Toine Thys started music at an early age with clarinet. He graduated his music studies with the title of ‘Master of Music’ in 2002 in the Netherlands, in John Ruocco and Ferdinand Povel’s classes. On tenor, soprano and alt saxophones, he’s a energetic and intense player, with a warm, full tone, and has a versatile approach to both standards and compositions. On special occasions you can hear him on clarinet and bass clarinet. Toine is very concerned with composition, and writes with consistency for several projects.

His international project, TAKE THE DUCK, is a jazz quartet led together with austrian trumpet player Daniel Nösig, american drummer Owen Hart, and Slovenian bassist Robert Jukic. They are touring extensively through Eastern and Western Europe, as well as South America.

His group RACKHAM features Laurent Blondiau (tpt), Teun Verbruggen (ds), Francois Verrue (bs) and Benjamin Clément (g). This an Hybrid Music, in the Rock-Pop-Jazz-Free-Worldish Galaxy, combining high energy, joyful playing and refined harmonies. They first CD, “JUANITA K”, was acclaimed by the press.

T and T, a new project, brings the two brothers THYS together. With Nicolas Thys on acoustic bass, Karl Jannuska on drums, and Jacques Pirotton on guitar, they play they first concert at the JAZZ IN T' PARK FESTIVAL in Ghent, Belgium 2007.

Toine is also performing with his TOINE THYS TRIO, eather with Arno Krijger on Hammond organ and Joost van Schaaik on drums, eather with Yannick Peeters (bs) and Steven Cassiers (ds), and in DUET with guitarist Frederik Leroux or Erik Vermeulen.

As a sideman, he is playing in the Chris Joris trio, with Afro Yambi Jazz, Bota Fogo, Daniel Jodocy Quartet, Walrus Quinand many others projects. Toine played also with Dre Pallemaerts, Joost van Schaaik, Paolino della Porta, Howard Curtis, Christian Salfellner, Philip Harper, Sal La Rocca, and followed workshops with a.o. Joe Lovano, Chris Potter, Dave Holland, Kenny Wheeler, Dave Liebman, etc.

He recently won a scholarship from the dutch foundation Prins Bernhardt, and spent months in New York, studying and playing with Chris Cheek, Bill Mc Henri and Rick Margitza. He toured in many countries, including South and NorthAmerica, Turkey, France, Tchequia, Slovenia, Austria, Croatia, Italy, etc.