STÉPHANE MERCIER

ABOUT

Stéphane Mercier is a Belgian musician who has recorded four albums under his name. After studying at Berklee, Boston in the 1990s, he moved to New York for seven years. He developed his career there and signed for the most important independent jazz label Fresh Sound / New Talent. The Flor de Luna album was recorded in 2000 and distributed worldwide. He then settled in Paris for two years before returning to Belgium and starting a family there.

 

He currently lives in Brussels and multiplies international projects with groups of varying sizes, from intimate duets to big jazz bands.
The year 2013-2014 saw the release of his album bringing together 16 duets with the greats of Belgian jazz, the release of a double live album of his new international sextet, but also the tour of the show “La Boîte de Jazz” that he set up with his father Jacques Mercier, man of letters and media.

 

He was then sent around the world as an ambassador for Adolphe Sax, the Belgian inventor of the saxophone, to give concerts and conferences (Hungary, Bulgaria, USA, Qatar, Kazhaksthan, etc.) .

LISTEN

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Toots Thielemans (harmonica player, guitarist) “Stéphane Mercier is a musician in constant evolution, as musician and composer” (Brussels, 2001)

 

Mike Zwerin (International Herald Tribune) “… a bit like Lee Konitz with a touch of Dolphy … good sense of rhythm, great sound, wonderful sense of melody and really knows how to listen” (Paris, 2003)

 

Asim Memon (allaboutjazz.com) “… an emerging innovator in contemporary jazz” (USA, 2001)

 

Pierre Dulieu (dragonjazz.com) “Duology: a magnificent record that we never tire of listening to over and over again as its variety is infinite and the pleasure it provides multiple.”

 

Patrick Bivort (Jazz Hot) “As always, Stéphane is talkative and lyrical, and has more than once proven his technical skills on the instrument” (2005)

 

Jacques Prouvost: “Stéphane Mercier sounds liberated and ready for any adventure, he is astonishing, free as the air” (Jazzques, 2012)

 

Jean-Claude Vantroyen (le Soir, 2011) “Stéphane Mercier’s saxophone is always bewitching”

 

Olivier Acosta (Citizen Jazz, 2012) “Stéphane Mercier is the type to make the powder speak. He extracts from his alto sax long sentences with pretty dull sounds that make sense”.

Stéphane Mercier “Duology” Quetzal Records (QZ136): 2013

Stéphane Mercier 4tet: “Walking the Soul Map” Mognomusic j031: 2009

Stéphane Mercier: “Safe & Sound in Long Island City” (OR-002): 2002

Stéphane Mercier: “Flor de Luna” (FSNT-097): 2000

A joué et/ou enregistré avec :

 

Mark Turner, Seamus Blake, Chris Cheek, Randy Brecker, Antonio Sanchez, Philip Catherine, Dennis Irwin, Wynton Marsalis, Charles Loos, Guillermo Klein, Nathalie Loriers, Mango Santamaria, Bill McHenry, Aaron Goldberg, Cheick Tidiane Seck, Jeff Ballard, Adam Deitch, Christian Brenner, Matt Penman, Marlon Browden, Jérôme Sabbagh, Francesco Bearzatti, Mauro Gargano, Fabrice Moreau, Vincent Bourgeyx, Ingrid Jenssens, Joe Martin, Jochen Rueckert, Stéphane Galland, Darren Beckett, Erik Vermeulen, Karl Jannuska, Vijay Iyer, Jean-Louis Rassinfosse, Peter Hertmans, Richard Rousselet, Frank Amsallem, Nic Thys, Melvin Butler, John Benitez, Kris Defoort, Chander Sardjoe, Paolo Loveri, Jacques Schwartz-bart, Avishai Cohen, Dré Pallemaerts, Mederic Collignon, Michel Herr, Bruno Castellucci…

Les concerts et tournées :

 

New-York: Birdland, JVC New York jazz festival, the Knitting Factory, CBGB’s, the Jazz Standard, Izzy Bar, Jules, Kävehaz, S.O.B’s,..

 

Europe: Midem 2007 (Cannes), à Paris: Petit Journal Montparnasse, clubs de Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Sunside, Sunset, centre culturel italien, l’Improviste, Hot Brass, Divan du Monde, Cythéa, Maison de la Radio, en Belgique: la Boîte de Jazz, Botanique, festivals de Gaume et de Gouvy, Lundis d’Hortense, Jazz à Liège et de Werf, Travers, podium Grand’place de Bruxelles, RTBF, Jazz Marathon, Django à Liberchies, Marcus Mingus, Jazz Jette June, Music Village, Sounds, Théâtre 140, Palais des Beaux-Arts, Fool Moon, Jazz Station, Mons en Jazz,…
Monde: Qatar, Brasil, Bulgarie, Hongrie, Kazaksthan, Kirghistan,…

 

Tournées: Exile Society (rap), the B.Connection (jazz moderne), the Interplay Collective (big band), Lundis d’Hortense et la tournée Jazzlab Series,…
Premières parties: Toots Thielemans, Wayne Shorter, Courtney Pine, Lee Konitz, Johnny Griffin, Abbey Lincoln, Trilok Gurtu, the Pharcytes, Phil Abraham,…