We’re arriving a little late to Orson Claeys, but having now caught up with the Belgian pianist and composer’s music, it’s clear we should have been paying attention sooner. Claeys is gearing up to release his debut album, OTHELLO, a record that brings together his jazz foundations with hip-hop, R&B, urban culture and a host of influences that extend well beyond music.
The album title comes from Claeys’ full name, Orson Dwight Othello Claeys, but it also points towards one of the album’s central themes: identity. OTHELLO explores the different influences, environments and encounters that contribute to the formation of an artist, with Claeys approaching jazz as an open language rather than a fixed genre. Hip-hop plays a particularly important role throughout the record, alongside contemporary culture and ideas that sit outside traditional musical boundaries. This is also reflected in the album’s collaborations, which bring together musicians from different corners of the contemporary scene, including L.A. rapper IAMOMNI, Belgo-Brazilian vocalist Helena Casella, Belgian drummer and producer Lander Gyselinck, and oud player Akram Ben Romdhane. Outside the music itself, Claeys draws inspiration from the culture surrounding him, from the visual and communal energy of urban scenes to the discipline and mentality associated with boxing and basketball. These aren’t treated as separate reference points but as parts of the same creative environment.
OTHELLO is set to arrive on October 9th through Sdban Ultra, and Claeys has already let two tracks loose, ‘RODNEY’S DANCE’ and ‘WHAT A NIGHT’. ‘RODNEY’S DANCE’ is inspired by Claeys’ years spent skateboarding in his hometown of Ghent. Named after legendary skateboarder Rodney Mullen, the track is a reflection on the freedom, creativity and sense of belonging he found within the skate scene, and the connection he now sees between those experiences and jazz. He shares:
“Skateboarding gave me a sense of creativity, freedom, and belonging, and in ways helped shape the musician I am today. It has so many similarities to jazz that I only fully recognize now, years later. Both are communities that welcome anyone, regardless of where they come from or who they are, there’s value to anyone who takes part in them. That is also why I chose to continue my path in jazz rather than another genre. In many ways, it felt familiar. I had grown up skateboarding and spent nearly a decade immersed in that community, so the spirit of jazz already felt deeply connected to something I knew and understood.”
On ‘WHAT A NIGHT’, Claeys teams up with Los Angeles-based rapper IAMOMNI for a late-night ride through the streets of L.A. The track started life with a handful of unfinished chords written by indie soul singer Sevens, which Claeys picked up and developed into a full composition. After STUFF.’s Mix Monster Menno introduced him to IAMOMNI, the rapper’s distinctive flow became the final piece of the puzzle. Although the collaboration brings a strong hip-hop presence to the track, Claeys was keen to keep its foundations firmly in jazz, as he explains:
“My goal wasn’t to create a traditional hip-hop beat or a typical rap instrumental. I wanted the track to feel like a genuine jazz composition first and foremost, built around a classic jazz trio with an upright bass instead of a heavy electronic bass sound. The music had to stand on its own, even without vocals.”
The two singles offer an exhilarating introduction to Claeys’ forthcoming debut, and we can’t wait to hear the full thing. ‘WHAT A NIGHT’ comes with an accompanying video directed by Noah Dechamps. Check it out below and listen to ‘RODNEY’S DANCE’ straight after.
