Full Moon Trio -

Full Moon Trio was a Belgian avant-jazz/rock band behind a 1975 self-titled album on Dwarf Records. Dutch-born saxophonist André Goudbeek appeared on the first Kandahar album and subsequently played with the Willem Breuker Kollektief.

Members: André Goudbeek (saxophone, violin, [Tunisian] bagpipes), Pol Feyaerts (bass), Ronny Dusoir (drums, percussion)

Background

Full Moon Trio formed in 1969 in Ghent, Belgium, when saxophonist André Goudbeek teamed with bassist Pol Feyaerts and drummer Ronny Dusoir. Goudbeek was born in Zwolle, Netherlands, in 1946 and studied classical violin for eight years. He attended Ghent University from 1965 to 1969, where he played violin in the university chamber orchestra and alto saxophone in the university jazz sextet.

Goudbeek and Dusoir previously played in the Birdland Jazzcombo, a student ensemble formed in 1965 under bassist Rudi Blondeel. The group later adopted the name UMG Djes 5-tet and recorded sessions for the Belgian public broadcaster BRT. Feyaerts and Dusoir also played with Dutch saxophonist Kris Wanders circa 1966–67 at the Shamrock café in Ghent.

In 1973, Goudbeek helped establish the Werkgroep voor Improviserende Musici (WIM) alongside pianist Fred Van Hove and other Belgian free-jazz musicians. The association arose from a dispute over unequal fees for Belgian and foreign performers at the Jazz Middelheim festival. Full Moon Trio played the inaugural Free Music festival on August 14, 1973, at café De Muze in Antwerp. Feyaerts helped establish the Ghent branch of WIM in 1974 with saxophonist Michel Mast, trombonist Serge Hoste, and trumpeter Johan Joris.

Goudbeek also played alto saxophone on Long Live the Sliced Ham, the debut album by the Ghent jazz-rock band Kandahar. He joined Kandahar for concerts alongside saxophonist Jacky Eddyn. The connection brought Full Moon Trio into contact with Kandahar keyboardist Karel Bogard, who managed Dwarf Records. Bogard produced the trio album Full Moon with guitarist Jef De Visscher and Felix Meerten. In August 1975, EMI announced the forthcoming Dwarf release through its International Bestseller Company.

Discography:

Full Moon Trio (1975)

References and notes

André Goudbeek — Biography: Goudbeek’s account of his classical violin education, Ghent university ensembles, first professional engagements with Full Moon Trio in 1970, and formation of WIM. (André Goudbeek)
The Finest in Belgian Jazz: Jempi Samyn and Sim Simons, 2002. Dates the formation of Full Moon Trio to 1969, identifies Feyaerts and Dusoir, and places the debut LP six years later. (De Werf / Adoc)
Desperado’s van de jazz — Freejazz in Gent in de periode 1965–1974: Patrick De Groote’s historical account of the Ghent scene, Birdland Jazzcombo, Shamrock engagements, foundation of WIM, and the 1974 Ghent chapter. (DBNL / Vlaanderen, 2010)
Thurston Moore en Mats Gustafsson in Antwerpen: Retrospective of the inaugural Free Music festival, identifying the Full Moon Trio appearance in 1973 and the original De Muze venue. (Written in Music)
De muzikale omzwervingen van een inheemse rockgitarist: Ronny De Schepper’s October 1975 interview with Kandahar guitarist Jef De Visscher, republished in 2023. Identifies the producers of Full Moon and explains the association between Goudbeek and Kandahar. (Ronny De Schepper / ‘t Liedboek)
André Goudbeek — Discography: Original album title Full Moon, Dwarf catalog number 4C 062-96845, principal trio personnel, and an alternative 1974 date. (André Goudbeek)
EMI to Print Belgian Label: International Bestseller: August 30, 1975 trade report naming Full Moon Trio among the forthcoming Dwarf releases distributed through International Bestseller Company and EMI. (Cash Box, August 30, 1975)
Cash Box — International News: September 20, 1975 report covering the Dwarf launch presentation, including Full Moon Trio and label manager Karel Bogard. (Cash Box, September 20, 1975)