Harry Coseman & Strato-Vani

Harry Coseman has been singing since he was first discovered at the age of 19 on a talent show run by one of Belgium’s national channels, VRT. Practically all his life, even when he had other professional activities, he was appearing at shows across his native Flanders. A highpoint was his time spent singing the classic American songbook with his popular jazz combo, a group that lasted some 25 years, including several international tours.

An encounter with musician/producer Marc Cortens in 2018 led to an unusual and exciting idea: how about taking the classic melodies of Johann Strauss and creating modern, new songs with them?

Rather than imitate the 19th century melodies, Cortens and his team revitalized the songs, bringing them a whole new context. “What’s the point of pretending we’re in 1870-something?” he asks. “We live in a more exciting time.”

The result is the album “Harry Coseman: The Voice of Strauss”, a collection of Strauss’ best-loved melodies recorded with lyrics – a totally new take on their music.

After completing a musical documentary about the Strauss family called “Strauss vs Strauss”, the next step is to get out on the road – the place where Coseman is most comfortable.