Inspired by nature

Pianist Eve Risser (b. 1982) began playing piano and flute at a young age in her native France. She studied both instruments at the conservatory in Colmar before focusing solely on jazz piano and improvisation, first in Strasbourg and later in Paris. In her music, Eve fuses fantasy with feminism, which she incorporates in a contemporary and experimental jazz style. Risser draws inspiration for her compositions from nature: mountains, snow and minerals are the common thread in her work.

One of the jurors of the Paul Acket Award, Oslo Jazz Festival director Øyvind Larsen, describes her as a “contemporary composer who explores and expands the idiom of modern music. Risser is of great significance on the European improvised scene. Her poetic playing is percussive and physical, ranging in form from solo performances to large orchestras.”

Risser now has five albums to her name, including her recent album Eurythmia (2022), which she released in collaboration with the twelve-piece Red Desert Orchestra.

AT THE FESTIVAL SATURDAY, MISSOURI