BENJAMIN MOUSSAY SOLO | France

He is presented as a keyboard magician, a space modeller, an imaginative pianist with sensual playing, a protean keyboardist, "between dreamlike piano vortices on the edge of the abyss and intimate and spectral electronic architectures".
 
Benjamin Moussay first studied classical piano at the Strasbourg Conservatoire before devoting his keyboard exploration to jazz and other improvisational contexts. He is a frequent collaborator with the ECM label in recordings of Louis Sclavis and Vincent Courtois (Sources, Silk and Salt Melodies, West, Characters On A Wall). He has developed into an indispensable pianistic voice in Europe.
 
He is the second French pianist to make a solo recording for the ECM label. His solo piano debut for this renovated music label (2020) was awarded the "Coup de Coeur" by the Académie Charles Cros and praised by critics: "an exceptional album" - Le Monde; "a series of loose improvisations that often sound like perfectly rendered miniatures" - The Guardian; an indispensable composer whose reputation will one day match that of his famous predecessors – Télérama. He is the winner of the Martial Solal International Jazz Piano Competition, a soloist at the Paris-La Défense National Jazz Competition.
 
Although he especially likes to play solo piano concerts, we cannot fail to mention his collaborations with the biggest names in jazz, such as Louis Sclavis, Marc Ducret, Daniel Humair, Tony Malaby, Steve Swallow, Michel Portal, Vincent Peirani, Martial Solal Youn Sun Nah, Airelle Besson, etc.
 
In addition to his trio with Eric Echampard and Arnault Cuisinier, he is engaged in a duet with Claudia Solal, whose last album "Butter in my Brain" met with a warm reception.
 
The Promotoire project
 After three acclaimed ECM recordings with Louis, each confirming his improvisational ingenuity, French pianist Benjamin Moussay was invited to record a solo album. Promontoire is the result, a thoughtful, reflective and deeply lyrical album that is both a strikingly original statement and an admirable addition to ECM's excellent solo piano series. 
 
Benjamin Moussay (piano)