Michel Herr (born 16 February 1949 in Brussels) is a Belgium jazz pianist, composer and arranger. In addition to releasing jazz albums, composing for jazz ensembles and touring widely as a performing musician, he has also composed scores for films. As a bandleader he founded several bands: Solis Lacus, Michel Herr European Quintet, Michel Herr & Unexpected Encounters. He is also a music producer.
In 2020 he was awarded the Prix Sabam for Culture – Compositeur de Jazz 2019 for his album Positive / Music for sextet and string quartet (Igloo Records, 2019).
Selected works
Albums as a leader or co-leader
-
Positive / Music for sextet and string quartet (2019)
-
Jazz Olympics (1 track in tentet with Michel & Life Lines) (2008)
-
The Music of Michel Herr (with the Brussels Jazz Orchestra) (2008)
-
A tribute to Belgian Jazz (1998)
-
Notes of life (1998) (Quintet)
-
Just friends (Michel Herr & Archie Shepp)(1993) (movie soundtrack)
-
Meet Curtis Lundy & Kenny Washington (Steve Houben & Michel Herr) (1983)
-
Intuitions (1989) (trio)
-
Short stories (1982) (with Wolfgang Engstfeld)
-
Continuous flow (1980) (Engstfeld / Herr / Danielsson / Lowe)
-
Good buddies (1979) (with Bill Frisell)
-
Perspective (1978) (with Wolfgang Engstfeld)
-
Ouverture éclair (1977) (Michel Herr Trio)
-
Solis Lacus (1975)
Albums as a piano player, composer, arranger, etc... (a selection)
-
O Celli in America (8 cellists. Arranger of an Ellington medley) (2022)
-
The black days sessions (Daniel Romeo/Arranger) (2020)
-
We have a dream (Tutu Puoane & Brussels Jazz Orchestra/ Arranger) (2018)
-
Udiverse (Fabrice Alleman & Chamber orchestra/Arranger & composer) (2017)
-
The string project (Philip Catherine/ Arranger) (2016) Echo Jazz Award 2016 (D)
-
Colors of Time (Thierry Lang & David Linx/ Arranger) (2013)
-
Crush (Ivan Paduart & the Metropole Orchestra/ Arranger) (2010)
-
Let me hear a simple song (Radoni's Tribe / Arranger) (2009)
-
Jazz Olympics (1 track feat. David Linx / Brussels Jazz Orchestra) (2008)
-
Changing Faces (1 track feat. David Linx / Brussels Jazz Orchestra) (2007)
-
Sides of Life (Fabrice Alleman) (2004)
-
Restless (Jean-Pierre Catoul / Peter Hertmans) (1999)
-
The live takes (Toots Thielemans) (1999)
-
En public (Phil Abraham Quartet) (1997)
-
O brilho do Sol (Marito Correa) (1996)
-
Intensive Act (Félix Simtaine) (1996)
-
L'affaire (Vladimir Cosma/Toots Thielemans, movie soundtrack) (1994)
-
Loop the loop (Fabrice Alleman Quartet) (1993)
-
Take it from the top (Denise Jannah) (1991)
-
Bim bim (Bruno Castellucci) (1987)
-
Extremes (Act Big Band and guests) (1987)
-
Solid Steps (Joe Lovano) (1986)
-
Transparence (Philip Catherine) (1986)
-
Sweet seventina (Bert Joris) (1985)
-
Your precious love (Toots Thielemans) (1984)
-
Soon spring (John Ruocco) (1983)
-
Steve Houben + strings (1982)
-
Act Big Band (1981)
-
Remembering Bobby Jaspar and Rene Thomas (Saxo 1000) (1980)
-
Dom Rocket (Gijs Hendriks Quartet) (1979)
-
Live in Solothurn (Zbigniew Seifert Variospheres) (rec. 1976, released on cd in 2017)
As a composer, arranger for movies
-
Le Scoop (Jean-Louis Colmant) (1977) (TV)
-
La Mésaventure (Freddy Charles) (1980) (TV)
-
Les Fugitifs (Freddy Charles) (1981) (TV)
-
San Francisco (Freddy Charles) (1982) (TV)
-
Les Magiciens du mercredi (Freddy Charles) (1984) (TV)
-
Just Friends (Marc-Henri Wajnberg) (1993)
-
Éclats de famille (Didier Grousset) (1994) (TV)
-
Les Monos / Le responsable (Didier Grousset) (1999) (TV)
-
Le Coup du lapin (Didier Grousset) (2000) (TV)
-
Odette Toulemonde (Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt) (Nicola Piovani) (arranger/orchestrator of Joséphine Baker songs) (2007)
-
Un crime très populaire (Didier Grousset) (2007) (TV)
External links
