BIOGRAPHY
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EDUCATION/TRAINING Olivier is Belgian but was born in Congo, Africa in 1973. Soon after his birth, his parents moved back to Belgium. He started piano on his own at the age of 11. 2 years later, he began following drums and theory lessons . Meanwhile, he was having private keyboard lessons with Bernard L’Hoir, with whom he learned a few pop/rock tunes and the basic of improvisation. At the age of 16, he had his first one week Jazz workshop with great musicians such as Diederik Wissels, Nathalie Loriers, Michel Hatzigeorgiou, Dre Pallemaerts, Erwin Vann,… One year later, he did another one through the Lundis d’Hortense association (belgian professional Jazz musicians). Right after highschool, he studied one year at the Jazz Studio in Antwerp where he got Diederik Wissels as piano teacher. Next, he followed one year of private classical lessons with Marie Boulenger and was having a hard training (practicing piano 8 hours a day). Then, he entered the Jazz section of the Royal conservatory of Brussels for three years.During that time, he had Eric Legnini as piano teacher. At the age of 23, he graduated from the Brussels conservatory with the 1stprize distinction. 2 years later, he moved to New-York where he got lessons from Kenny Werner and Fred Hersch. Also, he met some great musicians such as Mc Coy Tyner or Kenny Baron.
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EXPERIENCE/PERFORMANCES Olivier created his first own quartet in 1998 with Kurt Van Herck (saxophones), Mimi Verderame (drums) and Nicolas L’Herbette (bass). They were playing mainly Olivier’s compositions but sometimes Jazz standards as well. For four years, they played in many Jazz clubs and festivals in Belgium. They did twice the Jazz tour organized by the Lundis d’Hortense association (belgian professional Jazz musicians) and were selected by the Belgian government for the “Tournees Art & Vie”. They recorded one double CD in 2001 called “Joy And Mystery” with a lot of guests musicians. Then, Olivier formed his second group with Bart Defoort (saxophones), Bart De Nolf (bass) andJan de Haas(drums). They toured for three years mainly in Belgium in clubs and festivals. They recorded a CD in 2003 called “De l’Aube au Crepuscule” with several guests and a string quartet arranged by Diederik Wissels. They played in France for the Sete Jazz Festival in 2003 by doing the first part of Kenny Garret’s show and in the United Arab Emirates for the Dubai international Jazz festival in 2005. Olivier worked as a sideman too. Among others, he worked with a Flamenco/Jazz band called Macande. With them, he played at the Couleur Café festival in 1999, the Jazz Marathon on the Brussels Grand Place in 2000 and, at the Gaume Jazz festival in 2001 and at the Paradiso in Rotterdam, Holland. Olivier worked occasionaly with other great musicians such as : Philip Catherine, Steve Houben, Bruno Castellucci, Olivier Ker Ourio, Salvatore La Rocca,... In 2004, through the Hoeilaart international Jazz contest, Olivier won the SABAM P.A.B prize of 2000 euros for the best Jazz composition of the year : “Dancing Birds”. In october 2004, Olivier moved to Dubai to work in hotels and Jazz clubs. In march 2008, he moved back to Belgium. In march 2008 |
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