Origin Brussels, Belgium Role Composer · michelherr.com Name Michel Herr | Website www.michelherr.com Years active 1970–present | |
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Born 16 February 1949 (age 75) ( 1949-02-16 ) Instruments Piano, keyboards, composer, arranger Associated acts Michel Herr & Life Lines, The Michel Herr European Quintet, Unexpected Encounters, Michel Herr Trio, the Brussels Jazz Orchestra Albums A Weaver of Dreams, Intuitions Similar People Hein van de Geyn, Riccardo Del Fra, Francis Goya | ||
The Music of Michel Herr
Michel Herr (born 16 February 1949 in Brussels) is a Belgian pianist, composer and arranger active in the fields of jazz and film music. Since the seventies he has been active on the European Jazz scene. He appeared on numerous jazz albums as a pianist and arranger.
Contents
- The Music of Michel Herr
- Albums as a leader or co leader
- Albums as a piano player composer arranger etc
- As a composer arranger for movies
- References
Since 1984, he regularly played piano and keyboards with harmonica player Toots Thielemans. He performed with him throughout the world (Europe, Japan, Africa, U.S.), played many major festivals and participated in many records, TV shows and film soundtracks.
Michel Herr had the opportunity to play with great American musicians like Joe Lovano, Chet Baker, Lee Konitz, Art Farmer, Joe Henderson, Johnny Griffin, Pepper Adams, Bill Frisell, as well as many top European musicians, such as Palle Mikkelborg, Riccardo Del Fra, Palle Danielsson, Richard Galliano and the best Belgian musicians: Philip Catherine, Steve Houben, Bert Joris and others.
He led several bands, from the trio to the big band, a.o. a European quintet with Wolfgang Engstfeld (sax) and Bert Joris (tp), a nonet named "Life Lines", etc... in which he presented his compositions. He wrote for numerous jazz ensembles, including WDR Big Band, ACT big Band, the Brussels Jazz Orchestra (a.o. with singer David Linx, and the Metropole Orchestra (NL).
2008 sees the release of a double album of his big band compositions with the Brussels Jazz Orchestra, "The Music of Michel Herr".
Other major achievements as an arranger:
• The album "Crush" : 6 arrangements for the Metropole Orchestra on the music of Ivan Paduart (2010)
• "Colors of Time" : 13 arrangements on music by Thierry Lang, lyrics by David Linx, performed by 5 jazzmen, a choir and a string ensemble (2012).
In 2013, he writes big band charts for trombonist Phil Abraham, string arrangements for saxophonist Steve Houben, orchestra arrangements for saxophonist Fabrice Alleman and the Hanoi Philharmonic.
In 2014, he writes arrangements for the project "An American songbook", with Steve Houben (sax), Julie Mossay (classical soprano), the Nathalie Loriers trio and the Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonie (strings). The same year, on the occasion of the Adolphe Sax year, he writes a series of jazz arrangements for 5 saxes and trio.
In 2016, he writes string arrangements for guitarist Philip Catherine and "The String Project" (the album receives an Echo Jazz Award in Germany). Arrangements for big bands, for the saxophonist Fabrice Alleman and chamber orchestra.
He is also active in the field of film music, composed the score for Just Friends.