Building Technique Series 1

Coming from a family surrounded by music and musicians, Stéphane Mercier studied different instruments early on before focusing on the saxophone and the flute, composition and arrangement. After studying at Berklee College of Music in the mid-90’s, he intensively toured with Mark Turner, Seamus Blake, B.Connection, Exile Society...then moved to Brooklyn, NY (95-02), where he played and/or recorded with a.o. Aaron Goldberg, Chris Cheek, Avishai Cohen, Randy Brecker, Jeff Ballard, Ingrid Jensen, Matt Penman,…Stéphane moved to Paris for a couple of years before Brussels, where he currently resides.He is now leading his own quartet (feat. Nicola Andrioli, Nicolas Thys and Dré Pallemaerts), the Jazz Station Big Band (with guests such as Grégoire Maret, Jason Rebello, Emil Vickliki, Ivan Paduart…), BKonexion (feat. Napoleon Da Legend, Nejma Nefertiti, Vin Vitou and Izame Siva), the Damon Brown & Stéphane Mercier Quintet, Quantum Stereo (feat. Stella Angelika), and plays and composes for Brooklyn-based BZ Sounds (feat. Ben Zwerin, Benny Benack and Lionel Loueke).Stéphane is also a regular member of the Christian Brenner Quartet, Marylène Corro, the Dinant Jazz Orchestra and State of Time.His discography is featured on several labels: Birdland Sessions, Fresh Sound/New Talent, Mogno Music, Igloo, Quetzal and Hypnote Records.