Manneken Swing and the Tivoli Band

Film
Prior to the war, jazz in Belgium had reached its peak and our orchestras proudly bore the colours of this variety of music across the European continent. This unprecedented artistic fertility saw the birth of the Belgian radio jazz big band under the direction of Stan Brenders, who was internationally renowned thanks to radio broadcasts, recordings of the era and the profusion of jazz clubs in Brussels.
So how did this music, a simple means of expressing modernity, dance and carelessness, become a vehicle for propaganda under the occupation how was this dramatic ambivalence the downfall of our heroes…..or When does an orchestra conductor's baton turn against him?

Tivoli Band Concert
In the 1940s, Belgian jazz orchestras were highly valued in Europe! In Brussels, that of pianist Stan Brenders used to play live from the radio studios of Place Flagey; the Tivoli Band has restored their repertoire with  authentic and inspiring swing … and invites you to boogie on down to a concert that will recreate these rare emotions.

Image Création, RTBF, Le centre du cinéma Wallonie/Bruxelles, Wallonie Image Production