Jazz Articles about Olivier Calmel

Olivier Calmel Quartet: Empreintes

by John Barron
December 17, 2008

French pianist/composer Olivier Calmel enjoys a prosperous career scoring music for film. In between movie projects, however, the Paris-based musician finds time to lead and compose for creative jazz projects. On Empreintes, Calmel combines elements of 20th century classical music and jazz fusion to create a vibrant set of fresh thematic material supported by an intense rhythmic drive.

The opening “Prologue" works well as an introductory showcase for Calmel's orchestrating technique. Here, the pianist brilliantly manipulates a single line throughout ...