Stéphane Mercier
Web Site
October 2001

Flor De Luna
Fresh Sound
2001

Reviewed by
Asim Memon

Born in Brussels in 1970, Stephane Mercier has benefitted tremendously from a rich and diverse musical background. While growing up, he played drums and classical percussion in marching band and opera, sang in choir, and spent some of his teenage years in a rock band. He began honing his compositional skills early on, writing music for theatrical plays and for singers, before focusing on jazz and the alto saxophone at age eighteen. In 1992, he moved to Boston, MA, where he met George Garzone and Herb Pomeroy, who were to become big influences on his musical development. It was during this time that he also met all of the musicians on this recording and formed the band B Connection. Their debut album Don't Butt In Line (4AM-0061-200) has won the award for "Best Instrumental Group" in one of Down Beat magazine's annual student contests. Moving back to Europe in 1995, Stephane began touring intensively with various groups, whose genres ranged from avant-garde big band to Afro-American hip-hop (Exile society: www.exilesociety.com).

He also received valuable advice from Toots Thielman, who encouraged him to go to New York City.

And indeed, while on tour in the United States with Mark Turner and Philippe Thomas, Stephane was inspired to settle down in New York, especially after hearing the impressive new generation of musicians coming up in the scene. He soon put his band back together, adding tenor saxophonist Seamus Blake and drummer Chander Sardjoe.

Yet Stephane also took advantage of the city's incredible cultural resources, immersing himself in an array of musical landscapes by playing with Brazilian, Haitian, Mauritian and various African ensembles.