Zjef Vanuytsel

Jozef Guillaume Dymphna "Zjef" Vanuytsel (July 6, 1945 – December 30, 2015) was a Belgian folk music/kleinkunst singer and guitarist. He is seen as one of the Big Three of Flemish kleinkunst, along with Wannes Van de Velde and Willem Vermandere. Vanuytsel is most famous for his debut album, "De Zotte Morgen" ("The Mad Morning"), which became a bestseller and sold more than 100.000 copies. The title track "De Zotte Morgen" and the single "Houten Kop" ("Hangover", literally "Wooden Head") from the same album are his most well known songs. Apart from being a musician Vanuytsel was also an architect.

Biography

Vanuytsel was born in Mol, Belgium. He began composing and singing while he studied at his high school in Hoogstraten and continued doing so when he studied architecture at the St. Lucas Institute in Brussels. He changed his first name into his artist's name "Zjef", inspired by the then popular progressive spelling in the Dutch-speaking countries. In 1970 he debuted with the album "De Zotte Morgen", which sold more than 100.000 copies in Flanders and the Netherlands. Several songs from this album, including "De Zotte Morgen", "Houten Kop", "Hop Marlène" ("Come on, Marlène") and "Ik Weet Wel, Mijn Lief" ("I Do Know, My Love") are still classics in Dutch language music. Vanuytsel combined a knack for melody and poetic lyrics with traditional folk music and pop music influences. Recurring themes are melancholy about things that pass by, doubt, but also warmth, compassion and comfort. and Bob Dylan De zotte morgen (Philips, 1970 - LP) Er is geen weg terug (Philips, 1973 - LP) De zanger (Philips, 1976 - LP) De stilte van het land (Philips, 1978 - LP) Tederheid (Philips, 1983 - LP) Ouwe makkers (Universal, 2007 - CD) Integraal (Universal, 2014 - 7 Cd-box)