Michel Herr

Michel Herr (born 16 February 1949 in Brussels) is a Belgian jazz pianist, composer and arranger. In addition to releasing jazz albums, composing for jazz ensembles and touring widely as a performing musician, he has also composed scores for films. As a bandleader he founded several bands: Solis Lacus, Michel Herr European Quintet, Michel Herr & Unexpected Encounters. He is also a music producer.

In 2020 he was awarded the Prix Sabam for Culture – Compositeur de Jazz 2019 for his album Positive / Music for sextet and string quartet (Igloo Records, 2019).

Albums as a leader or co-leader

 * Positive / Music for sextet and string quartet (2019)
 * Jazz Olympics (1 track in tentet with Michel & Life Lines) (2008)
 * The Music of Michel Herr (with the Brussels Jazz Orchestra) (2008)
 * A tribute to Belgian Jazz (1998)
 * Notes of life (1998) (Quintet)
 * Just friends (Michel Herr & Archie Shepp)(1993) (movie soundtrack)
 * Meet Curtis Lundy & Kenny Washington (Steve Houben & Michel Herr) (1983)
 * Intuitions (1989) (trio)
 * Short stories (1982) (with Wolfgang Engstfeld)
 * Continuous flow (1980) (Engstfeld / Herr / Danielsson / Lowe)
 * Good buddies (1979) (with Bill Frisell)
 * Perspective (1978) (with Wolfgang Engstfeld)
 * Ouverture éclair (1977) (Michel Herr Trio)
 * Solis Lacus (1975)

Albums as a piano player, composer, arranger, etc... (a selection)

 * O Celli in America (8 cellists. Arranger of an Ellington medley) (2022)
 * The black days sessions (Daniel Romeo/Arranger) (2020)
 * We have a dream (Tutu Puoane & Brussels Jazz Orchestra/ Arranger) (2018)
 * Udiverse (Fabrice Alleman & Chamber orchestra/Arranger & composer) (2017)
 * The string project (Philip Catherine/ Arranger) (2016) Echo Jazz Award 2016 (D)
 * Colors of Time (Thierry Lang & David Linx/ Arranger) (2013)
 * Crush (Ivan Paduart & the Metropole Orchestra/ Arranger) (2010)
 * Let me hear a simple song (Radoni's Tribe / Arranger) (2009)
 * Jazz Olympics (1 track feat. David Linx / Brussels Jazz Orchestra) (2008)
 * Changing Faces (1 track feat. David Linx / Brussels Jazz Orchestra) (2007)
 * Sides of Life (Fabrice Alleman) (2004)
 * Restless (Jean-Pierre Catoul / Peter Hertmans) (1999)
 * The live takes (Toots Thielemans) (1999)
 * En public (Phil Abraham Quartet) (1997)
 * O brilho do Sol (Marito Correa) (1996)
 * ''Intensive Act" (Félix Simtaine) (1996)
 * L'affaire (Vladimir Cosma/Toots Thielemans, movie soundtrack) (1994)
 * Loop the loop (Fabrice Alleman Quartet) (1993)
 * Take it from the top (Denise Jannah) (1991)
 * Bim bim (Bruno Castellucci) (1987)
 * Extremes (Act Big Band and guests) (1987)
 * Solid Steps (Joe Lovano) (1986)
 * Transparence (Philip Catherine) (1986)
 * Sweet seventina (Bert Joris) (1985)
 * Your precious love (Toots Thielemans) (1984)
 * Soon spring (John Ruocco) (1983)
 * Steve Houben + strings (1982)
 * Act Big Band (1981)
 * Remembering Bobby Jaspar and Rene Thomas (Saxo 1000) (1980)
 * Dom Rocket (Gijs Hendriks Quartet) (1979)
 * Live in Solothurn (Zbigniew Seifert Variospheres) (rec. 1976, released on cd in 2017)

As a composer, arranger for movies

 * Le Scoop (Jean-Louis Colmant) (1977) (TV)
 * La Mésaventure (Freddy Charles) (1980) (TV)
 * Les Fugitifs (Freddy Charles) (1981) (TV)
 * San Francisco (Freddy Charles) (1982) (TV)
 * Les Magiciens du mercredi (Freddy Charles) (1984) (TV)
 * Just Friends (Marc-Henri Wajnberg) (1993)
 * Éclats de famille (Didier Grousset) (1994) (TV)
 * Les Monos / Le responsable (Didier Grousset) (1999) (TV)
 * Le Coup du lapin (Didier Grousset) (2000) (TV)
 * Odette Toulemonde (Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt) (Nicola Piovani) (arranger/orchestrator of Joséphine Baker songs) (2007)
 * Un crime très populaire (Didier Grousset) (2007) (TV)