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“At barely sixteen, the pianist has already integrated a lot of this music.
Passion is without a doubt the best school. Maël Mercier launches ideas, dares, takes risks.
We detect inflections of Monk in his playing (on "Caravan" or "Someday ...") of Wynton Kelly as well. He takes responsibility for his choices. It is beautiful and good to watch this "handover".
We will follow him closely, Maël Mercier, because this talent certainly has a bright future."
Jacques Prouvost, Jazzques, of the 20/07/2021
Master I - JazzCampus Basel
IN PROGRESS...
Maël Mercier
'Prayer' - Maël Mercier
'Prayer' - Maël Mercier
'Izipho' - Nduduzo Makhathini
Maël Mercier & Eliott Knuets Duo "Darn That Dream" - Jimmy Van Heusen
Maël Mercier & Eliott Knuets Duo "Beautiful Love" - Victor Young (Solo of Maël Mercier)
ABOUT MAËL
It was to the sound of J.S. Bach's “Well-Tempered Clavier” that Maël Mercier was born in Braine-Alleud, Belgium, on August 17, 2004, to a North-African, Kabyle mother and a European, Belgian jazz musician as a father.
As children, he and his little brother grew up with their saxophonist father as their only parent. They therefore follow him on the roads and are constantly bathed in music.
He remembers nights he spent trying to fall asleep in the touring minibus, straining his ears to listen to concerts outdoors in the south of France.
In his memory also remain the hundreds of performances of his father and grandfather, telling and playing the history of jazz, him and his brother holding the bar in exchange for a packet of crisps and a fresh soda as pay of the evening.
After several private music lessons, Maël opted for the piano and left the academy after two years of classical studies. At the age of twelve, he immersed himself in musical humanities at the famous Kunsthumaniora in Brussels. There, he meets his peers and can finally develop his passion for jazz. Maël already obtained his secondary school diploma at the age of sixteen and attends the two Brussels Conservatories. There are classes with a.o. Eric Legnini, Nathalie Loriers and Vincent Bruyninckx.
Maël successfully graduated from the Bachelor degree at the Koninklijk Conservatorium van Brussel at the age of 18. At the moment, Maël is is doing his master studies at the internationally renowned conservatory of Basel.
Wynton Marsalis noticed Maël at the age of 14, and will later be responsible for the strong relationship he has with his mentor Nduduzo Makhathini with whom he
regularly gets lesson from.
Meanwhile, he also got lesson with Aaron Parks.
Hamilton de Holanda, Grégoire Maret, Kenny Werner, also noticed Maël and will
spend some time giving advices to him which he never will forget.
CONTACT
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