Jacques Stotzem

Based in Verviers, Belgium, Jacques Stotzem has developed since the late 1970s a body of work focused on acoustic fingerstyle guitar. Self-taught, he has built a predominantly instrumental approach where folk, blues, jazz and rock intersect, with a particular emphasis on melodic clarity and dynamic nuance. He initially performed on club stages and at festivals specializing in acoustic guitar, before gradually expanding his tours to many European countries and later to the United States and Japan. His repertoire alternates between original compositions and reworkings of pop and rock songs arranged for solo guitar, creating an immediately recognisable aesthetic. Over the years Stotzem has favoured solo performance, while also opening up to occasional collaborations with musicians from the Belgian folk and jazz spheres. Through regular recordings, concert activity, participation in international festivals and leading masterclasses, he has established himself firmly in the contemporary acoustic guitar scene.