About

Christophe Devisscher was born in the Belgian coastal town of Nieuwpoort.

After experimenting with classical music and heavy metal he went on to study bass guitar and double bass with Bart De Nolf at the Jazz Department of the Royal Conservatory of Music, Brussels, graduating in 1998.

Christophe also followed workshops and master classes with Salvatore LaRocca, Michel Hatzigeorgiou, John Abercrombie, Enrico Pieranunzi, Charlie Haden and Hein Van de Geyn.

For several years he was mainly active in pop and folk music but gradually reorientated his musical attentions towards jazz. He was a member of the internationally acclaimed Alexi Tuomarila Quartet (1998 - 2003) & Pascal Schumacher Quartet (2002 - 2013).

In 2016 a first album of the Christophe Devisscher Quartet “A Fisherman’s Tale" (featuring Frank Deruytter, Christian Mendoza and Dré Pallemaerts) is released as is the standards album “Duology” with Carlo Nardozza.

The album “Spoonful - Back to the Blues” of the Kristen Cornwell Trio (with Australian vocalist Kristen Cornwell and Belgian guitarist Patrick Deltenre) is released in 2018.

In 2020 the Triology album “Parker Par Coeur” (with Carlo Nardozza and Tim Finoulst) is recorded and released in celebration and honour of Charlie Parker's centenary.

Other current projects are: Carlo Nardozza Quintet, Made in Purple, Sennek, Duo Roosemeyers & Friends and Brel - Cétait au Temps.


He has performed on countless stages of venues, clubs and festivals in Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxembourg, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, France, Ireland, United Kingdom, Austria, Poland, Romania, Lithuania, Estonia, Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Tunisia, Morocco, Burkina Faso, South Africa, Jordan, Malaysia, Japan, Vietnam, China, South Korea, Australia, Canada, USA, Mexico and Cuba.


Christophe has contributed several compositions for different bands and has arranged a selection of his music for big band.

Over the years he has been involved in numerous projects as a sideman, including: 

Johan Verminnen, Michel Herr, Lee Konitz, Peter King, Rabih Abou-Khalil, Tony Christie, Joe Lovano, Félix Simtaine, Eric Vloeimans, Martin Taylor, Philip Catherine, Duško Gojković, Pierre Van Dormael, Bruno Castellucci, Johan Clement, Scott Hamilton, Pierre Drevet, Guy Barker, Steve Houben, William Galison, Brussels Jazz Orchestra, Andy Middleton, Leroy Jones, Deborah Carter, Isabelle Beernaert, Rocco Granata and Judy Niemack.


Christophe teaches bass guitar, double bass and combo at the Music Academy of Grimbergen.



Awards:

1st Prize at the 21st International Jazz Contest 1999 (Hoeilaart, Belgium) with Alexi Tuomarila Quartet

‘Voices of Pohjola’ (Alexi Tuomarila Quartet) voted Album of the Year 2001 by Helsingin Sanomat (Finland)

1st Prize at the 10th European Jazz Competition 2001 (Avignon, France) with Alexi Tuomarila Quartet

1st Prize at the 2002 Frazz Crossover Competition (Leeuwarden, Netherlands) with Mike Roelofs Quartet

2nd Prize at the 2003 Jazz Competition (Breda, Netherlands) with Frederik Leroux Quintet

1st Prize at the International Contest for Jazz Groups (Granada, Spain) with Alexi Tuomarila Quartet

1st & Public Prize at the 13th European Jazz Competition 2004 (Avignon, France) with Pascal Schumacher Quartet

Silbergrau’ (Pascal Schumacher Quartet) voted Best Belgian Jazz Record 2007 by cultural magazine Knack

Bang My Can’ (Pascal Schumacher Quartet) receives Echo Jazz Award 2012 (Germany)