Olivier Clerc

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Olivier Clerc (born September 25, 1950 in Lausanne ) is a Swiss jazz and improvisation musician ( drums , percussion ).

Live and act

Clerc comes from a musical family; his younger brother is the organist Pierre-Alain Clerc. After a classical training in piano and violin, he switched to drums in 1959. He took lessons at the Geneva Conservatory before discovering jazz at the age of 15. He also took part in a drum workshop with Kenny Clarke .

In the late 1960s he played jazz with the pianist François Lindemann in Lausanne; In 1974 he became the drummer of the quartet they shared with Jean-Luc Barbier , which also included bassist Olivier Magnenat . A year later the band performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival ; the group received a gold record in Spain for the recording of the concert . Two years later a second album was created with the title CM4-1977 . In 1982 Clerc founded the group BBFC with Jean-François Bovard , Daniel Bourquin and Léon Francioli , with which he performed successfully for a decade and recorded several albums. He also worked with Hans Kennel , Pascal Auberson , Urs Blöchlinger , Erik Truffaz , Hans Koch , Henri Texier , Louis Sclavis , Franco D'Andrea , Paolo Fresu , Gianluigi Trovesi , Paul Lovens , Barre Phillips , Buddy Collette , Tony Coe , Richie Beirach or Farafina .

Clerc was also active as a theater musician. In the early 1990s he worked as a member of the Gaspard Glaus trio (with Bob Harrison) and with André Jaume (including the album Peace with Charlie Haden ). From 1996 to 2000 he was part of the band of pianist Malcolm Braff , with whom he released the album Together on Blue Note in 1999. Since 1995 he has been the drummer of Urban Safari (with Vinz Vonlanthen ). He also works as an instrument maker.

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personal data
SURNAME Clerc, Olivier
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Swiss jazz and improvisation musician (drums, percussion)
DATE OF BIRTH September 25, 1950
PLACE OF BIRTH Lausanne