Andries Baele (°1982)

Andries took his first violon lessons at the Music Academy of Diest. At the age of 14, Stéphane Grappelli is one of his heroes. 4 years later he started classical violin studies with Otto Drollez et Nico Olé at the Lemmens Instituut in Leuven. Quickly, he takes interest in composition as well and graduates for classical violin and harmony.

After the studies he starts playing less classical styles of music. He plays with the Irish Folk ‘Black Velvet’. Jean-Pière Fonteyn, the guitar player of the band, introduces him to the music of Django Rheinhardt and asks him to join the gypsy jazz band ‘The Rose Room Swing’.

Andries becomes passionate about Jazz and improvisation. He starts a series of jazz violin courses at the Royal Conservatory of Ghent. He joins Someone Els at that same period.