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Leïla Olivesi
Leïla Olivesi is a French female pianist and composer based in Paris.
Winner of the Best of Jazz 2025 : "Best musician of the year" and "Best conductor of the year", by JazzMagazine and JazzNews.
Winner of the Django Reinhardt Prize by the Académie du Jazz 2022: Best French Musician of the year.
She is PhD in musicology at the Sorbonne University and MA graduate in philosophy at the Sorbonne.
In 2013, she received the Ellington Composers first prize, the international big band composing competition. She was commissioned for "Rhapsody in Black" by the mixed choir Choeur Philharmonique intertnational, Unesco Artist for Peace (2025), le "Tour du monde en 80 lunes" for the Choir VOCO (département des Hauts de Seine) for 500 teens singers (2025), and the "Suite Andamane" for symphonic orchestra, jazz big band and mixed choir (2016).
Her seventh album was published in 2025 AFRICAN RHAPSODY. It has been multi-awarded : CHOC Jazzmag and INDISPENSABLE JazzNews. African Rhapsody is also nominated for the Best Album of the year by the French Academy du jazz.
She gives lectures about Duke Ellington and Mary Lou Williams. She is curently vice-president of the Maison du Duke in Paris.
She has performed with many great artists : Dave Binney, Glenn Ferris, Magic Malik, Rick Margitza, John Betsch, Jean-Charles Richard, Alex Terrier, Elisabeth Kontomanou, Manu Codjia, Emile Parisien, Jeanne Added, Stéphane Belmondo, Anne Paceo, Julie Saury, Metiswing, African Salsa Orchestra, Leon Parker, Laurent Mignard, Baptiste Herbin...
She performed in many festivals as Jazz à Vienne, Parfum de Jazz, St Omer Jaaz Festival, Jazz à St Germain des prés, Nevers Djazz, St Sat, Crest Jazz Festival, Jazz sous les Pommiers à Coutances, Jazz sur le Vif (studio 104 de la Maison de la Radio), Jazz en Sol mineur, le 106 Rouen, St Gille Croix de Vie, Bourg-en-Bresse, Moulin d’Andé, Jazz in Aiacciu, Jazz in Marciac, Radio France Montpellier Jazz Festival, Albertville Jazz Festival, Orleans Jazz Festival, Ankara Jazz Festival, Les Elles du jazz, Ciman jazz à Nouakchott, Jazz à St Germain des prés, Paris Jazz Club, le Midem, St Malo, Agadir Anmogar, Pontaut-Combault, Bagneux, Jazz et vin en double, St Fons Jazz Festival…
Awards
Winner of the Best of Jazz 2025 : "Best musician of the year" and "Best conductor of the year", by JazzMagazine and JazzNews.
Winner of the Django Reinhardt Prize by the Académie du Jazz 2022: Best French Musician of the year
Ellington Composers first prize in 2013
Tags
American Grammy awarded Pianist Geoffrey Keezer said about her music : « This is fully contemporary acoustic jazz on a high level, with brilliant musicians that interpret and breathe her musical visions to life. »
Le monde : "The swinging impulse as the sophistication towards musical clarity seduce and even enchant."
France Musique : "Leïla asserts herself as an authentic artist of today" - "Original, harmonious music"
Académie du jazz : "Pianist Leïla Olivesi's latest album delights us"
Music
Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson
