Tristan Driessens and Robbe Kieckens, colleagues for nearly a decade, are the beating heart of musical ensembles that are as diverse as they are authentic. Throughout their musical career, the duo have immersed themselves in the world of classical Ottoman music and other Eastern musical traditions.

They have performed side by side in a number of musical ensembles, including the Lâmekân Ensemble, Soolmaan Quartet, and more recently, Refugees for Refugees. In November 2018, the duo will release their long-awaited debut album dedicated to the interplay between oud and percussion. Tristan Driessens’s compositions are a crossroads of the musical paths the duo has traveled, from Turkish- Persian music to European folk and modal jazz.

Tristan Driessens was educated in Istanbul where he studied with legendary oud player Necati Çelik and had the privilege to be surrounded by the most prominent masters of Turkish-Ottoman music. Throughout his journey, Tristan found a loyal companion in Robbe Kieckens, a multi-instrumentalist with a remarkable knowledge of oriental percussion. Robbe studied with bendir virtuoso Zohar Fresco and Turkish riqq master Fahrettin Yarkin, among others. Tristan Driessens & Robbe Kieckens provide living proof that traditions can travel across borders without sacrificing depth or finesse.