Van Dormael, Michel Hatzigeorgiou, Kurt Van Herck, Dré Pallemaerts and many others... Because of hearing problems (hyper-acusis) Karl had to take a step back as a per…
Flock
** 2021 Stock ** The music is played by guitarists Ruben Machtelinckx and Hilmar Jensson, Joachim Badenhorst on reeds and Nathan Wouters on double bass. These atypical occupation produces a distinctive and soothing sound. Strong melodies and earthy progressions form the basis of the compositions that often have a melancholic undertone. The music consists of atmospheric, warm, poetic sounds, and allows the individuality of each musician to come forward. The emphasis is on the sound texture and ho…
Porous Structures
**250 copies** Ruben Machtelinckx has a new quartet. It is not a coincidence that the guitar is central, in particular the steel-string with its typical western sound. 2019 was a fruitful year for Ruben Machtelinckx (BE). This project is the last part of a triptych: in the spring Poor Isa, his duo with Frederik Leroux, released its debut album; in the summer he came out with the cassette Sualme with field recordings, improvisations and compositions; the winter appears to be the proper season for…
Let's Drink the Sea and Dance
Aspen Edities introduces a new duo project by guitar brothers Frederik Leroux and Ruben Machtelinckx in which banjo and woodblocks share the main part. The duo has already collaborated in the past (... Aspen 007, When The Shade Is Stretched, one of our favourite picks of 2018...) and this time they came up with a new name to officially baptize their project, Poor Isa. It looks like the latest Aspen Edities releases share an inspiration for the deep blue and Let's Drink the Sea and Dance makes no…
Zonder Webben
After years of scheming indoors, the duo Leroux + Vanderstraeten now presents its first album: ‘Zonder Webben’. The sounds speak for themselves and develop in an unconventional way. The improvisations are gossamered at times, and on other occasions they are closely interwoven by different elements that happen at the same time and without hierarchy. This album maintains the spontaneity of the moment - the duo always starts from a blank canvas - however without being isolated from the environment…
When The Shade Is Stretched
A split album is a marriage of autonomous partners. On each side of the vinyl, one artist presents a limited selection of music. Both sides relate to each other, but they do not intertwine. On Aspen’s first split, guitar brothers Ruben Machtelinckx and Frederik Leroux each contribute twenty minutes of solo performance. Both Machtelinckx and Leroux make use of the oating sounds of the banjo, but in a quite distinct way. While the former presents a determined and solid selection of music, the latt…
Live at The Audioplant
Abstract duo of two grand masters: Kris Vanderstaeten (percussion, objects) and Frederik Leroux (guitar). Both explore the endless possibilities of their instruments in terms of dynamics, texture and space. A surreal mix of instant composing, free improvisation and minimalism. Edition of 70 copies. Percussionist Kris Vanderstraeten, bringing his long experience in free improvisation, and relatively young guitarist Frederik Leroux teamed up in November 2016 for a concert at De Audioplant,…