Bart Maris is an improvising musician, active in the alternative music scene since 1990. He perfroms in unconventional line-ups, combining musicians with totally different backgrounds. He is currently hosting and playing weekly impro-sessions in Hotclub Gent since more than ten years, linking musicians of different generations and backgrounds.

Workshopping with mixed groups (kids, adults, different social backgrounds), playing music (o.a; trumpet) without theoretical background.(a.o. Goest Majeur, The Ostend Street Orchestra, Buzzz -Jeugd en Muziek).

He performed previously as a fixed member with Fukkeduk , The Simpletones, X-Legged Sally , Kamikaze, Think of One, Electric Barbarian, Het Beukorkest and now he performs with Flat Earth Society, GLiTS, Krommekeer, Moker, Mik Maak, Jaune Toujours, (B), Synaesthetic Trip (Fr), 1000 (D-Nl), Blue Lines 6 (Nl), Viktor Toth (H), Spinifex (Nl), ...

Bart Maris participated in numerous projects with John Zorn, Fred Frith, David Moss, Matthew Shipp, Gerry Hemingway, Art Zoyd, Mauro Pawlowski, Marc Ribot, Jaki Liebenzeit, dj Grazzhoppa , Edward Perraud, Peter Jacqmain, Paul Lovens, Jan Klare, Hamid Drake, Fred Van Hove, Deus, Marc Moulin, Univers Zero, …

He won the Zamu-award for best Belgium musician in 1999 and was nominated for a Paul Ackett-award (North-sea Jazz) in 2006. Moreover, he received the SABAM Jazz Award ‘Gevestigde Waarde’ (2015).