Leïla Olivesi named French musician of the year by the Jazz Academy

Composer, pianist and conductor Leïla Olivesi received the Django-Reinhardt Prize from the Jazz Academy on Sunday, becoming the 6th woman to receive this award in nearly 70 years of existence. The prize is awarded each year to a French jazz musician who has distinguished himself during the past year. His last album, astral, was released in November with an orchestra made up of around ten musicians.

“It’s really nice to feel that this passion for compositions, for music, for putting together a whole group and telling a musical story, is shared by the Academy.“said the 45-year-old artist, who has six records to his credit.”All this work we do every day as a musician takes on an even greater meaning (with this award) and makes me want to go further“, said the Franco-Mauritanian musician.

According to her Attention Fragile label, Leïla Olivesi’s musical universe is somewhere between Paris, New York and the Sahara desert. She is inspired by Herbie Hancock, Duke Ellington, Geri Allen, Randy Weston but also Gnawas, traditional Cuban music and contemporary music.

Best record of the year for Redman and Mehldau

The Jazz Academy also rewarded American musicians Joshua Redman (saxophone) and Brad Mehldau (piano) for the album LongGonecrowned Grand Prize of the Jazz Academy, which distinguishes the Best record of the year.

The Scrapbook Out of the Silence by French bassist Stéphane Kerecki won the Prix du Disque français, which rewards the best record of the year recorded by a French musician. For his part, the German trombone player Nils Wogram was crowned best European player. Finally, the Swiss guitarist of Honduran origin Louis Matute received the Evidence prize, which honors an exceptional new recording, for his third album Our Folklore.

Fifty of the sixty members of the Academy (journalists, writers, photographers, musicologists, programmers, animators, club bosses, etc.) took part in the ballot.