Jacky Terrasson

Jacky Terrasson ( born November 27, 1965 in Berlin as Jacques- Laurent Terrasson ) is a French-American jazz pianist.

Life and work

The son of a French computer specialist and an American interior decorator received classical piano training in Paris. From 1986 he studied at the Berklee College of Music in the USA. After appearances at clubs in Chicago, he became in 1991 a member of the band by Art Taylor. While recording, he met Betty Carter, which he then accompanied almost a year as a pianist. In 1996, he was pianist and arranger for Jimmy Scott's album Heaven; In 1997, he took with Cassandra Wilson Rendezvous. Dianne Reeves and also Dee Dee Bridgewater, he accompanied as a pianist. He also worked on albums by Rigmor Gustafsson, Emmanuel Pahud, Stefon Harris, Stefano Di Battista, Charles Aznavour and Tom Harrell.

Since the mid- 1990s he has directed the Jacky Terrasson Trio, in which he was accompanied by Ugonna Okegwo on bass and Leon Parker on drums, formed in 2012 by Burniss Travis on bass and Justin Faulkner (drums).

Prizes and awards

In the year for a group of instruments discharged, International Jazz Competition Terrasson won the 1993 Thelonious Monk Award as " Most Talented Pianist". In 1995 his first album Jacky Terrasson was awarded by the Académie du Jazz awarded the Prix Boris Vian. 2003, the Prix Django Reinhardt, he was awarded a French jazz musician of the year from the same institution. Also in 2003 he received the award for Smile Les Victoires du Jazz as Best French Jazz Album of the Year.

Disco Graphical Notes

• Jacky Terrasson Quartet - What's New ( Jazz aux Ramparts, 1994)
• Lover Man with Ugonna Okegwo, Leon Parker ( Blue Note Records, 1994)
• Jacky Terrasson with Ugonna Okegwo, Leon Parker ( Blue Note, 1994)
• Reach with Ugonna Okegwo, Leon Parker ( Blue Note, 1996)
• Rendezvous with Cassandra Wilson, Mino Cinelu, Kenny Davis, Lonnie Plaxico ( Blue Note, 1997)
• Alive with Ugonna Okegwo, Leon Parker ( Blue Note, 1998)
• What It Is with Michael Brecker, Jay Collins, Xiomara Laugart, Gregoire Maret ( Blue Note, 1999)
• A Paris ... Stefano Di Battista, Minino Garay, Terreon Gully, Stefon Harris, Bireli Lagrene, Gregoire Maret, Ugonna Okegwa, Leon Parker, Rémi Vignolo ( Blue Note, 2000)
• Moon & Sand with Tom Harrell ( Jazz aux Ramparts, 2001)
• Smile with Eric Harland, Rémi Vignolo ( Blue Note, 2002)
• Mirror, solo ( Blue Note, 2007)
• Push ( Concord Jazz, 2010)
• Gouache with Cécile McLorin Salvant ( EmArcy / Universal, 2012)