‘Genre-busting accordion and brass-led brew of rock, chanson, ska, gypsy, latin and Balkan ingredients served up by a high-class posse of the most active musicians on the Brussels music scene’ (the Womex-Guide, october 2009)

Here’s a cult band that – with its explosive, urban mix of music genres, rhythms, languages and cultures – has evolved into a high quality brand, appreciated by both the international press and audiences all over. Add to that the typically Belgian pinch of self-derision and understatement and the result is a band with the energy of rock (without guitars!), the improvised twist of jazz, theopen-minded approach of world music and the eagerness of a street band. As you can hear on their latest album Vertigo.

The album continues the band’s tradition of breaking boundaries – be it linguistic or musical – with lyrics in English, French, and Dutch, catchy songs, a punk attitude, drum & brass, accordion dub, and Belgian ska. On *Vertigo* the band pushes even further in their sonic adventure: the accordion is frequently run through effects pedals (ranging from organ sounds to wah-wah and delay), occasionally, a mini-Korg or piano make an appearance, the double bass regularly dives into distortion, occasionally switching to electric bass, while the drums juggle snares and various percussion elements with glee. The horns are richly layered, and the vocals are intricately produced, featuring rich backing vocals and tracks

Music critic Philippe De Cleen (Written in Music): “Jaune Toujours, strongly rooted in the metropolis of Brussels, seizes the socio-political actuality and embodies a thoroughly realistic but critical view on it. It is to their credit that their social commitment also provides good, pleasing and highly accessible music. The band – a real party at live concerts – delivers a fantastic and convincing stew of genres, motifs and musical styles: a hodgepodge of rock, jazz, punk,ska, afro, dub, reggae, soul and roots, mixed up by the unique Jaune Toujours blender.”

“While many are often a mere copy of other bands, that’s definitely not the case for Jaune Toujours. They are different through their refreshing attitude and approach, with songs alternating from English to French and even Dutch. It’s hard to find another band whose musical palette is so diverse, with, among others, ska, oriental / East European and funky jazz.

“Jaune Toujours deals in the most diverse tunes. The band distinguishes itself with its social message, experienced through life. The way the band puts the most diverse topics to music: traffic problems, the end of summer or the malaise in news and media. At the same time, Jaune Toujours embodies an energetic, uplifting sound which is fully present on the new album. And the band still calls things as they are: the subject of human rights is combatively raised and the political system is being questioned thoroughly. More than once we are reminded of sources of inspiration such as The Clash or Manu Chao. This is no  coincidence, because the shared ideology, socially critical approach and musical background is always recognizable as Jaune Toujours blasts from your speakers. Open your ears wide and be amazed by one of the most festive funky live bands in our little country called Belgium, habibi!”

The lyrics on *Vertigo* provide a snapshot of the world, a world so vast it makes you dizzy (hence: Vertigo). Many things are going wrong: climate issues, social inequality, oppression, the dominance of image and discourse, the rise of the far right, wars… But if there is anything that can bring hope, let it be music! The songs on *Vertigo* aim to keep spirits up, to persevere, to make the right choices, to turn values into actions, and to make the world a better place. It seems almost impossible, but once we start, there’s no stopping us!

The band’s many live concerts have made them disciplined musicians, yet always ready to improvise. Jaune Toujours gigs are lively and festive, but
avoid clichés and never lose musicality. All this was amply at various concerts and sessions, such as the album presentation at the sold-out Ancienne Belgique club, TAZ/Quartier d’O (Belgium 2024), Veszprem Utcazene Festival (Hungary 2024), Fusion Festival, Summer Sounds (Germany 2023), Jam’in Jette (Belgium 2023), Ubuntu Festival, Climate March, Labadoux Festival (België 2022), Choux-Fest VK Brussels (Belgium 2021, online), Wereldfeest Leuven (Belgium 2020, online) Frequenzen Festival, Bardentreffen, (Germany 2019), MeYouZik (Luxemburg 2019) Colora Festival (Belgium 2019), Ancienne Belgique, Kokopelli Wilde Westen, Manifiesta (Belgium 2018), Ordogkatlan (Hungary 2018), Sommerbühne Detmold (Germany 2018), Eindeloos Eiland Festival (The Netherlands 2018), Polé Polé (Belgium 2017), Rock à Ouaga (Burkina Faso 2017), Gentse Feesten, Festival des Libertés (Belgium 2016), Veszprémi Utcazene Fesztivál (Hungary 2016), Interkomm Festival (Germany 2016), Tiszavirag Festival (Hungary 2015), Bevrijdingsfestivals (Netherlands 2015), Cerys on 6 (BBC Radio 6 Music, 2014), World on 3 (BBC Radio 3, 2014), Le Monde Est Un Village (RTBF Radio 1, 2014), Rock à Ouaga (Burkina Faso 2014), Re Re Riga (Latvia 2013), Dranouter (Belgium 2013), Cotonou Couleurs Jazz (Bénin 2012), Les Rutilants (France 2012), Ollin Kan (Portugal 2011), Winnipeg Folk Music festival (Canada 2011), Mercat de la Musica Viva de Vic (Spain 2010), Sziget (Hungary 2010). Francofolies de Montréal (Canada 2010), Womex (Denmark 2009), Francofolies de Spa and Polé Polé (Belgium 2009), Fusion (Germany 2009), Vancouver Island Music Fest, South Country Fair and Calgary Folk Music Festival (Canada 2008), Tanzfest Rudolstadt (Germany 2008), Womad and Cambridge Folk Festival (United Kingdom 2007), Couleur Café (Belgium, 2007), Paradiso, Oerol  Festival, Fiesta Mundial and De Parade (The Netherlands 2007), just to name some…

Jaune Toujours are overlooking more than 25 years in music as one can find out on 20sth (2017), a collector’s album and box-set (limited edition). The box-set contains 8 albums and 9 cd’s. BRUSK (2000), CAMPING DEL MUNDO (2002) and the live album CLUB (2006) have been remastered and reprinted for this special occasion. Next to the albums BARRICADE (2004) and KOLEKTIV (2009) you can find the remix album RE:PLUGGED (2010), the album ROUTES (2013) and the collector’s album 20sth (2016). In 2018 the sixth full album was added to the discography : EUROPEANA. The album comes as a hardcover photobook + cd 30x30cm, with a with a selection of pictures by drummer-photographer Theophane Raballand, or on vinyl. Autumn 2019, the album has been released on a smaller format (cd – digi-pack).

Jaune Toujours invites you to join them on a musical journey where borders between genres are crossed, and rules are rewritten. *Vertigo* is more than just an album—it’s a statement, an invitation to see the world differently, with the same open-mindedness that has defined the band since the 1990s.

Jaune Toujours Line-up: vocals & accordion Piet Maris / drums & percussion Théophane Raballand / upright bass Mathieu Verkaeren / sax soprano & clarinets Mattias Laga / trumpets Dirk Timmermans and/or Bart Maris