BL!NDMAN [drums]

Through collaborations with the three young quartets BL!NDMAN [drums], BL!NDMAN [new strings] and BL!NDMAN [hybrid], the original quartet BL!NDMAN [sax] shares 20 years of performing experience with the oncoming wave of young musicians and makes it possible for the two generations to exchange ideas.

In 1988 Eric Sleichim founds BL!NDMAN, a saxophone quartet with a traditional line-up, which develops new performance techniques and substantially expands the repertoire for the instrument by continually exploring the boundaries with other disciplines. From the very beginning, the quartet organises workshops and masterclasses for young musicians.
In 2008 BL!NDMAN became a collective in which the 20 years of stage experience accumulated by the original quartet BL!NDMAN [sax] is shared with three young quartets: BL!NDMAN [drums], BL!NDMAN [vox] and BL!NDMAN [strings]. In 2014 the vocal quartet was replaced by BL!NDMAN [hybrid], a mixed quartet. A collective composed entirely of quartets: unique in the music world.

The BL!NDMAN-quartets perform separately as well as in different combinations and formations. All four feature together in the Kwadratur-Triptych, parts of which have been presented at deSingel Antwerp (B), Concertgebouw Brugge (B), Kaaitheater Brussel (B), C-Mine Genk (B) Mousonturm Frankfurt (D), Le Lieu Unique Nantes (F), Muziekgebouw aan ‘t Ij Amsterdam (NL).

Eric Sleichim and BL!NDMAN win international acclaim with their multidisciplinary approach and from the very start receive assignments from the dance and theatre world, develop multimedia performances , provide live music for several silent movies and are asked to develop programs for several specific occasions.
Since 2007 BL!NDMAN [drums] tours with Roman Tragedies , a production of Toneelgroep Amsterdam with a score by Eric Sleichim (a.o. Festival d’Avignon, Holland Festival, Wiener Festwochen, Barbican London, Festival TransAmericques Montréal, BAM Next Wave Festival) .
On the occasion of the opening of the new Museum aan de Stroom (MAS) in Antwerp, BL!NDMAN presentes the location-project The Raft of the Medusa (2010).
In 2009 BL!NDMAN [drums] premiere Secrets of a Soul, a live score by Eric Sleichim to accompany G.W. Pabst’s silent movie Geheimnisse einer Seele. (deSingel – Antwerp, Flagey – Brussels, Konzerthaus – Vienna, Philharmonie Luxemburg, Grand Theatre Groningen).
In Totem (2011) BL!NDMAN [drums] + [strings] play pieces by Eric Sleichim and the British composer and dj Matt Wright on 8 turntables, while Dutch video-artist Olga Mink presents a live video.

In spring 2012 BL!NDMAN [drums] present their new program Full Ride in which unusual objects such as black boards and drum brakes are being used as sound-material.

In autumn 2012 BL!NDMAN [sax] + [drums] present Whiplash, a new program with commissioned pieces by Wim Henderickx, Mayke Nas, Frederik Neyrinck, Riccardo Nova and Eric Sleichim. This program will also be played at the World Music Days 2012.

In 2013 BL!NDMAN celebrated its 25th anniversary with the edition of the CD 32 FOOT / The Organ of Bach.

In spring 2014 BL!NDMAN [drums] created the score Eric Sleichim wrote for The Fountainhead, Ivo Van Hove and Toneelgroep Amsterdam at Holland Festival, with reruns at ao Festival d’Avignon, Grec Festival Barcelona, Sirenos Festival Vilnius and deSingel.
The Queen without a country by Wouter Van Looy, Wim Henderickx and Muziektheater Transparant, was premiered at the Zomer van Antwerpen 2014.

For the remembrance of WO I BL!NDMAN [drums] and Sleichim made brand new score of percussion and electronics for WINGS, a war movie with impressive aerial dogfights (november 2014)

Nagoya Marimbas – Steve Reich

Nagoya Marimbas Steve Reich BL!NDMAN (drums) from BL!NDMAN on Vimeo.