On Tuesday, 15 October 2024, the first session of A School Called Tribe officially opened in Ghent. This collaborative musical journey is promoted by de Koer as part of the European project Soundroutes.
The atmosphere was typical of first encounters: curiosity, shyness and a great desire to experiment.
On stage and at the microphones, rappers, spoken word poets and jazz-pop students from the conservatory came together. Different in language and background, but united by the desire to mix their worlds.
The inaugural session was dedicated to “Finding our rhythm”: a workshop on listening, improvisation and collective groove construction.
With the support of the coaches, the participants explored the structure of bars, experimented with jazz rhythmic patterns and played with words as musical instruments.
During the evening, the first spontaneous jams took shape: bass lines created on the spot intertwined with improvised verses, giving life to a new, hybrid sound, still uncertain but already full of energy.
A small, successful experiment that immediately demonstrated the power of the encounter between genres and the strength of a musical “tribe” in the making.
‘It’s not a traditional school. It’s a free zone where everyone can bring their own voice and see what happens.
Next event: 22 October, with a session dedicated to collective writing and the creation of original lyrics.
