Diederik Wissels
Biography Diederik Wissels
Diederik Wissels
Pianist, composer and arranger Diederik Wissels was born on December 6th 1960 in Rotterdam and has lived in Brussels since 1968. After studying at the "Berklee College of Music" in Boston, he embarked on a professional career, accompanying a variety of musicians on the radio and in concert, including Chet Baker, Joe Henderson, Toots Thielemans and Philippe Catherine. It was at this time that he met Larry Schneider and, later, Marc Ducret, Kenny Wheeler and Lena Willemark. In France, his album "Hillock Songstress" won the Jazzman 94 Choc of the Year award. As Marc Moulin wrote: "Diederik Wissels is one of those rare musicians who has the ability to transport us away from ourselves or simultaneously carry us deep inside ourselves. It’s a music where abandonment and profound reflexion coexist".
In 1992, he joined up with David Linx to form a duo. Their complicity and respective talents soon pushed them to the forefront of the jazz scene. In 1996 they released the album "Up Close", followed by "Bandarkâh" in 1998 on Label Bleu (Jazzman Choc des Chocs award, Nominated for the Django d'Or).
In 2001, the two musicians signed with Universal Jazz and released the album "Heartland", together with the trumpet player Paolo Fresu. At the same time, Diederik released his own album "Streams" in conjunction with the saxophonist Bart Defoort.
Since 2004, David Linx and Diederik Wissels have been working on a new project, entitled "One Heart, Three Voices", on which they play with Fay Claassen and Maria Pia De Vito. The album has to be released in september 2005.
Diederik Wissels is unique! His music transcends all genres and appeals to an audience beyond the realms of pure jazz.
